BOOKS
The last few decades have seen a proliferation of books written for a Christian audience which present biblical, theological, and ecclesial appeals for the inclusion and affirmation of LGBTQ+ persons, their relationships, and their giftedness in the ministry of the church. Here, you will find recommendations of where to start to learn more about these perspectives, as well as lists of further reading that, depending on your interests, may cater more toward either academic study or personal narrative and story.
Start Here
Any one of the following three books is an excellent choice for someone looking for a general apologetic for LGBTQ+ affirmation. They each touch on primary and secondary theological concerns, including analysis of the “clobber verses” and discussions of biblical commentary on marriage and sexuality, but are varied enough in their approaches that reading all three to appreciate their nuance is also recommended. Read below for descriptions and recommendations for the audience for each book.
God and the Gay Christian:
The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships
by Matthew Vines
If you are only able to read one book on affirmation, this is the one to read.
As a young Christian man, Matthew Vines harbored the same basic hopes of many young people: to one day share his life with someone, to build a family of his own, to give and receive love. But when Vines realized he was gay, those hopes were called into question. The Bible, he’d been taught, condemned gay relationships.
Feeling the tension between his understanding of the Bible and the reality of his same-sex orientation, Vines devoted years to intensive research into what the Bible says about homosexuality. He asked questions such as:
• What was the real sin of Sodom?
• What did Paul have in mind when he wrote about same-sex relations?
• Is mandatory celibacy biblical?
• Can same-sex marriage fulfill Scripture’s vision for marriage?
Accessibly written and carefully argued, this expanded edition of God and the Gay Christian includes an updated introduction, two new chapters, and two new appendices. In the book, Vines engages with leading critiques of his work and shows readers how affirming same-sex relationships can go hand in hand with maintaining moral boundaries and upholding an orthodox Christian faith.
Recommended for: LGBTQ+ people, parents of gay children, anyone with a high view of scripture, a more conservative view of theology, or who appreciates thorough research and a deep works cited list.
Changing Our Mind:
Definitive Edition of the Landmark Call for Inclusion of LGBT Christians with Response to Critics
by Dr. David P. Gushee
Christian denominations and churches everywhere struggle with the issue of LGBTQ inclusion. With growing scientific evidence, our wider society has taken big steps, but too many religious families and communities have not kept up. As much as ever, many people still experience deep condemnation by evangelical and other churches, getting kicked out or altogether leaving. Dr. David Gushee offers a powerful, inspiring message of hope and healing by helping Christians to return to Bible study, prayer, and reflection in a way that creates a vision for a more inclusive church.
Arguably America’s leading Christian ethicist, Gushee has written many helpful books for churches, discussion groups, and individuals. He is the author of the “Evangelical Declaration Against Torture” and drafted the “Evangelical Climate Initiative.” His Kingdom Ethics is on pastors’ bookshelves nationwide. Now, in what he describes as the most important book of his career as a Christian teacher, Gushee gives us this encouraging discussion on how he changed his mind.
From his own careful Bible study, research, and prayer, Gushee takes us along an conversational theological journey. In one book, he concisely marks out every single component of historic Christian sexual morality. He covers all of the relevant biblical passages and all the theological positions, including the key argument of creation. With a careful study of context and biblical language, he walks us through a principled discussion that is respectful of traditionalists while calling for inclusion and the end of contempt. This definitive third edition also includes Gushee’s response to critics and a study guide for small group discussion.
Recommended for: those looking for a shorter and more conversational read, philosophy and ethics nerds, anyone wanting to read a response to criticism, anyone wanting a guide for a group study.
UnClobber:
Rethinking Our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality
by Colby Martin
Armed with only six passages in the Bible—often known as the “Clobber Passages”—the conservative Christian position has been one that stands against the full inclusion of our LGBTQ siblings. UnClobber reexamines each of those frequently quoted passages of Scripture, alternating with author Colby Martin’s own story of being fired from an evangelical megachurch when they discovered his stance on sexuality.
UnClobber reexamines what the Bible says (and does not say) about homosexuality in such a way that sheds divine light on outdated and inaccurate assumptions and interpretations. This new edition equips study groups and congregations with questions for discussion and a sermon series guide for preachers.
Recommended for: Pastors and other church leaders, anyone who has experienced church harm or faith transition, those looking for a small group study guide.
Another take…
Renowned New Testament scholar Richard Hays famously changed his perspective on homosexuality that has been previously addressed in The Moral Vision of the New Testament. In the following book, co-written with his son Christopher, a scholar of the Old Testament, Hays eschews oft-repeated critiques of the clobber verses, to look at the broader themes of welcome and inclusion of previously marginalized people that can be found throughout the Biblical corpus.
