Author Pegs Gender-Corrected 'Bible' as Heretical Nonsense
by Jim Brown
June 6, 2005
(AgapePress) - A Washington, DC-based publisher calling itself the LBI Institute is marketing an edition of the Bible that portrays God as female and Jesus Christ as a woman. But while the publisher tout its feminine rendition of the gospels as "empowering" and "illuminating," critics have another word for it -- blasphemous.The book is lengthily titled "Judith Christ of Nazareth: the Gospels of the Bible Corrected to Reflect That Jesus Christ Was a Woman, Extracted from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John." Recent press release information makes a point of announcing that the item is available "online and in bookstores for $19.95." LBI's Institute's vice president, a man called Billie Shakespeare, describes this so-called "corrected version" of the Bible as a valuable resource designed to make the scriptures accessible to a wider audience and "to acknowledge the rise of women in society."
The publishing company's spokesman claims a thematic analysis of the basic message of the New Testament suggests a feminine messenger and was written in response to the "evolving role of women in society and in the church." He believes demand is growing for such resources -- especially, he says, considering the fact that more churches and synagogues today are referring to God as female.
Judith Christ of Nazareth is "not a historical textbook," Mr. Shakespeare adds; but, like the original translation from which it is purportedly "extracted," is actually "a moral teaching about how to live a good life." Although it has been "corrected" according to a feminine rubric, he states, "that instruction remains the same. The message is unaltered and unchanged."
Among the many critics who disagree, however, is Christian author Dave Hunt of The Berean Call ministry. He calls Judith Christ of Nazareth "utter nonsense and blasphemy" and says he is astonished anyone would take the book seriously -- much less pay $20 for it.
"You can't make up your own Bible," Hunt says. "What, did they pull this out of the air? They didn't go to the original Greek manuscripts and find out that, oh, a big mistake has been made for 1,900 years; or that Jesus was really a woman, and somehow it was hidden. No -- they just made this up."
Hunt also takes issue with the representation of God as a female deity. He feels the attempt to feminize the divine being the actual Jesus Christ of tradition and scripture referred to as Father is both inappropriate and misleading.
"A woman gives birth from herself," the evangelical author points out. "While the baby is an extension of the woman, God creates out of nothing. Therefore, it would be altogether wrong -- it would be heresy and worse than heresy -- to try to depict God as a woman."
A major component of Hunt's ministry has been directed toward the defense of biblical orthodoxy and critiques of apparent error in the Church. He has written a number of Christian books, such as Seduction of Christianity, Beyond Seduction, and In Defense of the Faith, in an effort to focus believers' attention on what he perceives as dangerous and heretical teachings compromising the truth of God's Word.
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
