Anglican leader finds opening of Lord’s Prayer problematic for some.

An Archbishop’s Controversial Remarks on the Lord’s Prayer

In a recent address to the General Synod, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell sparked a debate within the Church of England by suggesting that the opening of the “Lord’s Prayer” may be problematic for some individuals. The prayer, which has been recited for over two millennia, begins by addressing God as “Our Father.”

Cottrell acknowledged that the use of the term “father” could be offensive to those who have experienced negative associations with patriarchy or have suffered from destructive and abusive relationships with their earthly fathers. He emphasized the need to be sensitive to these concerns and to move away from an oppressively patriarchal understanding of God.

“I know the word ‘father’ is problematic for those whose experience of earthly fathers has been destructive and abusive, and for all of us who have labored rather too much from an oppressively patriarchal grip on life,” Cottrell said, according to The Guardian.

Cottrell’s remarks specifically referred to the prayer taught by Jesus Christ to his disciples, as recorded in the biblical passages of Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4.

Unsurprisingly, Cottrell’s comments received mixed reactions within the Church of England. Conservatives criticized his statements, questioning whether he was suggesting that Jesus was wrong or lacking pastoral awareness. Dr. Chris Sugden, a church official and chair of Anglican Mainstream, a conservative organization within the church, expressed concern about church leaders aligning themselves more with cultural trends than with scriptural teachings.

On the other hand, liberals supported the sentiments expressed by the archbishop, highlighting the need to address the negative impact of patriarchal language and to foster a more inclusive understanding of God.

One conservative commentator, Calvin Robinson, also critiqued Cottrell’s remarks, emphasizing the significance of the Lord’s Prayer as a prayer given by Jesus himself. Robinson questioned whether the archbishop was suggesting that Christ was wrong or that God had made a mistake in instructing believers to address Him as “Our Father.”

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The Church of England’s Exploration of Gender-Neutral Language for God

In addition to the controversy surrounding the Lord’s Prayer, the Church of England is currently considering the use of “gender-neutral” pronouns for God, deviating from the masculine pronouns traditionally used in the Bible.

A spokesperson for the church stated that Christians have long recognized that God is neither male nor female. They acknowledged that the various ways of addressing and describing God found in scripture have not always been reflected in worship practices.

It is worth noting that the Bible consistently refers to God using masculine pronouns in both the Old and New Testaments. Christians believe that Jesus, who is considered fully human and fully God, took on a male form when he came to Earth and that he continues to possess a physical body.

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