Scholars have many opinions on what pronoun to use when referring to the Holy Spirit. Most settle for “he,” because Jesus uses a male pronoun for the Holy Spirit in John’s gospel, even though pneuma (the New Testament Greek word for spirit) is a neuter noun. Others settle for “she,” because ruach (the Old Testament Hebrew word for spirit) is feminine. Other scholars will argue for calling the Spirit an impersonal “it,” since “the Old Testament often uses metaphors and symbols for the work of the Spirit of God.”
There are many arguments for and against all of these designations. I personally refrain from using “it,” because my relationship with the Holy Spirit is far too intimate to refer to my friend and confidant as a “thing.” Publicly, I tend to use “he,” because I don’t feel like explaining how “she” is not heretical every time I mention the Spirit. But in my personal life, the Holy Spirit has taken on more of a feminine role within the Trinity.
This discussion matters quite a bit to me as an exorcist. My model of deliverance typically relies on two specific things: (1) the deep inner healing of a participant’s brokenness and (2) the visions the Holy Spirit brings to the participant’s mind. Because this is a very delicate space where deep trauma can be found, the Holy Spirit may find it easier to take on a masculine or feminine form in the vision.
For example, when one participant imagined Jesus, the trauma of past men in their life was interjected onto his image. The Holy Spirit then presented herself to them as a woman, which was void of that trauma. Another participant faced trauma from both men and women, but the Holy Spirit revealed itself to them as a genderless superhero cape of empowerment. As I learned about this theological dynamic, the Holy Spirit in my vision changed from an “it” of a genderless wind to a woman who loves, helps, and teaches me.
This feminine shift in relating to God was incredibly healing for me. Theologian Greg Boyd found a similar healing, claiming that “experiencing the motherly love of God has been the single most healing aspect of my relationship with God.” I met one man who couldn’t stop gushing with worship about God after thinking of him in a feminine light.
God, of course, is beyond our concept of gender, as both sexes are his creation. Yes, Jesus called God “Father,” but God also presents himself as a mother in a few Bible passages. Yes, Jesus was a male human, but the New Testament authors also recognized him as Sophia, a supernatural being found in the Old Testament that helped God create the cosmos. Yes, Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as a “he,” but in Hebrew, the word “spirit” is grammatically a “she.”
While this discussion is uncomfortable for some, it is not an attempt to remove any “maleness” from God. Rather, the Bible gives us space to see him in both a masculine and feminine light. This can be incredibly healing for many when they allow the space for it—especially in inner healing sessions.
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