\} } es } | NSU | P.O, Box 4098 Waco, Texas 76705 Ph: 1-817-863-5325 A Nonsectarian, Nonprofit Publication. Subscription is Free. = Fourteenth Century Fresco Depicting Holy Spirit as a Female Between the Father on the Left and the Son on the Right, Urschalling Church, Bavaria. Original photo by Wolfgang Schreiner, Germany.An Introduction : to Ancient Bible Manuscripts ‘As in all other flelds of knowledge, new discoveries are bbeing made every day coneeming the origin and preserva ton of the sacred writings of the Bible. From the inspired records we are to understand that mowledge in the apitiual realm is to be continually in- creased until we are perfected, seeing God not as in 8 glass darkly, but face to face, reflecting the Divine Image —re- created in the very Image of God. Blohim (plural) is the name of God in Hebrew, the 1 ‘quage in which the Bible was originally written, as well a in ‘Aramaic. ‘Ancient manuseripts from the Eastern Church have been made available to scholars since 1957 in the Persian text of the Peshitta in Aramale which helps to clear the mystery of the Third Person of the Godhead, now known to be the Holy Spirit MOTHER, from the original texts. ‘ur present Bibles do not contain the record of the truths spoken in the seven thunders of Revelation 10 be- cause they were NOT WRITTEN down by John as com- manded by the Angel. If we are to ever know these myster- a divine revelation would be necessary to explain their meaning, at the TIME of the voice of the seventh angel ‘when the “mystery of God” is to be finished. In the field of archaeology alone, excavations in many of the ancient sites have uncovered endless amounts of mate- rial, shedding light on the Bible from the manuscripts of the Dead Sea serolis, the Nag Hammadi Gnostic Gospels, in Hebrew and Aramaic, and various other documents from antiquity. ‘Mountains of truth are rising from all over the world link- ing the past with the present and confirming the truths of seriptural records found even in the present day translations of the Bible. ‘Yet, contrary to the opinion of the majority of Bible students, the original manuseripts of both the Old and New ‘Testaments were originally written in Aramaic and Hebrew, ‘now known to us from the Dead Sea scrolls and the Gospel of John. DeZwaan and Barmy Torrey are of the opinion that John originally thought and wrote in Aramaic (which is Semetic) rather than Greek. Incidentally, all Greek manu- scripts of the Gospel of John do not read the same. Today, the discovery of the Semetic and Palestinian nature of the tradition lying behind the Gospel of John disproves the ‘common theory that it was originally written in Greck. With all these additional manuseripts, scholars say there is no difficulty in perceiving the reality of the Holy Spirit as “she” both in Genesis and Job, and in the Aramaic New "Testament, ‘The Bible in Aramaic — the Peshitta manuscripts — the Dead Sea scrolls, and the Gnostic Gospels in Hebrew and ‘Aramaic have been rediscovered and, published. Stil, no hhonest and complete English translation has been made available to the world from the Aramaic New Testament. ‘The nearest translation from the Peshitta Text by Lamsa is considerably inaceurate, especialy im rendering all the texts about the Holy Spirit in the masculine gender when, in fact, in at least 21 texts the correct translation is, the Holy Spirit “SHE,” ‘When the King James Version of the Bible was translated {into English from a few Greek and Latin manuscripts, the ‘Aramaie Peshitta manuscripts were not available to the west ‘em world because the Ottoman Empire ruled the lands of the Eastem Apostolic Church which possessed these trea- sured oracles, Thus, for only 24-25 years has the world had teeess to them, No wonder that they-are yet obscure and relatively unknown, ‘The truths found in these priceless records would cer. tainly upset the so-called theology of the Christian anc ‘Moslem world and no doubt would unsettle the closed circle of those who have known these earth-shaking facts but re fused to share them, without respect of persons, with the whole worl. Hebrew manuscripts dated 750 B.C, were found at Muraba in a cave near the Dead Sea. The Masoretes' (7th ‘eentury) work was to