The Hebrew name for God in Jewish and Christian theology, considered the personal name of the divine in the Old Testament.
From Hebrew YHWH (Yod-He-Vav-He), a tetragrammaton (four-letter word). The vowels were historically uncertain and 'Yahweh' is the scholarly reconstruction; Jewish tradition pronounces it 'Adonai' (Lord) out of reverence to avoid saying it aloud.
The name YHWH is so sacred in Judaism that people historically refused to even write the vowels down—scholars had to piece together how it was actually pronounced by studying ancient texts and languages!
Tetragrammaton rendered in Hebrew with masculine pronouns and grammar. Jewish and Christian theology historically centered male divine representation; feminine divine language (Shekinah, Sophia) marginalized in dominant traditions.
In pluralistic contexts, acknowledge that divine naming is theologically contested; use inclusive language when discussing theology: 'the divine,' 'God/Creator' with note on pronoun choices.
["the divine","creator","sacred presence"]
Feminist theology and womanist scholarship have recovered feminine divine imagery within Jewish and Christian texts, challenging male-exclusive theological frameworks.
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