Catholic theologian prays "Our Father-Mother who art in Heaven"

The motherliness of God has been neglected for far too long, says Martina Bär. For the fundamental theologian from Graz, practising a "Our Father-Mother" prayer therefore makes sense. 

"We have neglected the motherliness of God for far too long," says theologian, Professor Martina Bär. She is a Professor of Fundamental Theology in the Catholic Faculty in Graz and herself a mother of a one-year-old child. She explains why practising an "Our Father-Mother" prayer makes sense.

Question: Professor Bär, do you pray the "Our Father-Mother" with your child at home?

Bär: Not at the moment, because my child is still too small for that. But I think it is important to practise with children from the beginning that God is both: father and mother. Theological women's studies has done a lot of research on the biblical tradition of God's motherliness. Therefore, today one can pray "Father-Mother-Our who art in heaven" with a clear conscience. I also think it is important to explain to children why God is also like a mother to us. For far too long, God has been reduced only to his fatherly love.

Question: How do you explain that?

Bär: Just take a look at the Bible. There are so many images of God's motherliness. For example, in the Old Testament. In Hosea 13:8, God is like a good she-bear and like a lioness who cares for and protects her children. 

Cathcon: I provide the quotes in full that she cites in fuller context.  Readers can then judge the quality of her Biblical exegesis for themselves

Hosea 13 [4] But I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt: and thou shalt know no God but me, and there is no saviour beside me. Ego autem Dominus Deus tuus, ex terra Aegypti; et Deum absque me nescies, et salvator non est praeter me. [5] I knew thee in the desert, in the land of the wilderness. Ego cognovi te in deserto, in terra solitudinis. [6] According to their pastures they were filled, and were made full: and they lifted up their heart, and have forgotten me. Juxta pascua sua adimpleti sunt et saturati sunt; et levaverunt cor suum, et obliti sunt mei. [7] And I will be to them as a lioness, as a leopard in the way of the Assyrians. Et ego ero eis quasi leaena, sicut pardus in via Assyriorum. [8] I will meet them as a bear that is robbed of her whelps, and I will rend the inner parts of their liver: and I will devour them there as a lion, the beast of the field shall tear them. Occurram eis quasi ursa raptis catulis, et dirumpam interiora jecoris eorum, et consumam eos ibi quasi leo : bestia agri scindet eos.

In Isaiah 66:7-17, God is described as a mother who comforts her child. 

Isaiah 66 [6] A voice of the people from the city, a voice from the temple, the voice of the Lord that rendereth recompense to his enemies. Vox populi de civitate, vox de templo, vox Domini reddentis retributionem inimicis suis. [7] Before she was in labour, she brought forth; before her time came to be delivered, she brought forth a man child. Antequam parturiret, peperit; antequam veniret partus ejus, peperit masculum. [8] Who hath ever heard such a thing? and who hath seen the like to this? shall the earth bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be brought forth at once, because Sion hath been in labour, and hath brought forth her children? Quis audivit umquam tale? et quis vidit huic simile? Numquid parturiet terra in die una, aut parietur gens simul, quia parturivit et peperit Sion filios suos? [9] Shall not I that make others to bring forth children, myself bring forth, saith the Lord? shall I, that give generation to others, be barren, saith the Lord thy God? Numquid ego qui alios parere facio, ipse non pariam? dicit Dominus. Si ego, qui generationem ceteris tribuo, sterilis ero? ait Dominus Deus tuus. [10] Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her. Laetamini cum Jerusalem, et exsultate in ea, omnes qui diligitis eam; gaudete cum ea gaudio, universi qui lugetis super eam; [11] That you may suck, and be filled with the breasts of her consolations: that you may milk out, and flow with delights, from the abundance of her glory. ut sugatis et repleamini ab ubere consolationis ejus, ut mulgeatis et deliciis affluatis ab omnimoda gloria ejus. [12] For thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring upon her as it were a river of peace, and as an overflowing torrent the glory of the Gentiles, which you shall suck; you shall be carried at the breasts, and upon the knees they shall caress you. Quia haec dicit Dominus : Ecce ego declinabo super eam quasi fluvium pacis, et quasi torrentem inundantem gloriam gentium, quam sugetis; ad ubera portabimini, et super genua blandientur vobis. [13] As one whom the mother caresseth, so will I comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. Quomodo si cui mater blandiatur, ita ego consolabor vos, et in Jerusalem consolabimini. [14] You shall see and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb, and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall be angry with his enemies. Videbitis, et gaudebit cor vestrum; et ossa vestra quasi herba germinabunt; et cognoscetur manus Domini servis ejus, et indignabitur inimicis suis. [15] For behold the Lord will come with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind, to render his wrath in indignation, and his rebuke with flames of fire. Quia ecce Dominus in igne veniet, et quasi turbo quadrigae ejus, reddere in indignatione furorem suum et increpationem suam in flamma ignis; [16] For the Lord shall judge by fire, and by his sword unto all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. quia in igne Dominus dijudicabit, et in gladio suo ad omnem carnem; et multiplicabuntur interfecti a Domino,

