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Trans Biblical: New Approaches to Interpretation and Embodiment in Scripture
296 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2025
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September 17, 2025
As a discerning reader always seeking scholarship that truly engages with the complexities of our world, "Trans Biblical: New Approaches to Interpretation & Embodiment in Scripture" by Joseph A. Marchal, Melissa Harl Sellew, and Katy E. Valentine is, quite simply, a revelation. This isn't just another academic text; it's a vital, groundbreaking contribution to contemporary theological and social discourse.
Published in April 2025, this volume arrives at a crucial juncture, bravely stepping into a glaring void in research on the Bible and transgender people. The editors and contributors embark on a rigorous yet accessible exploration, challenging preconceived notions and inviting readers to a more nuanced understanding of biblical texts and their profound implications for human embodiment.What truly elevates this collection is its multi-vocal approach, expertly expanding upon existing biblical theories and interpretations. It intensifies and enlarges the very set of biblical texts considered, alongside diverse interpretive approaches, interwoven with relevant histories and theoretical frameworks. It brings together a chorus of brilliant scholars—including trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, and cisgender voices—each contributing unique perspectives to the central inquiry: "What makes a biblical reading trans, or a trans reading biblical?"
The essays within offer profound insights:
One essay, by A. Finn Enke, critically examines the language of 'cisgender' and 'transgender,' revealing inherent variability in biblical texts and re-evaluating figures like eunuchs as key to trans studies. It highlights how ancient Judaism recognized not just two, but a remarkable six distinct genders (female, male, tumtum, androgynous, saris, and aylonit), underscoring the malleability of divine and human bodies and the fluidity of the first humans.
Another invaluable essay provides an experience-centered approach to teaching trans hermeneutics, offering guidance for cisgender readers. It powerfully posits that "only by knowing what it means to be transgender can cisgender people know themselves," fostering empathy and bridging understanding.
A subsequent essay redefines motherhood in a biblical context, shifting from biological to institutional understandings and exploring how biblical women embody maternal roles through "masculine" actions, inviting a deeper ponderance of diverse gender and care manifestations.
Ester Brownsmith's compelling analysis challenges rigid categories, exploring the possible gender fluidity of Mordecai, who inhabits a "carnivalesque" middle ground. She expands on the concept of Abraham's "seed" to include spiritual descendants through biblical study and notes the Benjamin tribe's unique association with "feminine" characteristics in men.
Justin Sabia-Tanis profoundly re-examines the Good Samaritan story, interchanging Samaritans with transgender people today. He highlights terrifying realities: the ACLU reports an ever-escalating number of bills at the state level that systematically discriminate against transgender individuals. He shares a grandfather's plea, citing a survey of 6,000 transgender people where 41 percent reported attempting suicide, compared to 4.6 percent of the general population. This underscores the urgent need for justice in biblical interpretation, advocating for a spirituality rooted in liberation and proactive social change.
Minenhle Nomalungelo Khumalo and Eric A. Thomas contribute a profoundly important essay asserting that "Black Queer lives matter" and championing "radical allyship in care" through an Africana queer biblical interpretation. They highlight that faith often serves as a critical component of trans individuals' transitions, making their exclusion from religious spaces deeply disheartening.
Rebecca Wiegel meticulously examines the roles of eunuchs and other non-men in Matthew and Corinthians, offering fresh perspectives on these overlooked figures.
Jaeda C. Calaway presents a compelling essay drawing powerful parallels between Paul's transformative imagery of death and resurrection and the profound transformations experienced by trans individuals. This essay is made even more impactful by deeply personal reflections on navigating rejection and challenging exclusionary theological interpretations (such as angels being exclusively male), articulating that "the act of coming out is an apocalypse, an 'unhiding'."
Joseph A. Marchal argues for the necessity of engaging racism and incarceration in trans liberation, revealing that the history of trans liberation is deeply intertwined with efforts toward prison abolition. He notes the cyclical erasure of trans histories and the historical "fungibility of captive flesh" as context for understanding sex and gender as mutable.
Toward the close, Melissa Harl Sellew's essay on the Gospel of Thomas explores its distinctly negative view of the physical body and its call for spiritual liberation, regardless of visible embodiment. The text explicitly states that "Sexual reproduction, childbearing, and conventional family life are repeatedly disparaged," and calls for a return to an ungendered, spiritual "home."
Lastly, Ky Merkley meticulously examines Tertullian's writings, revealing his assertion that non-gender-specific clothing was a "deception against God." This is contrasted with Clement of Alexandria's more open view. Merkley highlights clothing's historical significance in Roman culture as a marker of inclusion/exclusion and posits that "gender, in its most fundamental sense, is a way of those who are like us—our kin," while "trans" can be understood as a "lack of category" that creates potential for new understandings.
The transformative potential of "Trans Biblical" lies precisely in its capacity to offer progressive and truthful interpretations of scripture, identifying and defining gender-transgressive biblical characters. By engaging with literature such as this, readers gain invaluable insights into how to share information that can help nonbinary individuals find a genuinely accepting spiritual home within a church. Ultimately, as children of God, regardless of personal theological nuances, the pursuit of a "win-win" outcome—inviting every new member into a welcoming religious outlet and spiritual home—is a fight we should all champion.
For any scholar, practitioner, or thoughtful individual deeply invested in faith, ethics, and the pursuit of a more inclusive world, this book is not merely recommended; it is, in my estimation, indispensable. It is a groundbreaking work that promises to expand your understanding of scripture, identity, and the transformative power of compassionate inquiry. A resounding five out of five stars! This is a volume that will undoubtedly shape future conversations and enrich your intellectual journey. You owe it to yourself to experience it.
