Mark A. Yarhouse

This is a very helpful book in helping churches consider their pastoral response to transgender people, and in working out a perspective on how to support them. I found the various perspectives Yarhouse brings (integrity, disability, diversity) very helpful. The book also gave me a great deal more compassion for those dealing with gender dysphoria, so it probably achieved its objective in that regard. He is clearly a very good, compassionate and effective counselling practitioner.

It doesn't really give much help on developing a theology of transgenderism. This isn't a fault with the book, but is not what it sets out to to do. I say this because I suspect many will come to it looking for help in formulating a theology. It is, however, a very helpful read, and one that will really benefit pastors in thinking about their pastoral response to this issue, which is becoming more and more prevalent.… (mehr)

Going in to this book, I was a bit apprehensive. The phrase "measured Christian response" in the synopsis sounded like an attempt to justify discrimination. But I was pleasantly surprised; this is a measured, and mostly reasonable and fair-minded, look at gender identity, and it offers a valuable snapshot of the understanding of, and medical and ministerial care for, people experiencing what the authors label "emerging gender identities", but what could perhaps more accurately be described as the "emerging language of gender". It's not so much that people are experiencing gender in new ways, but that we're rapidly developing new ways to describe those experiences. Although the language in this book occasionally feels a bit dated, overall the book does a good job of explaining some of the science, and relating some of the ways counselors and church leaders have tried to respond (often in ways that have caused great damage to both the individuals affected, and the church as a whole). Although I'm not sure I agree with some of the authors suggestions, I do appreciate the honesty, generosity, and humble spirit with which they make their case.

They do offer one suggestion that I love, in discussing the words we use to describe those experiencing gender issues:

The word we are drawn to when we think of teens navigating gender identity questions is "beloved". We like this word because it has less to do with how we think about the emerging gender identity and more to do with how we think of the teen as a whole person. It reminds us of how God sees the people we minister to (regardless of the name and pronouns they use, the apparel they choose, etc.). Not only that, but it also offers an identity for the teen to live into, one that will likely inform every aspect of their life and open them up to life-giving community, meaning, and purpose.… (mehr)

A set of findings and explanation of findings regarding the life, faith, health, outlook, and situation of students who identify as sexual minorities at Christian colleges.

The authors cite their own studies as well as other studies done in the field to assess the condition of sexual minorities on Christian college campuses. They define sexual minorities as those who self identify as LGBTQ or questioning. They interviewed a set of them twice over the period of a couple of years to assess any changes which may have taken place. The issues covered everything from how they had come to believe/accept their sexuality, how they came to identify the way they did sexually, why they came to a Christian college, their faith and its standing in light of their sexuality, how well or poorly they felt accepted, the resources available to them, their mental health, and how well they transitioned out of the Christian college environment into another college or into the workplace.

The results are not necessarily what one would expect. Many of the students maintained their faith and wished to find ways to honor their faith while living with their sexuality. Few students expected the schools to change or adapt their general stance toward sexual behaviors; they instead wished for greater resources to be able to work through issues relating to their sexuality and not be marginalized on account of them. Over time more and more are finding greater acceptance and awareness of the situation; overall it seems many Christian colleges are attempting to work with the times in terms of helping sexual minority students while upholding their standards regarding sexual behavior.

The framework of identity, disability, and vocation seems to have value. The work is dense with statistics, display of evidence, and sociological terminology, making it a bit more challenging to read, but beneficial inasmuch one can see the ground upon which the authors are making their conclusions and recommendations.

A worthwhile read to be able to learn more about how young people seek to be faithfully Christian while grappling with their sexuality.

**--galley received as part of early review program… (mehr)