It is a must-read.
The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story
by Christopher B. Hays and Richard B. Hays
Discussions of the Bible and human sexuality often focus on a scattered handful of specific passages. But arguments about this same set of verses have reached an impasse, two leading biblical scholars believe; these debates are missing the forest for the trees.
In this learned and beautifully written book, Richard and Christopher Hays explore a more expansive way of listening to the overarching story that scripture tells. They remind us of a dynamic and gracious God who is willing to change his mind, consistently broadening his grace to include more and more people. Those who were once outsiders find themselves surprisingly embraced within the people of God, while those who sought to enforce exclusive boundaries are challenged to rethink their understanding of God’s ways.
The authors—a father and son—point out ongoing conversations within the Bible in which traditional rules, customs, and theologies are rethought. They argue that God has already gone on ahead of our debates and expanded his grace to people of different sexualities. If the Bible shows us a God who changes his mind, they say, perhaps today’s Christians should do the same. The book begins with the authors’ personal experiences of controversies over sexuality and closes with Richard Hays’s epilogue reflecting on his own change of heart and mind.
Exploring the intersection of gender diversity and faith…
How are our churches and faith communities equipped to care for and minister to our transgender, non-binary, genderfluid, and genderqueer family, friends, and parishioners? Here are some books to help facilitate understanding and connection.
Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians
by Austen Hartke
In 2014, Time magazine announced that America had reached “the transgender tipping point,” suggesting that transgender issues would become the next civil rights frontier. Years later, many people—even many LGBTQIA+ allies—still lack understanding of gender identity and the transgender experience. Into this void, trans biblical scholar Austen Hartke brings a biblically based, educational, and affirming resource to shed light and wisdom on gender expansiveness and Christian theology. This new edition offers updated terminology and statistics, plus new materials for congregational study, preaching, and pastoral care.
Transforming deftly weaves ancient and modern stories that will change the way readers think about gender, the Bible, and the faith to which Jesus calls us. Hartke helps readers visualize a more inclusive Christianity, equipping them with the language, understanding, confidence, and tools to change both the church and the world.
What Does God Think?: Transgender People and the Bible
by Cheryl B. Evans
The bestselling author of I PROMISED NOT TO TELL: Raising a transgender child invites you on a fascinating exploration to discover the truth in What Does God Think? Transgender People and The Bible. Presented with the idea that her transgender child was “not of God”, Cheryl B. Evans set out to see what God really thinks about transgender people. What does the Bible say? Why is there such a big divide among Christians? Why do some Christians insist there is no such thing as a transgender person while other Christians accept and affirm transgender people? And most importantly, what does God think? This LGBT Christian book takes the reader on a journey that is educational and highly revealing. What Does God Think? is an invitation to examine the scriptures and give consideration to the social, cultural, and scientific facts that impact what we believe, and the way we internally feel about transgender people.
Cheryl B. Evans handles this controversial topic with grace and compassion for people on both sides of this debate. If you have been struggling to understand how someone can be Christian and still accept and affirm transgender people then this book is for you. If you know someone who is struggling to accept a loved one who has come out as trans, this would be the perfect book to recommend. Are you ready to have this conversation?
Opinions vary widely on the topic of gender, and gender identity, and when you mix religion into the conversation it gets even more interesting. In this non-fiction book, Evans discusses these important social issues in a calm and nonthreatening way. Making this transgender affirming book an excellent resource for both Christians and non-Christians.
Further Reading
The following selections are divided into academic and narrative approaches to the subject of LGBTQ+ inclusion. These should be considered generalized categories, as many titles incorporate elements of both biblical and theological study as well as narrative storytelling. You may find that one approach appeals to you more, or that you are drawn to multiple points of view. Feel free to explore.
ACADEMIC
**TOP PICK**
Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church
by Jack Rogers
In this revised and expanded best seller, evangelical theologian and former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Jack Rogers makes a biblical case for equal rights for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). Throughout history, he observes, Christianity has moved towards ever greater openness and inclusiveness. Today’s church is led by many of those who were once excluded: people of color, women, and divorced and remarried people. He argues that when we interpret the Bible through the lens of Jesus’ redemptive life and ministry, we see that the church is called to grant equal rights to all people. Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality describes Rogers’ own change of mind and heart on the issue, charts the church’s history of using biblical passages to oppress marginalized groups, argues for a Christ-centered reading of Scripture, debunks stereotypes about people who are LGBT, refutes the conventional wisdom about the texts that are often used against people who are LGBT, and presents ideas for how the church can heal itself and move forward again. A fascinating combination of personal narrative, theology, and church history, this book is essential reading for all concerned with the future of the church and the health of the nation.
Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church’s Debate on Same-Sex Relationships
by James V. Brownson
This thought-provoking book by James Brownson develops a broad, cross-cultural sexual ethic from Scripture, locates current debates over homosexuality in that wider context, and explores why the Bible speaks the way it does about same-sex relationships.
Fairly presenting both sides in this polarized debate — “traditional” and “revisionist” — Brownson conscientiously analyzes all of the pertinent biblical texts and helpfully identifies “stuck points” in the ongoing debate. In the process, he explores key concepts that inform our understanding of the biblical texts, including patriarchy, complementarity, purity and impurity, honor and shame. Central to his argument is the need to uncover the moral logic behind the text.
Written in order to serve and inform the ongoing debate in many denominations over the questions of homosexuality, Brownson’s in-depth study will prove a useful resource for Christians who want to form a considered opinion on this important issue.
Sex and the Single Savior: Gender and Sexuality in Biblical Interpretation
by Dale B. Martin
Probing into numerous questions about gender and sexuality, Dale Martin delves into the biblical texts anew and unearths surprising findings. Avoiding preconceptions about ancient sexuality, he explores the ethics of desire and marriage and pays careful attention to the original meanings of words, especially those used as evidence of Paul’s opposition to homosexuality. For example, after a remarkably faithful reading of the scriptural texts, Martin concludes that our contemporary obsession with marriage–and the whole search for the “right” sexual relationships–is antithetical to the message of the gospel. In all of these essays, however, Martin argues for engaging Scripture in a way that goes beyond the standard historical-critical questions and the assumptions of textual agency in order to find a faith that has no foundations other than Jesus Christ.
Transgender, Intersex and Biblical Interpretation
by Theresa J. Hornsby and Deryn Guest
A call for ‘trans literacy’ within biblical scholarship.
In this volume Hornsby and Guest introduce readers to terms for the various identities of trans people and how the Bible can be an affirmation of those deemed sexually other by communities. This book offers readings of well known (e.g., Gen 1; Revelation) and not so well known (2 Sam 6; Jer 38) narratives to illustrate that the Bible has been translated and interpreted with a bias that makes heterosexuality and a two sex, two gender system natural, and thus divinely ordained. The authors present examples that show gender was never a binary, and in the Bible gender and sex are always dynamic categories that do, and must, transition.
Features:
- Definitions of key terms, including transsexual, transgender, cissexism, heterosexism, intersex, eunuch
- Critique of how biblical texts are used in Christian positional statements on transsexuality
- Statistics concerning rates of violence against trans persons
Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships
by Karen R. Keen
When it comes to same-sex relationships, this book by Karen Keen contains the most thoughtful, balanced, biblically grounded discussion you’re likely to encounter anywhere. With pastoral sensitivity and respect for biblical authority, Keen breaks through current stalemates in the debate surrounding faith and sexual identity.
The fresh, evenhanded reevaluation of Scripture, Christian tradition, theology, and science in Keen’s Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships will appeal to both traditionalist and progressive church leaders and parishioners, students of ethics and biblical studies, and gay and lesbian people who often feel painfully torn between faith and sexuality.
What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality
by Daniel A. Helminiak
Does God’s word in the Bible really condemn homosexuality?…… Top scholars–like the late John Boswell of Yale, Daniel Boyarin of Berkeley, Bernadette Brooten of Brandeis, L.William Countryman of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, Victor P. Furnish of SMU, Saul M. Olyan of Brown and Robin Scruggs of Union Theological Seminary–show that those who perceive Bible passages as condemning homosexuality are being misled by faulty translation and poor interpretation…… Danial A. Helminiak, Ph.D. respected theologian and Roman Catholic priest, explains in a clear fashion the fascinating new insights of these scholars…… The Bible has been used to justify slavery, inquisitions, apartheid and the subjugation of women. Now, in this books which has sold over 100 thousand copies, read what the Bible really says about homosexuality.
Radical Love: An Introduction to Queer Theology
by Patrick S. Cheng
Contextual theologies have developed from a number of perspectives – including feminist theology, black theology, womanist theology, Latin American liberation theology, and Asian American theology – and a wide variety of academic and general introductions exist to examine each one. However, Radical Love is the first introductory textbook on the subject of queer theology.
