A Waterford priest says he is in favour of using gender-neutral terms when referring to God.
It follows news this week that the Church of England is considering whether or not to stop referring to God as "he."
Fr Liam Power is parish priest of St Joseph and Benildus Parish.
"I think it's actually a very, very important debate, which they have raised," Fr Power told WLR's Déise Today.
"... We have learned from the feminist theologians how the church has effectively legitimised patriarchy in society and in family and also in the church.
"And you know, if the primary and absolute figure that we call God is referred to exclusively in male terms, it's a very easy step then to legitimise patriarchy."
When asked whether it mattered that Jesus, who church teachings say was God's manifestation and representative on earth, was male, Fr Power said there can be misunderstanding where that is concerned.
"Jesus represents the figure of God but assigning a gender to God is always a matter of metaphor," he told presenter, Damien Tiernan.
"The fact of Jesus being male - that has also been used to kind of legitimise patriarchy.
"God is neither male nor female. That has always been the traditional teaching."
Fr Power says the use of gender-specific pronouns when referring to God is something he has long been conscious of:
"Anytime that [our liturgy] uses the male pronoun in relation to God, I always use the noun - I just say "God" or "Godself", instead of saying He.
"I actually think it's very important, because our history in the church of legitimising patriarchy is absolutely terrible.
"... Sandra Schneiders points out, not only have women been excluded but she uses the term 'linguistically subsumed' because all the references are to males."
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