The power and problem of religious symbols: a need for changeWhat is a symbol? A symbol is very understandably defined by the American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy as "something that represents or suggests something else...often takes the form of words, visual images, or gestures used to convey ideas and meanings." beliefs”. This definition is quite explicit, it not only emphasizes the functional purpose of a symbol, that of being uniquely representative of something else, but also suggests that a symbol is not complete in itself - it makes a comparison by designating something else. Symbols are metaphors; they help us better understand what humans can quite put into words, in doing so they serve as our guides in life, as they help us express and shape our worldviews (Christ 139). Individuals in modern society often treat symbols – religious, cultural and otherwise – as absolute, often ignoring or forgetting their representational aspect. When combined with the patriarchy that dominates and influences our society, this is where the main problem with symbols begins. In feminist theology, religious symbols and their respective associations pose a great problem not only to the advancement of women's rights, but also to the struggle for the equal representation of their voices and, rightly, their experiences. The role of feminist theologians in recovering an authentic divine language can only be achieved if there is a significant shift away from male-dominated religious symbolisms. Jung believed that the essential meaning of a symbol is the "capacity to express more than could be expressed." be put into words” (Christ 136). Religious symbols are probably the most powerful of all symbols. According to Jung ...... middle of article ......isco, 1989. 128-38. Gross, Rita. “The language of feminine God in a Jewish context.” Womanspirit ascendant: a feminist reader in religion. Ed. Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow. New York: HarperOne, 1992. 167-73. 1976. Isasi-Diaz, Ada Maria. “Defining our Proyecto Historico: Mujerista Strategies for Liberation.” » Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 9 (1993): 17-28. Mcfague, Sallie. “God as mother.” Weaving visions: new models of feminist spirituality. Ed. Judith Plaskow and Carol P. Christ. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1989. 139-50. “Naming the sacred”. Weaving visions: new models of feminist spirituality. Ed. Judith Plaskow and Carol P. Christ. San Francisco: HarperSan Francisco, 1989. 95-96. Plaskow, Judith. “The right question is theological.” Being a Jewish Feminist: A Reader. Ed. Susannah Heschel. New York: Schocken Books, 1983. 223-33.