establish a correct text of the Bible which began to appear in the second eentury. They set themselves to provide the original, purely consonantal textSHBKINAH, June 1981 a rl (in earty Semetic) with vowels to standardize pronuncia- tion. They found up to 1500 verses with textual errors. ‘The corrections were noted in the margins showing the correct way in the Hebrew (Masoretic). Note: Recently it ‘has been brought to light that “scholars have now deter- ‘mined, so many hundreds of instances in the Hebrew Scriptures in which deliberate changes were made from feminine to masculine terminology” (God and Woman — The Hidden History, by Elizabeth Rodgers Dobell, Red- ‘book magazine, March 1978, p. 41), ‘The copyists and scholars of the Middle Ages did not reserve the whole of extant literature of their time but ‘were very selective. Little more than 10% of the ancient Greek and about a third of the Latin manuseripts sur. vived. Greek was practically unknown in Medieval until the middle of the 14th contury when interest in the Greek manuscripts had a short lived revival in the 12th ‘century at the time of the Crusades. Successive conquerors of Jerusalem, Constantinople, and Alexandria destroyed an enormous number of priceless ‘manuscripts — 120,000 volumes in the st of Con- stantinople alone. The Hebrew as woll as Latin, the lan- ‘uage of the Middle Ages, were also destroyed. ‘The first Printed book in Latin was in 1465, Greek in 1488, and Aesop's Fables in 1478. From 1449 to 1516 all available Greek manuseripts were published, Jewish literature in Greek was plentiful in the Hellen- istic and Roman period. But because of the conflicts be- eam ews and the Roman andthe destriction of the femple manuscripts, all these writings collapsed into obliv- ton Only he wating of Pio nd enep sue with Today, the treasured remains of the original Bible manu- scripts that have been discovered rest under tight security in various places in the world. “Keter Ha Torah,” Crown of the Law, written by Aaron Ben Asher of the @th century, thas been kept in Jerusalem since 1948, ‘A complete copy of the Septuagint (Greek) with many differences from the original Hebrew text was discovered in ‘the monastery of St, Catherines on Mt, Sinai in 1844, ‘The 1627 Codex Alexandria reached Great Britain: a third of the manuscripts are in the Vatican Library in Rome, In 1947 the greatest archaeological find of the century was near Khirbet Qumran near the Dead Sea, Manuscripts dating from the 2nd century B.C. written in western Ara- ‘male Were recovered and four of these were published in 1955. The French Biblical and Archacologies! School in Jerusalem published a few in 1949, “in 1956 in the Qumran Cave 11, parchment about Melchizedek was discovered which revealed that ‘Melchiz edek as ELOHIM (feminine-masculine) has a place in the DIVINE ASSEMBLY’ (The Melchizedek Tradition, p. 77, by Fred Horton), and it also speaks of the ‘antecedent of the FEMININE singular suffix, . and the person addressed seems to be Melchizedek’(Ibid.)."—In Their Image, p. 8. ‘The Genesis Apocryphon and other Dead Sea scroll now in the Israel Museum, In view of all the recent discoveries — that the Bible ap- eared originally in Hebrew and Aramaic (the language of ‘the Israclites, to whom were intrusted the oracles of God) — ‘one would be expected to increase in knowledge and under. standing of the rich meanings hidden in these languages and to advance with revealed truth instead of burying the head ‘ostrich-like in the sand, purposely oblivious to the facts. In gender, those who know, are “without excuse” (Rom, 1:20) if they do not imow the “invisible” God, Who is “clearly seen,” “from the ereation of the world,” “being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead.” In part, the truth about God has been miraeulously pre- served in the present translation of the Bible. For instance, in Genesis if one takes the word of God as it reads, he can God than the scholars of today. Genesis 1:26,27 ia the key to the knowledge of God, It says, “And. God (Elohim, purl) said, Let US make man (auman beings) in OUR image, male and FEMALE” “in OUR likeness ‘Adam and Eve —male and female images of God ~ tell us ‘that Those Who made Their Images in the