It’s nearly impossible to live in our current society and not have to engage on some level with this topic of transgenderism. I think reading this book could be a very helpful place to start.
The author gives a helpful explanation of some of the main terms we need to understand in order to engage in this conversation. He seeks to help us understand what it means to be a human made in God’s image and tackles questions such as: Are male and female the only option? What about intersex? What does discipleship look like for someone who experiences gender dysphoria? What pronouns should we use? The author acknowledges the complexity of some of these questions and doesn’t always give us a definitive answer to each one of them, but he helps us to know what questions we need to wrestle with, and helps us to do that better informed and with deeper compassion.
What I particularly appreciate about this book is the author’s insistence that we’re not just talking about an issue or a debate that needs to be won, but rather we’re talking about real people who, like each one of us, need truth and love. The author is someone who personally knows, listens to and loves people who find this to be a real and personal struggle, and his heart is clearly to see them experience Jesus’ truth and grace. These words from the conclusion summarise his approach well: ‘Our cultural moment is an outrageous one. What we need is a different way. A fresh posture. A radically biblical community. One that affirms bodies, rejects stereotypes, pursues truth with humility, and lavishes grace on everyone who fails.’