Trans* Theology and the Image of God: Some Groundwork

One Question I often get asked, and more often see asked online when people talk about 'LGBT*' people and topics, is a variation on the basic question: 'but what about Transgender people?'. I think it is important to note, as a basic observation, that the 'T' of 'LGBT' is really a totally separate topic from variations on a theme of homosexuality. I have blogged about the LGB issue before, and also regarding the fact that everyone is made in the Image of God, and that our sexuality is not enough to define us as people. And my reading, praying, listening and occasional writing on this collection of questions have led me to the initial conclusion that it really is a radically different question than that of homosexuality. 

Because of the danger of a quick opinion, I'm not in this brief blogpost going to offer any thoughts on what Christian theology might offer to the 'T' of 'LGBT*', but rather suggest that this is something that needs a great deal of groundwork. I think the fundamental question, before we get to discussions of transgender/transsexual/intersex/crossdressing and all sorts of oft-conflated topics, is what kind of people do with think the Bible describes humanity as being? This is the first question - which I think is resources by the Christian Doctrine of the Image of God - which leads to us being able to think about the smaller yet very important question I asked at the top of this post. 

I was provoked by an excellent short paper from my friend Glynn Harrison, "A Better Story: Re-imagining the Biblical Vision for Sex and Marriage", which I read this morning, to share this very brief blog post and set of resources. I don't think that the 'T' of 'LGBT*' (or, indeed, any shade of LGBT* generally) can be engaged with from a Christian perspective outside the wider story of humanity as God created us and intends us to be. I recently presented a paper (which you can read here) about the importance of understanding humanity in order to do pastoral theology. And so it is in that spirit that I offer the following as a set of resources, including a few of my own blog posts, to help us start to think carefully and biblically about the questions raised by people who would identify as or around the 'T' of 'LGBT*'.

The few posts I have written on/around 'T' included a reflection on the depiction of a Trans* person in Corrie, and some thoughts on the case of Bradley/Chelsea Manning, but I would recommend reading what other people have written, particularly from the list below.

So, at the risk of not saying anything, but really wanting to go deeper, a few things you might like to read...

Transgender People and the Image of God - a brief bibliography

The Image of God

This is a vastly reduced set of extracts from my MA dissertation bibliography and my PhD proposal bibliography/reading list.

Barth, K. Church Dogmatics: Volume III The Doctrine of Creation: Part One, (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1958) - Barth's 'relational' understanding of human beings is important for discussions of sex and gender, as I have initially and briefly explored on this blog...

Kelsey, D. The Human Creature, in eds., Webster, Tanner, Torrance, The Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology, (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2007) - Kelsey is better known for his magesterial 'Eccentric Existence', but this article serves as a helpful primer, in my limited opinion.

Middleton, R. The Liberating Image: The Imago Dei in Genesis 1, (Brazos Press, Grand Rapids, 2005) - going to the basic text regarding the Image of God, this book expands on the author's previous paper, and is instructive, as far as I'm concerned.

Schwarz, H., The Human Being: A Theological Anthropology, (Eerdmans, Cambridge, 2013) - this is a very helpful recent theological anthropology, that does engage to some extent with issues of sex and gender. Recommended.

Thiselton, Anthony C., The Hermeneutics of Doctrine, (Eerdmans, Cambridge, 2007) -  I find myself recommending this book regularly, both for topics and general theological method. Thiselton's treatment of 'Being Human' is really superb.

Volf, Miroslav, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness and Reconciliation, (Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1996) - regardless of our theology of people, this book by Volf has to challenge what we do with and how we live out our theology. 

Transgender/Transsexual/Intersex and Theology

The below are things that I’ve read and found helpful/influential. I include some brief notes on each one, some being more useful/orthodox than others. An interesting, if more liberal, list of resources can be found here: http://christianityandsexuality.org/?page_id=1277

Burk, Denny, What is the Meaning of Sex?, (Crossway, Wheaton, 2013)

A helpful generalist, popular level book, with a useful chapter on the Trans* topic.

Coakley, Sarah, God, Sexuality, and the Self, (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2013)

An academic and heavy tome, quite theologically liberal but quite interesting. Worth the work.

Ed., Cornwall, Susannah, SCM Core Text: Theology and Sexuality, (SCM Press, London, 2013)

Set of different readings in this area, edited by one of the few scholars working on the topic. Cornwall has written widely on this topic (as can be seen in the above linked bibliography), and needs to be engaged with.

Ed., Davies, Jon & Loughlin, Gerald, Sex These Days: Essays on Theology, Sexuality and Society, (Sheffield Academic Press, Sheffield, 1997) (multi-perspective)

Some useful essays, a multi-perspective book.

The Evangelical Alliance Policy Commission, Transsexuality: a report by the Evangelical Alliance Policy Commission, (Evangelical Alliance, London, 2000)

Probably the worst thing the EA (normally excellent) have ever released. Useful only as a point of reference - the slim treatment of ’T’ in their 2012 book is more helpful.

Mann, Rachel, Dazzling Darkness: Gender, sexuality, illness and God, (Wild Goose, Glasgow, 2012)

A personal story with theological reflection writ large - Mann is a disabled, lesbian, trans Anglican priest who is also a poet, philosopher and theologian! A sobering and interesting read, emphasising the complexity of the stories of people.

O’Donovan, Oliver, Begotten or Made?, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2000

From one of the brilliant minds in Christian ethics, this is a powerful look at how what we understand about Jesus influences how we understand humans.

O’Donovan, Oliver (1982), Transsexualism and Christian Marriage, Nottingham: Grove Books

A Grove booklet, but short and readable. The argument appears in a chapter elsewhere, too.

Paris, Jenell Williams, The End of Sexual Identity: Why Sex is Too Important to Define Who We are, (IVP, 2011)

Semi-popular, fairly helpful, this is a book that looks at sexual identity, the interplay between sex and gender is key for discussion of this topic.

Rogers, Eugene. F. Sexuality and the Christian Body: Their Way into the Triune God, (Blackwell, Oxford, 1999)

This theologically liberal and occasionally ranty book is an important text to read, though I am ultimately unconvinced by the argument, personally. 

Sanlon, Peter, Plastic People: How Queer Theory is Changing Us, (Latimer Trust, London, 2010) 

Sanlon’s little book is very helpful, looking at the underlying theory behind some of the Trans* stuff.

Storkey, Elaine, Men and Women: Created or Constructed?, (Paternoster Press, Carlisle, 2000)

Elaine’s book is a brilliant riposte to much contemporary thinking, and is worth reading.

I have compiled, previously, a much longer 'Bibliography on Sex and Gender' which may be of interest, too.

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I'd love to connect with you via Twitter or Facebook and start a conversation on this important set of questions.