In Greco-Roman Christianity, probably because of 2^nd century proto-orthodox battles against Gnosticism, the biblical images of God as female were soon suppressed within the doctrine of God. God as Wisdom, Chokmah in Hebrew, or Sophia in Greek, both feminine forms, was translated by Christianity into the Logos concept of Philo, which is masculine and was defined as the Son of God. The theology of God’s mediating presence as female, was de-emphasized.  This suppression of the divine feminine went on to include Shekinah, a feminine noun in Hebrew, which uniquely conveys the immanent, relational aspect of the Divine.  God’s Spirit Ruach, a feminine noun in Hebrew, took on a neuter form when translated into Greek as Pneuma. The Vulgate translated Ruach into Latin as masculine, Spiritus. God’s Spirit, Ruach, which at the beginning of creation brings forth abundant life in the waters, and makes the womb of Mary fruitful, is now made male.

In spite of the reality of the comforting, compassionate, caring, consoling, healing aspects of divine activity, the dominant patriarchal tradition has prevailed, resulting in seeing the female as the passive recipient of God’s creation; and the female is expressed in nature, church, soul, and finally as Mary, the prototype of redeemed humanity.

Because God as Father has become an over literalized metaphor, the symbol of God as female is eclipsed. The problem lies not in the fact that male metaphors are used for God, but that they are used exclusively and literally. Because images of God as female have been suppressed in official Church formulations and teaching, they came to be embodied in the substitute human figure of Mary, the only exemplar left to reveal the unfailing female love of God.

It is well attested that revelation is experiential.  With that proviso, I can tell you that I experience the Holy Spirit (whether as Chokmah, Sophia, Shekinah, Ruach, or Pneuma) as a distinctly feminine presence.

To me, it is much like the meaning of the Greek word dóxa (δόξα); its definition as “personal opinion” in Greek philosophy morphing into “Glory” as it passes into the Septuagint.  So too the Holy Spirit; She is my dóxa, in both respects.