Happy Reading!
Published in April 2025, this volume arrives at a crucial juncture, bravely stepping into a glaring void in research on the Bible and transgender people. The editors and contributors embark on a rigorous yet accessible exploration, challenging preconceived notions and inviting readers to a more nuanced understanding of biblical texts and their profound implications for human embodiment.What truly elevates this collection is its multi-vocal approach, expertly expanding upon existing biblical theories and interpretations. It intensifies and enlarges the very set of biblical texts considered, alongside diverse interpretive approaches, interwoven with relevant histories and theoretical frameworks. It brings together a chorus of brilliant scholars—including trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, and cisgender voices—each contributing unique perspectives to the central inquiry: "What makes a biblical reading trans, or a trans reading biblical?"
The essays within offer profound insights:
One essay, by A. Finn Enke, critically examines the language of 'cisgender' and 'transgender,' revealing inherent variability in biblical texts and re-evaluating figures like eunuchs as key to trans studies. It highlights how ancient Judaism recognized not just two, but a remarkable six distinct genders (female, male, tumtum, androgynous, saris, and aylonit), underscoring the malleability of divine and human bodies and the fluidity of the first humans.
Another invaluable essay provides an experience-centered approach to teaching trans hermeneutics, offering guidance for cisgender readers. It powerfully posits that "only by knowing what it means to be transgender can cisgender people know themselves," fostering empathy and bridging understanding.
A subsequent essay redefines motherhood in a biblical context, shifting from biological to institutional understandings and exploring how biblical women embody maternal roles through "masculine" actions, inviting a deeper ponderance of diverse gender and care manifestations.
Ester Brownsmith's compelling analysis challenges rigid categories, exploring the possible gender fluidity of Mordecai, who inhabits a "carnivalesque" middle ground. She expands on the concept of Abraham's "seed" to include spiritual descendants through biblical study and notes the Benjamin tribe's unique association with "feminine" characteristics in men.
Justin Sabia-Tanis profoundly re-examines the Good Samaritan story, interchanging Samaritans with transgender people today. He highlights terrifying realities: the ACLU reports an ever-escalating number of bills at the state level that systematically discriminate against transgender individuals. He shares a grandfather's plea, citing a survey of 6,000 transgender people where 41 percent reported attempting suicide, compared to 4.6 percent of the general population. This underscores the urgent need for justice in biblical interpretation, advocating for a spirituality rooted in liberation and proactive social change.
Minenhle Nomalungelo Khumalo and Eric A. Thomas contribute a profoundly important essay asserting that "Black Queer lives matter" and championing "radical allyship in care" through an Africana queer biblical interpretation. They highlight that faith often serves as a critical component of trans individuals' transitions, making their exclusion from religious spaces deeply disheartening.
Rebecca Wiegel meticulously examines the roles of eunuchs and other non-men in Matthew and Corinthians, offering fresh perspectives on these overlooked figures.
Jaeda C. Calaway presents a compelling essay drawing powerful parallels between Paul's transformative imagery of death and resurrection and the profound transformations experienced by trans individuals. This essay is made even more impactful by deeply personal reflections on navigating rejection and challenging exclusionary theological interpretations (such as angels being exclusively male), articulating that "the act of coming out is an apocalypse, an 'unhiding'."
Joseph A. Marchal argues for the necessity of engaging racism and incarceration in trans liberation, revealing that the history of trans liberation is deeply intertwined with efforts toward prison abolition. He notes the cyclical erasure of trans histories and the historical "fungibility of captive flesh" as context for understanding sex and gender as mutable.
Toward the close, Melissa Harl Sellew's essay on the Gospel of Thomas explores its distinctly negative view of the physical body and its call for spiritual liberation, regardless of visible embodiment. The text explicitly states that "Sexual reproduction, childbearing, and conventional family life are repeatedly disparaged," and calls for a return to an ungendered, spiritual "home."
Lastly, Ky Merkley meticulously examines Tertullian's writings, revealing his assertion that non-gender-specific clothing was a "deception against God." This is contrasted with Clement of Alexandria's more open view. Merkley highlights clothing's historical significance in Roman culture as a marker of inclusion/exclusion and posits that "gender, in its most fundamental sense, is a way of those who are like us—our kin," while "trans" can be understood as a "lack of category" that creates potential for new understandings.
The transformative potential of "Trans Biblical" lies precisely in its capacity to offer progressive and truthful interpretations of scripture, identifying and defining gender-transgressive biblical characters. By engaging with literature such as this, readers gain invaluable insights into how to share information that can help nonbinary individuals find a genuinely accepting spiritual home within a church. Ultimately, as children of God, regardless of personal theological nuances, the pursuit of a "win-win" outcome—inviting every new member into a welcoming religious outlet and spiritual home—is a fight we should all champion.
For any scholar, practitioner, or thoughtful individual deeply invested in faith, ethics, and the pursuit of a more inclusive world, this book is not merely recommended; it is, in my estimation, indispensable. It is a groundbreaking work that promises to expand your understanding of scripture, identity, and the transformative power of compassionate inquiry. A resounding five out of five stars! This is a volume that will undoubtedly shape future conversations and enrich your intellectual journey. You owe it to yourself to experience it.
Happy Reading!
Displaying 1 of 1 review