Trans-Gendered: Theology, Ministry, and Communities of Faith

by Justin Sabia-Tanis

A transgendered clergyperson seeks to explore the spiritual nature of transgendered persons, to listen to the stories of others like himself, and to give a positive voice to the community.

Genres: Theology, LGBT, Religion, Gender

210 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

Reviews

[mono · Rating 4 out of 5]

love love love

[Monica Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful, transformative, and lifegiving. For many transgender people and those who want to learn or understand more about the transgender experience in the faith context, who believe in Jesus and the Christian tradition, this book, in a real sense, is salvation. It is definitely required reading!

[AJ Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and considered book on being transgendered from the Christian perspective written by a trans priest, he discusses being transgender as a calling. Beyond being a rich theological book, it is a healing book.

[K Kriesel · Rating 3 out of 5]

In many ways, especially word choice (see book title), this book is outdated. Outside of an historical context, i wouldn't recommend this book.

That being said, i am very grateful for it and I hope it helped many people at that time.

[Christopher Broadwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The challenges of using a driver’s license, starting a new bank account, or being mid-transition, for trans persons have been long overlooked by academia, medicine, and discussions in faith communities. (9). Rev. Dr. Justin Tanis sets the record “trans” in giving voice to T Christians, including himself, in the 2003 book, TRANS-GENDERED (TG). As Rev. Troy Parker notes, TG is “about God, gender identity, sexual orientation, and Scripture [as well as] faith, community, and Christology, all from the vantage point of [T] persons.” (vii). Tanis’ nine chapters cover trans identity and existence, “Gender Variance and Scripture,” T experience (their welcome and otherwise) in faith communities, T people and their experience of God and Christ, “Gender as a Calling,” T body theology and thought, and closes with liturgical resources.
It seems to be that the goal of the text is to show that, in the lives of trans-persons, “the manifest saving act of God, the present Christ, his word and his sacrament, should be seen and adored.” That being the case, TG is an indispensible introductory resource for many: a wide range of academicians; clergy and others interested in scripture; laypersons; T persons, their allies and family. To highlight a few key moments in the text: scripture and gender-variance are taken seriously in chapter 3. Chapter 7, “Gender as a Calling,” is helpful in reconstructing contemporary language, being trans is not a curse, rather a calling and “a holy invitation to set out on a journey of transformation of body, mind, and spirit.” However, the reader new to this study may find difficulty in the final chapter, in which Tanis leaves the reader wanting. Tanis remarks that God is both “intimately and actively involved in our creation” yet we are still to take part in creating our own bodies, somehow the thought isn’t given enough page length. (182).