In this lucid and compelling introduction, Cheng provides a historical survey of how queer theology has developed from the 1950s to today and then explicates the themes of queer theology using the ecumenical creeds as a general framework. Topics include revelation, God, Trinity, creation, Jesus Christ, atonement, sin, grace, Holy Spirit, church, sacraments, and last things, as seen through the lenses of LGBT theologians.
Narrative
**TOP PICK**
Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate
by Justin Lee
An evangelical Christian examines the impact of sexuality, the LGBTQ+ movement, and the future of the church in this thoughtful, deeply researched guide to navigating and mending the social and political division in our families and churches.
Nicknamed “God Boy” by his peers, Lee knew that he was called to a life in evangelical Christian ministry. But questions about his own sexuality forced him to rethink his “love the sinner, hate the sin” approach, sending him on a journey to better understand the Bible, the science, and the history of the church’s gay debate—eventually leading him to become one of the most respected voices on the subject on both sides of the divide.
Filled with personal stories and careful research, Torn provides insightful, practical guidance for all committed Christians who wonder how to relate to gay friends or family members—or who struggle with their own sexuality.
Torn has been a trusted resource for over a decade, and this updated edition features new material to address the impact and aftermath of the “ex-gay” movement, gender identity and the broader LGBTQ+ movement, and an updated and expanded look at where the overall affirming Christian movement is going. It also features new practical recommendations for combating the increased polarization that threatens to tear us apart.
Convinced that God’s grace is the key to loving one another without compromise, Lee charts a path for people on both sides of the debate to help mend Christianity’s shattered reputation and bring peace to our families and churches.
Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church
by Bridget Eileen Rivera
Religious faith reduces the risk of suicide for virtually every American demographic except one: LGBTQ people. Generations of LGBTQ people have been alienated or condemned by Christian communities. It’s past time that Christians confronted the ongoing and devastating effects of this legacy.
Many LGBTQ people face overwhelming challenges in navigating faith, gender, and sexuality. Christian communities that uphold the traditional sexual ethic often unwittingly make the path more difficult through unexamined attitudes and practices. Drawing on her sociological training and her leadership in the Side B/Revoice conversation, Bridget Eileen Rivera, who founded the popular website Meditations of a Traveling Nun, speaks to the pain of LGBTQ Christians and helps churches develop a better pastoral approach.
Rivera calls to mind Jesus’s woe to religious leaders: “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them” (Matt. 23:4). Heavy Burdens provides an honest account of seven ways LGBTQ people experience discrimination in the church, helping Christians grapple with hard realities and empowering churches across the theological spectrum to navigate better paths forward.
Love Makes Room: And Other Things I Learned When My Daughter Came Out
by Staci Frenes
When Christian singer and speaker Staci Frenes learned her teenage daughter was gay, she found her dreams for the future–along with her lifelong faith–collapsing around her. Coming to terms with a new reality was a challenge–and an invitation–to make room for many things along the way: the inevitability of uncertainty, hope in the midst of loss, awkward and tough conversations, an expanding faith, and a greater understanding of how people are more the same than different.
In Love Makes Room, Frenes helps readers see that a reimagined future may look different than our old hoped-for pictures of ourselves and our families, but it can also be wider, deeper, and more fulfilling than we ever dreamed.
Walking the Bridgeless Canyon: Repairing the Breach between the Church and the LGBT community
by Kathy Baldock
In 2001, Kathy Baldock, a straight conservative evangelical Christian, met Netto Montoya, a lesbian Native American, on the local hiking trails near her home in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Their friendship challenged Baldock’s cultural and religious beliefs about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.
In Walking the Bridgeless Canyon: Repairing the Breach between the Church and the LGBTQ Community, Baldock uncovers the historical, cultural, medical, and political filters of discrimination through which the LGBTQ community is seen. With a foundational context firmly established, she examines the most controversial filter of all: what the Bible says about same-sex behavior.
Ten years of research, as well as relationships with thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, led to answering important questions: How did history, culture, science, and politics intertwine to create social discrimination against the gay and transgender communities? When and why did the conservative Christian community turn their focus on the gay and transgender communities? Should Christian fellowship be extended to gay and transgender people? Should Christian marriages, be granted to same-sex couples? What is happening within the LGBTQ Christian movement today?
Baldock carefully constructs a historical timeline narrative as she untangles the details of various influences and influencers. Along the way, she shares fascinating stories and testimonies enriching the journey. Finally, for those who are wondering how they might enter into productive and respectful conversations about the intersection of faith and sexual orientation or gender identity, this book offers the resources and tools needed to make informed, wise, and Christ-centered choices. This book has a companion Discussion Guide intended for personal, group, or Bible study use.