earth were repre- sented as male and female—a family in Heaven (Eph. 3:15). : a : i : Likewise, should all resort to the rich supply of spiritual found in the original manuscripts of both the Old and New Testaments in Hebrew and Aramaic and demand their jons made available on a, heretofore, ‘those who want the whole truth Bible students and scholars should demand in honest translation of the orginal Peshila text in Aramaic verifying the FEMININE IMAGERY in the Godhead and co any and all ers in existing translations ofthe Bible” "The voice of every layman should tise in aloud ery for the cover to be removed from the treasues of Enowedge {that have eon reserved for a elect few for ceatuien. ‘Poe power ofthe Spat of Truth awaits our demand and reception! lat us now demand the whole ruth of God, remember ing that great moral power ls required to emerge out of Sich a state of ignorance as the people of God world have fallen. My plea: Help us, 0 our God, to kxow Thee, in all the tunes of ruth Lots RODEN:4 SHEKINAH, June 1981 Sjwhat the people are saying 2.) | am highly impressed with your dis- ‘covery in unearthing the “mystery” of the Holy Spirit, What you have to say is 50 plausible and inspiring to thousands fof us, My adutt years have been devoted to women’s interests for 29 years. | ‘wrote a daily column for women and ‘was Women’s Editor of the Fort Worth, In 1955 my book All the Women of the Bible was published and now has more than a million copies in print. | also did The Bible’s Legacy for Womanhood (Doubleday, 1970) and Wisdom From Women in the Bible (Harper and Row, 1978). My second book, Great Women ‘of the Christian Faith (Harper, 1959), is being featured in September by the Christian Herald Family Book Shelf ‘You are a scholar at well as an inspire. Edith Deen Fort Worth, Texas ‘The first copy of Shekinat had arrived yesterday, and I've just finished study ing it. .. «Thank you ever so much for sending it, Please send us some spare copies and other subsequent issues in- cluding the current issue if possible by airmail, . . The interview published in the first issue of the Shekinah with Paul Bryan Talk Show (WFAA-Dallas] is suf- ficient, in my humble opinion, to expose ‘the misunderstanding, that is wide- spread, about the Trinity as expressed by the different eallers, and to convince the searcher-after-Truth of the Biblical exposition of the Holy Spirit. We can readily see the point you try to empha: size, We on our part wish to make these fresh Revelations possible to ‘others in some of the South India lang- ‘uages as soon as possible. If you can rendet any assistance, kindly do come forward with it. | can translate these articles into a couple of languages and have them printed here, Please remem: beer us in your prayers, Hoping to hea from you soon. ‘Gamaliel J. Cherurathoor Bangalore, India | ran across a news article regarding your concepts of the Holy Spirit. While 1 do not subseribe to the theory | wouid be very interested in learning your serip- ‘ural references to support your premise 1 teach Sunday School and am always ‘eager for growth topics. Thank you. ‘Mrs, Raye Densinger, Miami, Flor | was watching “Betty & Friends,” sev. eral weeks ago, on the program they had ‘a woman named Lois Roden, she was, discussing the possibility of “God” be- jing woman. The program ssid that any Cone interested in the topic should write «for further information. .. So could ‘you please send me some information? Irene Splettstoesser Kincardine, Ontario,Canada have recently become acquainted with the paper SHEKINAH, and | would like to. be placed on your circulation list. ‘Thank you for your service. J. Denny Weaver Associate Professor Bluffton College Bluffton, Ohio Greetings! Thank you for tha Shekinat land other tracts. They were source of inspiration to me, Please could you mail me one hundred copies, $0 that | can place some in the Public Library and give out to other groups of people like the “Friends of the Earth” and so on. While studying with folks, | find it very hhard to convinee them that the “Holy Spirit” is feminine, but when | take the study from the point of “Wisdom” they is a Spirit in the Old and New Testament scrip- tures is always referred toiin the feminine