Christian Mysticism & Divine Feminine

[Dedicated Mind]

In addition to Kabbalah, I've been doing a little research into gnosticism and christian mysticism. I believe that both traditions worship the divine feminine, which they call Sophia. Sophia is of course the word for wisdom and wisdom is referred to in the feminine in Proverbs chapter 8. We know that in the NT, all wisdom is hidden in christ.

I'm wondering if christ had a balanced male/female nature in the sense of adam and eve together being called adam or if we can view christ and the church as the male and female aspects of christ?

From what i've read so far gnostics and mystics view God being balanced between male and female and call the female aspect sophia. Could there be any truth in this?

gnostics have an exalted view of Mary Magdalene and consider her the wife of christ or like a female christ. I don't have enough info on that yet. But a christian mystic site worships Mary the mother of Jesus as the embodiment of Sophia or the divine feminine. I know some of this stuff is off track but I find it interesting and I hunger for more of a mystical interpretation of the NT with verses like, we partake of the divine nature, christ in us, the church as the body of christ...etc

I see many aspects of the NT in mystical terms and would like to hear some teaching on these aspects. Do you have any opinions on any of this subject matter? I would like to hear it.

In the spirit of sharing, here are the sites I'm looking at. a general site on christian mysticism with several free books for download and forum:

http://christianmystics.com/

Another christian mysticism site with forum, free online course and sample videos to introduce. They have other courses and videos for a fee.

http://www.centersoflight.org/index.html

A gnostic forum with some far out stuff and a christian cabala section

http://www.sophian.org/

please only enter if you are firm in your faith. I believe we are all apostolic adults.

[Dedicated Mind]

just found out that forum on sophian.org is more interested in selling books than answering questions.

[seekerman]

You'll never be the same. You're out of the box, out of the confines and you'll never again walk in bondage.

Get ready.

[mfblume]

Personally I see God as a HIM alone. And Christ is the HIM and the church is the bride. Eph 5. Eve was in Adam but Adam did not have female qualities before Eve was made from his rib. The church was likewise in Christ, but Christ is a HIM alone. The bible never calls God a she. This is the kabbalistic idea of SHEKINAH, the female quality of God, one of nine or ten emanations. Makes Him a homosexual deity.

[Amanah]

I think of God as Him also, but thought of this verse

Gen. 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness… 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

[Dedicated Mind]

Originally Posted by seekerman

You'll never be the same. You're out of the box, out of the confines and you'll never again walk in bondage.

Get ready.

interesting post seekerman, do u have any experience in this field? are u afraid to tell? I am honest with my interests and totally convinced of acts 2:38 as the initiation. I am just seeking NT parallels and deeper truths of scripture interpretation. I may come up fruitless but I believe God honors the hunger and the effort. There has got to be something more than acts 2:38 and holiness standards. I am sick of the whole scene and judgementalism of epleyites. If I'm out of the box so be it. I have faith in God. Why don't you share what you really think?

[Dedicated Mind]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Personally I see God as a HIM alone. And Christ is the HIM and the church is the bride. Eph 5. Eve was in Adam but Adam did not have female qualities before Eve was made from his rib. The church was likewise in Christ, but Christ is a HIM alone. The bible never calls God a she. This is the kabbalistic idea of SHEKINAH, the female quality of God, one of nine or ten emanations. Makes Him a homosexual deity.

Blume, you might be right about christ as a he and the church as his bride, but what makes the church his bride if not his spirit in every believer? I tend to agree with the mystics that wisdom is personified as a she in proverbs 8 and that wisdom might be the feminine aspect of divinity. Prov 8:22 says the LORD possessed me in the beginning, from everlasting I was set up/established/inaugurated/ordained. What I don't know is if this is a spirit of God or a separate entity. My guess is the former, Let's forget Kabbalah's shekinah and focus on the mystic sophia. What are your thoughts?

[Dedicated Mind]

Originally Posted by Amanah

I think of God as Him also, but thought of this verse

Gen. 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness… 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

according to this verse, females are in the image of God just like men. Does this refer to body; body, soul and spirit; or to nature? i think the mystics have a point on this one issue, but should femininty be worshipped? I think not. just like you wouldn't worship power, strength or beauty which are also aspects of God.

don't all men have a female or nuturing side to their nature and women have the ability to be strong and courageous? I think spirit is gender neutral or at least favors some aspects more than others. where God could be father and yet have a nuturing aspect which is less dominant. whaddya think?

[Amanah]

God has a nurturing side, he created the masculine/femine dichotomy

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killer of prophets,
abuser of the messengers of God!
How often I've longed to gather your children,
gather your children like a hen,
Her brood safe under her wings—
but you refused and turned away!

[Amanah]

sometimes walls are a hedge around us, and to be a city whose walls are lain waste can mean we are vulnerable