Ministers more likely to use inclusive language in worship
By John H. Adams, The Layman Online, August 26, 1999
Presbyterians of all strands – ministers, lay officers, men and women – are “extremely likely” to call God “Creator, Father or master” but not likely to use some of the more controversial names, including “Mother.”
But ministers, both those serving congregations and those categorized as “specialized clergy,” are far more likely to favor inclusive language in worship services than elders or members. And women clergy favor inclusive language by margins of more than five to one over women members and by nearly four to one to over women elders.
Presbyterian Panel results
Those are some of the conclusions of a recent sampling by the Presbyterian Panel, a polling service that enjoys widespread credibility among liberals, moderates and conservatives in the Presbyterian Church (USA). “
Around 90 percent in every sample are extremely likely to have the image of ‘Creator’ come to mind when they think about God,” the panel said.
The name “Father” also was highly favored – with nearly 80 percent “extremely likely” to use Father in their talk about God. However, there was a sharp divide between lay people and ministers on the use of “Father.” Three-fourths of the lay people and only half of the ministers were “extremely likely” to use the term Father.
“Imagining God as ‘Father’ is reported as extremely likely or somewhat likely by large majorities in all samples, ranging from 89 percent (pastors) and 84 percent (specialized ministers) among clergy to 94 percent among elders and members. Corresponding percentages imagining God as ‘Mother’ are 46 percent among specialized clergy, 38 percent among pastors, 16 percent among elders and 13 percent among members.”
The use of inclusive language in references to God draws another sharp divide between clergy and laity. Majorities of both pastors (64 percent) and specialized clergy (76 percent) say they believe inclusive language is consistent with Scripture. But lay members aren’t so sure: Only 40 percent of the members believe inclusive language is consistent with Scripture and only 36 percent of the elders hold that view. The Presbyterian Panel poll came out after the meeting of the 1999 General Assembly in June, when commissioners rejected an overture that would have required that inclusive language be used in worship services. The poll numbers seem to reflect the decision of the General Assembly.
Women and men differ
The poll did underscore the fact that men and women tend to hold different opinions about inclusive language – and the names of God. For instance, women are more likely to view God as “Friend” and men are more likely to view God as “Judge.”
Also, women are more like to favor modifying the language of the church to be more gender inclusive, although only among women pastors and specialized clergy are there majorities who favor substituting gender-free language for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit of the Trinity. And while women elders and women members are more than twice as likely as their male counterparts to favor Trinitarian alternatives – such as “Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer” – still only a small percentage of the women members (12) and elders (16) favors using those alternatives. Other findings in the survey include:
“Exactly half of pastors and at least 44 percent in the other samples agree that ‘we shouldn’t change traditional texts and hymns but efforts should be made to ensure that new hymns and texts are more inclusive.'”
“Large majorities of pastors but fewer than four in 10 lay panelists rate ‘the issue of gender in language about God’ as either very important or important to them personally.”
“Less than a quarter of members and elders, but three in four pastors and specialized clergy rate as very important or important that ‘when people speak in worship … they use gender-neutral or gender-inclusive terms’ when referring to the church and the people of God.”