gender as “'She" and ‘"Her,” and yet no ‘one ever gives it @ thought, as to its sig- nificance, because we have all been ‘educated t0 see the God and all heaven Sates thing was created, and being daily His delight, possessing all the lifegiving at- tributes of God, Jesus Himself clarified this. 79 last part) that “Wisdom is just fied of Her children” showing not only firming her ‘Mot {to make Him of quick understandi feternity and It's identity is “She” and “Mother” and since there is a Father anid Son abiding, in Heaven; then Wis- dom must be the “Heavenly Mother of Jesus," thus when He was lent to an earthly mother, and the whole family of man for their. salvation, She would naturally want to encircle, nuture, and rest upon Him with all Her Motherly, Jove and affections. So that Her child ‘grow up in favor with God, His Father fand men. May the Branch Family bless you all ©. Lowe England | really enjoy the Shekinah paper and would feally love to correspond with ‘other people who read this paper. So | ‘am writing this letter to request of you to print a little ad for me requesting friendship, | am in dire need of friend: ship and do not have a close family or any close friends, and I hope you find it in your heart to help me. Its very lone- ly here in prison for a crime | did not S commit and having no close family oF friends, Sir, | really enjoy reading the Shekinah papers and please keep those papers coming and please help me com- municate with: other readers of the ‘Shekinah paper. Thank you. My ad is the following: Framed Prisoner: Seeking trustworthy friendship; sincere concer. ‘Need tenacious support. Age, color or race, are unimportant. Please vite. Gus G. Owns. ). Box 456991 Lucasville, Ohio 45699 | greet you in the name of Jesus Christ. In fact, 1 agree with your teachings of . Shekinah, and | would be very happy to fecelve from you many copies. Many (Continued on page 16)Ee ico AN ace ane RRCnE tie ACS CaN Sebamed iste sa sg OR Uae pee oat ca SCN ae ate le cS Na Uae WOMEN WHO LOVE GOD AND DEFY THEIR CHURCHES for womenin religion. During the past ten years a growing number of Cheistian and Tewish women have found their own con- Science to be in conflict with their faith ‘Thevare experiencing what Sister Theresa describes as the “pain and suffering” that comes from love for an erring Chure>. This is the pain of women who feel ex cluded from the priesthood and rabbinate, offended by male-oriented language in the limurgy and erieved by the belief that they are, for the most part, second-class citizens offaith ‘This suffering erupted in seriousdissent for the first time in 1974, when 11 women ‘of the Episcopal religion defied their own Chureh and entered the priesthood with: fut its blessing. Although it threw the Chureh into temporary turmoil, this re- tellion paved the way for official approval of female ordination two years later. The courage and sucess of the Philadalphs Eleven, as they came to be called, suggest tall women that dissent is not synony- ‘mous with sin, nor is disobedience neces. sarily a cause for excommunication. The Eleven, furthermore, helped bridge that Seemed a formidable wap between religion and the Women's Liberation Movement Previously, most feminists had repu 4iated religion as one more bastionof male domination, and religious ‘women, dis- tressedby the Movements early militancy, shuddered at being called “feminists” Today there are thousands of women, both within and without the Formal Wor. ‘en's Movement, who think of themselves, without apology, as "Feminists of faith Redbook spoke with four of these women—each of a different Church, each 4 rebel in her own right—to learn of the particular hardships and heartbreak of those who rock the spiritual boat, “Tras neveend Surame Hla one o he Plats Hever, never ded that thet acoplChare wouidone cay mak herepiiet Hom the nesieeetn ch ioe dle wih be pares See ee iceeeeleealieaer ae Taew dated Sete fe the ohio seemingly peculiar ambition for a lit Biri but, as t gurned out, no passing chil hhood fancy. During the '60s Sue became fone of the first women to enter the Episcopal ‘Theological Schoo! (now the “Episcopal Divinity School) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with the specific