My problem with the Holy Spirit

Here is my rant for the week (Ok at least the next couple of days). We are talking about the Trinity in my systematic theology class. Now the Trinity is probably one of thee if not the single most complicated and delicate subjects/concepts of Christianity. Explaining and defining the Trinity has been a task that has called forth multiple councils and stretched the minds of many a great theologian. Of particular difficulty has been the linguistic formula by which the Trinity is represented and understood.

What words do we use to express the nature and relationship of the Trinity? My systematics class was looking at this question and specifically the constraints and consequences of using certain terms in describing the Trinity. Of specific issue was the use of masculine language (father, son). There was of course the issue raised whether such language limits one's understanding of the Trinity and makes it a patriarchal representation that oppresses women.

The first response to this question was by a gentleman who argued that language does not influence/constrain our understanding of the Trinity and so therefore it doesn't matter that we use the terms father/son. Now I am not sure if he was unclear of what he actually said or of he well knowingly tossed out such a statement, but what I do know is to say that words and language have no influence on our conceptions of the world around us is well frankly wrong, or at least insufficient. Words and language are the very foundation upon which much of our understandings of the world are based, not to mention specifically God, it is the Word of God that we are supposed to be studying.

I was frustrated by this guys remark and then I was frustrated by the fact that we were debating over the father/son aspect of the Trinity and not paying any attention to the Holy Spirit aspect of the Trinity. I think that the Holy Spirit and our conception of it in terms of the Trinity is even more problematic then the father/son dynamic because while the father/son terminology of the Trinity is conspicuously problematic in terms of gender the Holy Spirit is inconspicuously problematic.

The use of father/son sets up a masculine some would argue patriarchal system which makes it difficult for women to conceive of themselves in relation to the Trinity. At least though we acknowledge that the language used to describe those aspects of the Trinity is masculine, the problem with the Holy Spirit is that by its very nature as the fluid, and non-solid, it is defined in terms of the feminine which is problematic because in its position as feminine among the father/son relationship it gets put into a position of subordination (Take a look at the Nicene Creed).

Now I am not saying that we should invert the binary and start referring to everything in the feminine that clearly would achieve nothing. What I am saying is that the Holy Spirit deserves a little more respect and should not be used as the token feminine in Christianity to appease all of us women.

The picture my professor posted at the top of his lecture out line was a depiction of the Trinity and it had the father and the son holding the female Holy Spirit between them. I was highly bothered by such a depiction. The problem it seems though is that language only operates in terms of binaries so that there is no way out of father/son/holy spirit terminology.

Sometimes words seem so constraining, oh, but wait! Words don't influence us, or do they?