Analysis Of What Became Of God The Mother By Elaine H. Pagel

Dr. Elaine H. Pagel’s essay on “What Became of God the Mother?” gives incite as to why women have become a secondary gender in religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Dr. Pagel suggests that masculinity becoming the latter, emerged early on and through history. The essay includes the condemnation of Jewish and Christian followers that accepted feminine symbolism, the characterization of the divine Mother, the rejection of the Gnostics and the exception of Clement of Alexandria.

The essay actualizes the statement of Christianity, Judaism and Islam exempting female divinities when compared to ancient Near East religions. These Religious theologians state, that God must not be looked upon as a gendered being. Though there are many masculine terms in their worship and prayer as the essay claims.

Supporting information gathered by Dr.

Pagel shows as early as A.D.100- 150 Jewish and Christian gnostic works were attacked and condemned as “heretical” for supporting feminine symbolism. The essay goes on to explain the secret traditions, specifically through Mary Magdalene; which followers prayed to the Father and the Mother. As years pass Mary is condemned for dominating conversations in the presence of the disciples by Peter. To conclude the essay Dr. Pagel uses a quote by Peter, which suggests women to be submissive in A.D.200.

Dr. Pagel also includes information on the characterization of the divine Mother. She concludes that there are three primary characterizations that emerge in history. The first came from a poet and teacher named Valentinus, he suggest that the divine can be characterized as a Dyad consisting of two elements: one the ineffable, the Source, The Primal Father; the other the Silence, the mother of all things. The second characterization of the divine Mother describes the Holy Spirt. And the third characterization is the divine Mother of

Wisdom.
In the essay the question as to, why there was a whole sale rejection was raised. The response concluded is the God of Israel himself initiated the controversy because of ignorance. “They say that the creator believed that the creator believed that he created everything by himself, but that, in reality. He had made them because his Mother, Wisdom infused him with the energy, and had given him her ideas.” Another explanation concluded, was God is jealous of his mother.
As Dr. Pagel concludes using the exception of Clement of Alexandria. Clement uses the “gnostic pattern,” even though he refers to himself as an orthodox. Clement characterizes God in the masculine and feminine term. Dr. Pagel proceeds her essay to ask the question how are we to account for this irreversible development? Meaning are there social and cultural forces that suppress feminine symbolism. Dr. Pagel suggests that we may never know because the history of Christianity can never be told again.