The Power of Metaphors

My favorite text so far in class is McFague’s Models of God. In a nuclear age, where human beings have the power to destroy life, models of God need to be reconstructed. McFague argues that “traditional imperialistic imagery for God is opposed to life” (ix), and that God as mother, lover, and friend is more appropriate for our time. All of this is great. We do need to take more responsibility for the Earth we call home. But what is most significant about this text, for me, is that it shows the power metaphors and models have in shaping Christian theology. Why can’t theology change with the time? Who says that theology has to be fixed? Traditional theology has been objectified as the only and correct way of doing theology. I think McFague would agree that not only is traditional theology irrelevant in our contemporary time (the nuclear age), but also for minority groups (women and people of color). This is where the importance of metaphors come in to “remythologize” theology (32). This remythologization involves “finding metaphors and models from contemporary experience which will express Christian faith for our day” (32). This remythologization is just what our society needs. I come from a traditional Christian background and I don’t connect to it as much as my parents and grandparents do; I feel that my disconnect comes from stagnant metaphors that do not speak to my experience! McFague says “What should we be doing in our time that would be comparable to what Paul and John did for theirs?” (30). This statement is powerful because it challenges us to speak to our own times through the medium of faith. This text has definitely inspired me to test out metaphors of God that speak to my experiences.