I Hardly Knew Me: Following Love, Faith, and Skittles to a Transgender Awakening
by Nia Chiaramonte
In I Hardly Knew Me, Nia Chiaramonte offers a powerful, intimate account of gender transition, told not in hindsight but in real-life moments that became a path to survival. With humor and vulnerability, Nia brings you into the everyday world as a transgender person: from the complicated grace of coming out to the people she loves most, to the flood of silence after posting her truth online; all while watching her beautiful children accept her regardless.
“I used to be so hidden that even I couldn’t see who I was,” Nia writes, and that sense of disconnection is what makes this story so resonant. Through therapy sessions, late-night writing, and grace-filled family conversations, she begins to uncover the truth and non-negotiables of who she’s always been.
In a time when trans lives are often reduced to debate points, I Hardly Knew Me captures the painful, beautiful, uncertain in-between. It’s not just a book about gender. It’s about choosing love, honesty, and self-worth in a world that often denies all three. It reminds readers that unconditional love is real, survival is possible, and coming to know who we truly are might just be the bravest thing we ever do.
Out of Focus: My Story of Sexuality, Shame, and Toxic Evangelicalism
by Amber Cantorna-Wylde
A blend of heart-wrenching memoir and astute cultural analysis, Out of Focus will help heal individuals harmed by evangelicalism’s toxic influence and inspire Christian communities to pursue a path of love and inclusion.
When a mass shooter killed five people in an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, grieving people graffitied James Dobson’s Focus on the Family headquarters with the words “Their blood is on your hands.” Such an accusation against evangelicalism comes as no surprise to Amber Cantorna-Wylde, whose father is a Focus on the Family executive and cast Amber out of her family when she came out in 2012.
From severed family ties to hate crimes, such enmity is the fruit of a religious movement that considers it more faithful to reject your child or even to kill than to accept and love LGBTQ+ people. Evangelical organizations like Dobson’s, along with pastors like Jerry Falwell, Franklin Graham, and Robert Jeffress, built an empire out of their conservative Christian beliefs and convinced millions of Americans that sexual purity, patriarchal families, and militaristic nationalism were God’s priority. Cantorna-Wylde shows readers how the political and personal intertwine to cause shame and suffering that Jesus would never desire, including the long-term effects of identity-repression, trauma, and family estrangement.
As a Woman: What I Learned about Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy after I Transitioned
by Paula Stone Williams
As a father of three, married to a wonderful woman, and holding several prominent jobs within the Christian community, Dr. Paula Stone Williams made the life-changing decision to physically transition from male to female at the age of sixty. Almost instantly, her power and influence in the evangelical world disappeared and her family had to grapple with intense feelings of loss and confusion.
Feeling utterly alone after being expelled from the evangelical churches she had once spearheaded, Paula struggled to create a new safe space for herself where she could reconcile her faith, her identity, and her desire to be a leader. Much to her surprise, the key to her new career as a woman came with a deeper awareness of the inequities she had overlooked before her transition. Where her opinions were once celebrated and amplified, now she found herself sidelined and ignored. New questions emerged. Why are women’s opinions devalued in favor of men’s? Why does love and intimacy feel so different? And, was it possible to find a new spirituality in her own image?
In As a Woman, Paula’s “critical questions about gender, personhood, and place are relevant to anyone. Her writing insightfully reveals aspects of our gender socialization and culture that often go unexamined, but that need to be talked about, challenged, and changed” (Soraya Chemaly, author of Rage Becomes Her) in order to fully understand what it means to be male, female, and simply, human.
Why the Church of the Nazarene Should Be Fully LGBTQ+ Affirming
by Thomas Jay Oord and Alexa Oord, editors
A growing number of people are calling for fresh conversations about sexuality and gender. And many want fundamental change. This book gives voice to those people.
There are strong reasons the Church of the Nazarene should become fully LGBTQ+ affirming. The writers of these essays – whether queer or straight – lay out those reasons, share their experiences, and explain why change is needed.
Love rests at the heart of the denomination’s view of God. And yet its statement about human sexuality does not support the ways of love.
At least in America, the Church of the Nazarene is rapidly shrinking. Many people are leaving the denomination because of its views on LGBTQ+ matters. According to research, in fact, the holiness movement is the worst at keeping young people.
This book offers hope. Hearing the voices of queer people, allies, and scholars is a crucial step toward transformation.
For love to win in the Church of the Nazarene, change is needed.