In Psalm 131:2 you find the image of God nursing her child like a mother and giving security. 

Psalm 131 Domine, non est. The prophet's humility. [1] Lord, my heart is not exalted: nor are my eyes lofty. Neither have I walked in great matters, nor in wonderful things above me. Canticum graduum David. Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum, neque elati sunt oculi mei, neque ambulavi in magnis, neque in mirabilibus super me. [2] If I was not humbly minded, but exalted my soul: As a child that is weaned is towards his mother, so reward in my soul. Si non humiliter sentiebam, sed exaltavi animam meam; sicut ablactatus est super matre sua, ita retributio in anima mea. [3] Let Israel hope in the Lord, from henceforth now and for ever. Speret Israel in Domino, ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum.

I also find the image in Isaiah 49:15 very beautiful, that God has mercy on his people, like a mother on her child. 

Isaiah 49 [14] And Sion said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me. Et dixit Sion : Dereliquit me Dominus, et Dominus oblitus est mei. [15] Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee. Numquid oblivisci potest mulier infantem suum, ut non misereatur filio uteri sui? Et si illa oblita fuerit, ego tamen non obliviscar tui.

The word "mercy" originally comes from Hebrew and also means "womb". This means that God is explicitly associated with the physical side of a woman. Maternal imagery is also found in other places: God is like a pregnant woman giving birth to her child crying (Isaiah 42:14),

Isaiah 42[13] The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, as a man of war shall he stir up zeal: he shall shout and cry: he shall prevail against his enemies. Dominus sicut fortis egredietur, sicut vir praeliator suscitabit zelum; vociferabitur, et clamabit : super inimicos suos confortabitur. [14] I have always held my peace, I have I kept silence, I have been patient, I will speak now as a woman in labour: I will destroy, and swallow up at once. Tacui semper, silui, patiens fui; sicut parturiens loquar; dissipabo, et absorbebo simul. [15] I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and will make all their grass to wither: and I will turn rivers into islands, and will dry up the standing pools. Desertos faciam montes et colles, et omne gramen eorum exsiccabo; et ponam flumina in insulas, et stagna arefaciam.

and like a hen (Matthew 23:37) 

Matthew [37] Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldest not? Jerusalem, Jerusalem, quae occidis prophetas, et lapidas eos, qui ad te missi sunt, quoties volui congregare filios tuos, quemadmodum gallina congregat pullos suos sub alas, et noluisti? [38] Behold, your house shall be left to you, desolate. Ecce relinquetur vobis domus vestra deserta

gathering her chicks under her wings. In the New Testament, Paul in Romans 8:22 even says that the whole creation is in labour pains and that we as human beings must be born anew. 

Romans 8 [21] Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. quia et ipsa creatura liberabitur a servitute corruptionis in libertatem gloriae filiorum Dei. [22] For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even till now. Scimus enim quod omnis creatura ingemiscit, et parturit usque adhuc. [23] And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body. Non solum autem illa, sed et nos ipsi primitias spiritus habentes : et ipsi intra nos gemimus adoptionem filiorum Dei exspectantes, redemptionem corporis nostri.

God is described here as a mother who gives us new life. Isn't that great?

Question: But can you literally relate all this to God in this way?

Bär: Of course, these are all just analogies and comparisons. God transcends our images of masculinity and femininity. But these images from the human world help us to get an idea of God. After all, the Bible says that we humans are images of God. We should take this seriously for the image of God. I myself became a mother late in life. For me it was a great joy and a gift from God. Before, I could not imagine what it meant to love a child unconditionally. Now I imagine God's love for us humans to be just as unconditional. A mother gives birth to her child and she nourishes and breastfeeds the child. A mother wants her child to grow and develop. God is just as caring towards us and loves us just as unconditionally as a mother. This is a wonderful and humane theology. When a child hurts itself, it usually calls out for its mum. Why shouldn't we also call out "mother" when we ask God for comfort? It may be unusual, but that is precisely God's offer to us. God wants to comfort us like a mother. Unfortunately, God's motherliness has been quickly suppressed and repressed in the history of the church.

