A review by ndctwo
Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say by Preston M. Sprinkle

4.5

Dr. Preston’s Sprinkle’s latest book about Trans* people and the church is a helpful dive into definitions, culture, science, and theology. Theology is not something that can be formed in vacuum or a bubble because theology is both practical and applicable. Preston, although cisgendered, writes primarily using the voices of his Trans* friends, giving the book more credibility. The topic is certainly controversial and readers will not come away with a simple answer; I believe that this is the author’s goal in some ways. It’s not a simple theological question of yes or no and the living out the “how” is just as important. Preston shares his opinion on the topic and does give a definitive answer in terms of if he believes Christians should be gender affirming or not, but the way the book is written allows for and welcomes dissent because the primary question is “how does the Church disciple well?” How are we to disciple cisgendered people, LGBTQ+ people, Trans* people, straight people, etc? That is the question at the heart of this book.

I’ve come away after reading this book better informed of the topic, better able to understand and resonate with arguments both for and against gender affirmation, with practical steps on how to create inclusive and caring ministry environments, and deeply empathetic for people who have been rejected by so many. I may not agree with everything Preston wrote in the book, but this is an important topic and the Church must be informed and full of love as we engaged with a changing and hurting world.

*I was provided an advanced copy of the book in exchange for this review.*