intent of ‘becoming a priest, and she was convinced ‘hat the Chureh would not oppose her or- dination, Anglican theologians, aftr all, hhad agreed as early as 1919 that there was ‘no Seriptural basis for discriminating ‘against women, Her hopes were raised ‘even higher in 1970, when the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, ‘which meets every three years to debate doctrine and set Church policy, defeated by only a small margin & measure that ‘would have opened the priesthood to ‘women. But in 1973 the General Conven- tion dealt Sue Hiatt anda handful of other women seeking ordination a devastating ne following is the toxt of the remarks ‘made by Sistor M.Thorasa Kane, A.S.M., {Pope John Pau! atthe National Srie ‘oftie mmacdiate Conception in Washing: ‘on, B.C.,0n Ontober 7, 1973. In the name of the women religious (gathered inthis shrine dedicated to Mary, ‘greet you, Your Holiness Pope John Pats ‘he Second. tis an honor prvloge and an awesome responsibity lo express in a ‘ow moments the sentiments of women present atthe shrine dedicates to Mary. the Palroness ofthe United Sates and ine Mother of at tumankind. is appropiate thata woman's voce be hearcin this sine and leallupon Mary fo crect what isin iy heart arc on my ips dung these moments of greeting I welcome you sincerely extend greet ings ofprolound respect, esteem andaec tion from women relgious throughout this county. Wit the sentiments experienced by Elzabeth when visled by Mary, our hearts to leap with joy a5 we welcome you-you whe have been called the Pope ‘ofthe Poople. As welcome youtoday, Lam mint ofthe countess numberof women religious who have dedicated theives 12 the Church in this country inthe past. The Ives of many vatant women who were lalysis of grow forthe United States ‘Church continue to serve as heroines of inspiration to us as we too struggle to be women of courage and hope during these times, ‘Women regious in the Unted States tenlered into the renewal efforts in an obe- Gert response to he call of Vatican I. We have experienced both joy and sutering in ‘our efor. As a result of such renewal women religious approach the next decade wit a renewed idenity and a deep sense four responetaiies 10, with and in Te Charen ‘Your Hotness, the wornen ofthis country have been inspired by your spit of cour age, We thank you for exerpifying such je mindful of the intense suffering and pain” Dlow by defeating unequivocally 9 pro: ‘posal to open the priesthood ro them. The oor that had seemed to be opening was shut tight again "That was the point of change for mie” ‘Sue Hiatt recalls. "T realized thatwe could 0 on being ‘nice girs’ in which ease the ‘question of ordination would be raised as 1 perennial issue, or we could take steps 0 convince the Church thatit would be mare ‘rouble not toordain us than to ordain” ‘Sue Hiatt and sister candidates who shared her anger called the other women deacons then eligible for ordination and found 2 few willing to risk the Church's displeasure. ‘She and ten others—the Philadelphia Eleven—were “irregularly” ordained on July 23,1974, at the Church of the Advocate, in Philadelphia, What vas intended to have been a quiet service fumed info a media event in a church acked to overflowing with well~wishers courage in speaking io us so crocty bout ‘ur responses tothe poor and the op- pressed nraughout the word, We who ve in the Unies Staos, one of te wealthiest ations ofthe earth need to become ever more conscious of the suitering. thal is resent among 80 many of our brothers fang sistrs, recognizing that systomic t- Justices are serious moral ari socal issues ‘that need to be conkonted courageous \We pledge cursalves in solidarity with you in your efots to respond to th cry of the oor ‘AS | share tis prvlogod moment with you, Your Hofness, lurge you to be minal ofthe intense suffering and pain that's part of the feof many wornen in these United States. | call upon you to ten with com: passion and thear the callof women, who comprise halt of humankind. As women ‘we have heard the powertu messages of ‘ur Church adressing the dgmty and vyetence for all persons. As women we hhave pondered upon these words. Our Contemplation leads us YO slate that the ‘Church nits struggle be fall tots cal for reverence and dignity for al persons, ‘must respond by proving the possibly of women as persons being incided in all ministries of our Church. 