Question: When exactly did this devaluation of God's femininity take place?

Bär: In the early Church, the feminine side of God still played a major role. In Syrian theology, for example, the Holy Spirit was seen as feminine. There are also pictures in our latitudes, such as frescoes, in which God the Father and God the Son are depicted as two men and the Holy Spirit with feminine features. 

St. Jakobus, Urschalling

14th century

Maria Stern, Simssee 

17th century

(Cathcon:a niche representation within the enormous numbers of representations of the Trinity in Western art)

But already between the 2nd and 4th century the masculinisation process of the Holy Spirit began and the feminine dimension was completely lost, at least theologically, in the Western Church. This has had fatal consequences for the position of women in the Church.

Question: What does this mean for women in the church today?

Bär: If the feminine side of God is devalued, then we women in the church also lose significance. I believe that the future of the church will also be decided by this question of whether or not women will have access to all offices and ministries. I think we women have to be much more self-confident in the Church and we should have a say in all Church issues. We need to break down fixed gender images. I don't want to carry on with an outdated image of women and that is no longer accepted by young women today.

Question: You yourself have had an academic career at university. What experiences did you have there?

Bär: When I applied for a position in systematic theology, I was usually the only woman next to many male applicants. Many Catholic faculties are still looking for priests for a professorial chair. I also felt that. But there are hardly any priests left and therefore no one who applies. In the past, university life was strongly influenced by priests. That is now beginning to dissolve and women are also moving up. But of course, the selection should always be based on qualifications and not to meet a quota. My predecessor at the Institute was actually also a woman. Here in Graz, there has long been a good tradition of appointing women to professorships and of enabling qualified women to enter science in general. I am glad that I was appointed to Graz.

Question: What is your tip for women for a successful application to university?

Bär: I have always tried to appear with great self-confidence in order to be convincing. If you want to enter such a traditionally male sphere of power, you also have to make it clear: "I am competent, I can do what you want me to do. I can lead an institute and I can manage such a chair". I think it's enormously important to have the confidence in yourself and to radiate that. It also means being brave and trying something new. Good coaching, mentoring programmes and women's networks are also important. Women's networks like Agenda, ESWTR or the Berlin ProFiL programme for aspiring female professors have helped me a lot.

Question: Where is your child now during our conversation?

Bär: My son is with his father at the moment, otherwise I wouldn't be able to talk to you here in such a relaxed way. We have divided the care. At the moment my husband has time off and takes care of the little one. When we move to Graz, my son will go to the crèche just around the corner from the university. My husband still lives in Switzerland, we have a good network there that supports us with childcare. My new job in Graz is very family-friendly. I have experienced that differently. At Tübingen University, for example, there were hardly any women or mothers. Here in Graz, I was promised support, up to the point that I can take my child to meetings if necessary. In terms of family friendliness, the University of Graz is like winning the lottery. I also don't have to constantly justify myself here for my research work in women's and gender studies because that has been carried on here for a long time.

Question: What do you wish for your son?

Bär: I would wish for him to imagine God as a loving father and a loving mother. Because ideally, father and mother love their child unconditionally. In the past, motherly love was only attributed to women. Because they are the ones who carry children, give them their first food and take care of them. But that is no longer necessarily the case today. A father can also love motherly. And God is certainly like that too. God loves us fatherly and motherly. That is comforting.

About the person

Martina Bär (46) has been a professor at the Institute for Systematic Theology and Liturgical Studies at the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Graz since April. Born in Allgäu, she previously worked in Erfurt, Lucerne, Zurich and Berlin. She received her doctorate with a thesis on the image of man and woman in the image of God. Her work was awarded the Maria Kassel Prize of the University of Münster in 2011. Bär has lived in Switzerland since 2012 where she has taught and conducted research at the theological faculties of the Universities of Lucerne and Zurich as a senior research assistant. Between 2018 and 2022, she was a visiting professor of systematic theology at the FU Berlin. Bär has been head of the Department of Fundamental Theology since April 2022. Bär is co-editor of the international yearbook of the European Society of Women in Theological Research (ESWTR). 

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