Biblical Revelations of Divinity

Epiphany, the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Magi, has come to mean “any revelation of divine being.” Revelations of the Divine continue to happen where minds and souls are open. The Bible includes revelations of Divinity that people are continuing to discover.

Genesis 1:27 proclaims that female and male are created in the image of the Divine; therefore, Deity includes female and male. This fullness of Divinity has long been hidden under layers of exclusively male sacred images. Female divine names and images may at first startle us with their unexpectedness. Because of our culture’s long devaluing of females, some people may even feel that female names are not lofty enough to carry Divinity, just as the Magi must have at first wondered if divine revelation could come in the form of a small infant in a manger. The Female Divine has been hidden, but now people are discovering Her in the Bible.

 

1 Corinthians 1:24 and 30 declare that Christ is the Wisdom (Sophia) of God and that Christ became for us Sophia from God. The early church believed that Jesus was a revelation of Sophia (Greek word for “Wisdom”). Early Christians associated Jewish wisdom literature’s personified Sophia with Jesus, believing Jesus to be the incarnation of divine Sophia.

 

 

 

Jeremiah 31:22 celebrates a “new thing on the earth”: the power of woman reordering relationships and saving life. This “new thing” that began long ago in Jeremiah’s day is springing up on a larger scale today as churches, and other organizations discover the great need for women’s gifts for the healing of our world. A record number of women now serve in the U.S. Congress, but still comprise only 23 percent. Only about 12 percent of church pastors are women; Equity for Women in the Church has the mission of facilitating equal representation of clergywomen as pastors of multicultural churches in order to transform church and society. Our world longs for the healing power of women’s gifts and graces.

The lyrics of this song draw from these biblical passages.

What wondrous thing is happening here
where minds and souls are opening?
The scales fall off our blinded eyes;
new sight arouses hoping.

A new thing springs forth on the earth,
with blessing, hope, and healing;
the power of woman saves all life,
Sophia-Christ revealing.

Epiphany surrounds us now,
as we reclaim our wholeness;
Sophia-Christ within us all,
inspires us with new boldness.

Refrain:
Look, look, for She is here;
Her wisdom words have long been near.
Now, now, behold Her grace,
Divinity in Her image.

Words © Jann Aldredge-Clanton, from Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians

Our world stands in great need of the healing the Female Divine brings. Our world longs for all people to discover biblical revelations of Her and exclaim “Look, look, for She is here; Her wisdom words have long been near. Now, now, behold Her grace, Divinity in Her image”!

 

Performed by: Spiral Muse (formerly Devi Vaani: Kathleen Neville-Fritz, Dionne Kohler, and Alison Newvine), from album “Sing of Peace,” recorded by Joe Hoffmann Studios, Occidental, CA
Lyrics: Jann Aldredge-Clanton
Visual Artists: Stacy Boorn, Colette Cashburn Numajiri, David Clanton, Elizabeth Zedaran,
Lucy Synk, Mirta Toledo, Mary Plaster