what are God's pronouns?
the divine she/her, he/him, and/or they/them
Which, if any, pronouns do you use for God? Today, I’m reviewing an excellent article that makes a compelling case for why they/them pronouns are a great option for gendering God.
The article, “Actually ‘They’ is a Beautiful Pronoun for God,” was written by Chloe Specht and published online by the magazine, Sojourners.1 Specht, who uses both she and they pronouns, is a licensed pastor in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denomination. They hold a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary.
Published in January 2022, Specht’s article is a direct refutation of Christy Thornton’s Christianity Today article from a week prior, entitled “They Is Not a Pronoun for God.”2
Thornton’s article begins with a regurgitation of conservative talking points about the supposedly recent invention of the singular they third-person pronoun—a common misconception that Specht debunks. Then Thornton attempts a biblical and Trinitarian defense of masculine divine pronouns. To avoid tritheism3 or reading the Bible anachronistically, she argues that Christians use exclusively the masculine pronouns found in Scripture.
I think Thornton is dead wrong—both theologically and grammatically. They/them pronouns speak to a diversity of God within Godself. This is especially true for people who believe in God as Trinity because they can be read as singular and plural. Specht’s article also celebrates the “gender-less” and “gender-full”4 potential of gender-neutral pronouns for a Triune God, who has too long been depicted as two men (a father and a son) and a dove (the Holy Spirit).5
It is worth noting that Hebrew and Christian scriptures referred to God as he/him because these texts were written in patriarchal societies. Pointing to figurative maternal imagery used to describe God in biblical texts, Specht argues that referring to God as they reenforces the theological belief that God’s nature is beyond gender, which Thornton herself agrees with.
I agree with Specht that speaking of God as they/them affirms the Christian doctrine of creation. On this point, Specht writes, “Humanity’s creativity and agency is a divine gift, and our diversity as people reflects the kaleidoscope of colors that make up the infinite splendor of God. And, after all, if God is the creator of all human beings of all genders, then wouldn’t God be the most gender-full, gender-creative being in the cosmos?”6
Gender-neutral pronouns for God can be a useful starting place in a theological exploration of the gender-diverse divine image expressed in both Creator and creation. Referencing the plurality of the divine self as represented by the first-person plural pronoun us used in Genesis 1:26-27, Specht argues that the creation of human beings in the image of a creative God legitimizes human experience as a source of divine revelation in addition to scripture.
However, the assumption that God is triune limits the reach of Specht’s argument to an audience with a Trinitarian Christian doctrine of God. I could imagine that the ambiguity of gender-neutral pronouns could be useful for other people of faith, too, specifically queer Jews or Muslims, who may also affirm the uniqueness and incomprehensibility of God.
As someone who uses more than one pronoun to designate my gender, I am also curious about how the use of interchangeable rolling pronouns or alternative pronouns beyond standard English could better describe dynamic, transcendent, or gender-diverse aspects of the divine nature than one set of pronouns alone can.
Personally, if I use gendered pronouns when discussing God, I typically use the pronouns they/them with an occasional she/her. I also learned a trick in grad school that helps you avoid gendering God altogether. Replace personal pronouns like he, she, or they with the name of God you use. For example, “God demonstrates God’s love for humanity.” However, it can be quite fun and spiritually adventurous to gender God in new ways, so try out different pronouns and see which ones sound the best to you.
Theologically, which pronouns we use to describe God and denote God’s gender(s) or lack thereof is important. Only using he/him pronouns when referring to God limits our understanding of God’s self-revelation to outdated patriarchal notions of divinity. Using more than one set of pronouns, including gender neutral options like they/them, opens our eyes to the image of a gender-diverse Creator at work in people of every gender, multiple genders, and no gender at all.
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If you want to learn more about gender pronouns, including how to refer to someone with gender-neutral pronouns or multiple pronouns, this article from them is really helpful.7
Author’s note: This post was drafted on the unceded and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations. I published this post on Meusebach-Comanche Treaty land. I am grateful to live, work, and study on the traditional territories of the Nʉmʉnʉʉ Sookobitʉ (Comanche), Tonkawa, Jumanos, and Ndé Kónitsąąíí Gokíyaa (Lipan Apache) peoples.
Chloe Specht, “Actually, ‘They’ Is a Beautiful Pronoun for God,” Sojourners, January 27, 2022, accessed September 22, 2023, https://sojo.net/articles/actually-they-beautiful-pronoun-god/.
Christy Thornton, “‘They’ is Not a Pronoun for God,” Christianity Today, January 20, 2022, accessed September 22, 2023, https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/january-web-only/gender-language-theology-they-pronoun-for-god/.
Tritheism is the belief that the Christian God is actually three different gods instead of one God who exists as three distinct Persons.
Specht, “Actually, ‘They.’”
This chapter on Trinitarian iconography across Christian history is insightful. Sarah Coakley, God, Sexuality, and the Self: An Essay “On the Trinity” (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2013), 190-265, Kindle.
In response to Speech’s quote, I would also add that agender people are also created in the image of a God without gender. Specht, “Actually, ‘They.’”
Devin-Norelle, “Gender-Neutral Pronouns 101: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know,” them, July 26, 2022, accessed September 22, 2023, https://www.them.us/story/gender-neutral-pronouns-101-they-them-xe-xem/.