EMBODIED: Transgender Identities, the Church & What the Bible Has to Say
Preston Sprinkle
In [this book], New York Times-bestselling author Dr. Preston Sprinkle helps us understand and engage in the conversation about transgender identities. Drawing on scripture, real-life stories, and careful research, he explores:
- Why more and more teens are questioning their gender
- What it means to be transgender, non-binary, or gender-queer
- Moral questions surrounding medical interventions such as sex reassignment surgery
- Why most stereotypes about men and women come from culture, not the Bible
- How being created in God's image as male and female relates to transgender experiences
I started reading this book as an assignment for a long-form discussion the Valley Christian Church elders have been having about sexuality and gender identity. I finished reading it because of its humble and empathetic tone and its well-thought-out use of science and Scripture in coming to conclusions. I recommend this book if you want to increase your understanding of people who experience gender dysphoria and/or consider themselves trans or non-binary. It is also a wonderful example of being Christian without being judgy and self-righteous.
First Line: The idea for this book was sparked in 2014 on a chilly October evening in East Chicago.
Page 56 / Line 5: If a teenager has OCD and is on the autism spectrum, for instance, and if this teen has an ongoing obsession with the idea of becoming the other sex, is this obsession rooted in a trans* identity?
A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: Jesus is building an upside-down kingdom where outcasts have their feet washed, the marginalized are welcomed, and dehumanized people feel humanized once again.
Last Line: Will you?