A leader of a Christian Evangelical church in my area asked me to do some research on the modern Evangelical Church's response to the Transgender movement. This leader knew my background in Psychology and Religious Studies and my experience with professional writing and speaking. The leader's question was not "what do we say?" but "what are Evangelicals saying?" A quick internet search produced loads of soundbites and statements, many of which concerning but not surprising.
One essay, however, caught my attention. Here it is:
The title is "Transgendersim: A Christian Perspective." I liked several things about this article. The essay made an effort to define terms clearly and use those terms consistently. It also stated that worldview is an essential variable to consider when discussing this and other complex issues. This is consistent with my own experience as a Psychologist. If I want to be helpful to someone, I have first to understand where they are coming from. This includes how they see the world - how they make sense of things on a grand level. A lot of disagreements people have are less about details and more about worldview, I have found.
In my opinion, this essay is an articulate statement on a complicated issue. In reading the article, I would encourage you to read it all the way through and keep in mind the intended audience, other Evangelical Christian leaders. Finally, I appreciate that at least some in the Evangelical Church are taking this issue seriously.
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