Nicole Greenfield: At the annual General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church taking place this week, delegates voted to “receive” a policy which would offer alternatives to the traditional Trinity, “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Congregations won’t be required to use the new phrasings–“Mother, Child, and Womb” and “Rock, Redeemer, and Friend,” among others–but supporters believe that the new options will help balance gender roles within the church. Many are opposed to the change, arguing that the church should adhere to the way in which God is addressed in the Bible, but it is expected to receive final approval regardless.

A Get Religion commentary this morning expressed disappointment over the lack of analysis on the issue by AP reporter Richard Ostling, but excuses him because of his lack of specialization. She is specifically concerned that Ostling’s report doesn’t acknowledge an amendment that requires that “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” be used for baptisms, but she unfortunately does not offer any of her own views on the topic.

To me, the change is significant for a number of reasons, but there are two that immediately stand out. First, the language modification works to further distinguish this mainline denomination from other Christian groups in the United States. This departure from traditional Scripture, especially for gender equality reasons, works to label the Presbyterian Church as distinctly liberal. On the other hand, however, the phrase “Mother, Child, and Womb” clearly alludes to the issue of abortion and, in doing so, adopts an unmistakable pro-life stance. So while the liturgical change aims to honor women, it fails to do so when regarding an issue very important to many–the right to reproductive choice.