1 urge you, Your Holiness, tobe open to and respond to the Vices coming ftom the women of this Country wo are desirous of serving in and trough the Church 1s tuly participating members, Finally | ass you, Pope John Paul. of the prayers, support and fidely of the women reigious inthis county as you con- tinue 1 challenge Us to be of holes for the sake ofthe Kingdom. With these few words ftom the joyous, hope-flled prayer, the Mageiteat, we call upon Mary to be your continued source of inspiration, cour ‘ge and hope: "May your wiiole being pro- ‘lam and mage the Lor: may your spit alway reoie in! God your savior the Lord ‘who Is mighty has done great things for you Polyis God's Narn."SHEKINAH, June 1981 GOD AND DEFY THEIR CHURCHES and curiosity seekers. "We were afraid” the Reverend Sue Hiattrecals, "that some crackpot would try to bomb the Church, ‘but the crowd was so overwhelmingly ia favor of our ordination that we felt very ‘well protected.” ‘Within two weeks, however, Sue and her ‘companions were exposed to the awful chill of Church censure; the bishops of the Episcopal Church voted to nullify the or- dinations, calling them "“lici," and they shunned the women, who offered to ex- plain thelr actions. Infuriated by the (Church's insensitivity, Sue Hiatt became clerical. renegade, celebrating the Eucharist in sympathetic parishes. “To flout Church authority was at first a frightening thing.” she recalls, "but italso \wasexhilarating ‘The people who cameo the Eucharist always knew something was ‘at risk. Thal kind of atmosphere is elec: tric, the kind chat must have been present Inthe early Church, when to celebrate the Eucharist was to defy the Emperor’ ‘When in 1976 the Chureh finally voted to accept women as priestsand to ordain Sue Hiatt and her sisters officially, the Eleven, refused, arguing that their original ordina- tion was valid, The Church quietly gave Inmit was more trouble to fight the rebels, than to accept them, Meese se geusinene se Belt sepia illu oc tee Se Banter amsrncesana vere women pies ae apy aot we Soe ee pal eee ee Sree is not aannt htae water pach steam tt ne Gem co osserment Thalpos ack Uae Shaver minute eaetasmnnenae eee ee eae tide sou wheal inte mas ot masspepie: it therrrehinoo tte oe eee he Remedi Hi now ieahes ee ee ene ae eee tte Wesel Bsy Seal i Gan. fee ace ote ier ed dena ar geet Siesta aoe of ea he convinced that she and the others were Fight to disobey. "If we had not followed ‘our conscience,” Sue asserts, “the Church ‘would be tossing around theabstractaues. Hon of women's ordination for the next ‘wenty-five years” BW ere trseies canceate wait fee her own ordination” exhaiae Stwareaostie sail pce wens tow vine Albanese, New Mao Hcsueltan cotadeehadisewnioa Betizeshewartesidtctinewanetes te rest Cathal pln "Way bck Shen tromenber sound the dime wen eat santas eens heen theyerowepe abel eee eee the prehond?she sain hat Dobe nto oy bed and I Scced me Seated ety surenne Bal Kae Tai gut be na elton tne {te oben lt indeed exhaie remembers bin 50 sanded by ber Com apn that he wen throughs Cuole wade ‘shel a Cale Neh sehal ands chal taine thost conane a sae shot hom intend she euedy tered trou the panoply of sins oak Ine tor women wae bed ame io dehy the tdel ‘af oteon Cathlle Stomaniood ahd ad sateted Only ar mariposa iad Be ine br the eidren id She fal fin te courage to sone fore Hier husband was supportive. Her par- enis, astonished by the audacity of their devout daughter, were scandalized. And Catharine's bishop informed her plainly that God didnot call women to the priest hood. ‘Armed with a doctorate from the fesuit ‘School of Theology at Berksley,in Califor. nia, she traveled to Detroit, Michigan, in 1975 for @ meeting with 1.300 other ac- tivists. Together they founded the Women's Ordination Conference. Buoyed by the support of other thwarted candi dates, Catharine's hopes for ordination ‘urew until 1977, when the Conference Grew ablunt rebut from Rome. Acontin- sent of American bishops persuaded Pope Faul VI to discourage “false hope” by proclaiming that women cannot be or