Sexing the Trinity: Gender, Culture and the Divine

Written by Gavin D’Costa Reviewed By Chris Sinkinson

D’Costa has established a formidable reputation in the field of the theology of religions and his critiques of pluralism have been received well. In a previous book he drew upon the doctrine of the Trinity to address how Christians may respond to the world religions. This work continues that theme but applies his understanding of the Trinity to the treatment of gender in contemporary culture. Clearly, women have known exclusion from the Christian community during the centuries. D’Costa is convinced that the Trinity offers the key to their inclusion. However, this inclusion is not made by weakly affirming God as mother or Spirit as feminine. According to D’Costa it is possible to describe God as mother, but only when the meaning of God as Father is understood properly. He points out that the notion of God as Father can itself degenerate into a pagan notion of a cosmological generative figure if it is not properly interpreted within its Trinitarian context. Literalism is to be avoided, as it is a path to idolatry.

A remarkable array of philosophers, theologians and artists are drawn into D’Costa’s discourse. Much of his agenda is set by the work of Luce Irigaray, a French feminist theologian, but his exploration of the theme involves dialogue with such thinkers as Salman Rushdie, Sigmund Freud and Paul Ricoeur. In both style and substance the book belongs more to the continental philosophical tradition than the Anglo-Saxon. Though this can be disconcerting at times it pays careful reading. In many respects, D’Costa is an apologist for Roman Catholic theology. He has an entirely unabashed commitment to the authority of that tradition and finds much insight in the documents of Vatican II particularly ‘Lumen Gentium’. There is no closed canon for his reflections and this is evident not only in his dialogue with a variety of sources but also in his willingness to shape theology through those sources. The Roman Catholic understanding of Mary as co-redeemer becomes a key element in D’Costa’s reconciliation of the Trinity with feminist concerns. Mary makes up for whatever is lacking in God; ‘Mary, a companion, mother, daughter, friend, lover and queen of heaven, is Co-Redeemer, pre-eminent amongst all creation’ (196). Every Christian also shares in this work of being co-redeemers and thus, in the Church, one is able to look for the inclusion of women within the body of Christ. What is lacking in Christ regarding gender will be made up in the life of the Church.

This book is provocative, creative and wide-ranging. It is a significant discussion of complex issues by a theologian who has a profound commitment to the Catholic vision. From an evangelical perspective the role of tradition is problematic and this leads to unease with his argument. It is not clear what controls the conclusions that are reached. Certainly, D’Costa engages in some detailed Biblical exegesis but Scripture does not have the final authority. For that reason, the Marian tradition has significance, which would be hard to substantiate from the Bible. Nonetheless, the questions raised by the book are compelling and invite an evangelical alternative answer.


Chris Sinkinson

Moorlands College, Christchurch