Kügler, JoachimJoachimKügler0000-0002-8504-77422025-02-132025-02-132025978-3-98989-042-8https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/106058The article contributes some remarks on variations of God’s masculinity that appear quite queer from a modern perspective. These variations partly can be found in sources belonging to the New Testament canon, while the majority of the sources are post-biblical writings belonging to Early Christian literature of the 2nd to 4th century CE. In both cases, the sources show a transfer of characteristics read as typically feminine to God respectively his Christ. Thus, these texts create a transgender concept of masculinity that might be of interest for modern discussions on gender and the transformation of gender roles. Yet, one must acknowledge that these imaginations of God are framed by a culture of Masculine Domination (Bourdieu 2001). Older examples from the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East show, that the maternal characteristics attributed to masculine deities are not meant to feminize the respective deity but to make their power complete. Thus, these transgender imaginations of breastfeeding God/gods will only develop a liberating impact if they are de-framed and read beyond patriarchal patterns.engNew TestamentChurch FatherstransmasculinitybreastfeedingGender StudiesQueer Theologyhistory of religionsHebrew BibleAncient Near EastGreek-Roman antiquity230bookpart