Contemporary questions about gender challenge our views of ourselves and the proverbial other. In this meticulously researched, well-written, and illuminating guide, Vincent Gil unpacks elements involved in gender-identity conflicts and intersexuality. At the heart of the matter are real people, not just issues. Drawing on histories culled from his many years as counselor, professor, and researcher, Gil explores gender and identity, issues of conflict, and of reconciliation. He distinguishes biological and psychological elements from social issues, and addresses the current movement of gender individuation, its language idioms, and its influences on gender ideology and theology. He also provides an engaging theological discourse, filling gaps in our understanding of procreation to better inform our theology of being. The work assists Christian parents, clergy, and lay leaders by working through the tough questions. It suggests means to engage, counsel, support, and reconcile with those gender-questioning or conflicted, be they children, adolescents, or adults.

In this incisive work, Sam Ashton provides a compelling, consistent and erudite argument for a foundational approach to the matter of sexual difference, drawing on biblical and doctrinal material and using resources in their original languages. He tracks and traces the sexed body as it moves from creation, through the fall, to redemption “now,” and final consummation “not yet.” In doing so, Ashton presents what is perhaps the strongest case that can be made for 'male and female He created them'. Each chapter privileges biblical exegesis, drawing upon figures in church history (notably Augustine and Aquinas) as and when they illumine Scripture. By doing so, the book considers the difficulty presented to sexual dimorphism by the phenomenon of intersex. Ashton seeks to develop an understanding that is generous, inclusive and affirming, so he works carefully through the writings of Thatcher, Song and Cornwall in a way that invites engagement and dialogue. With the complete divine drama in view, the book offers synthetic judgments about what remains essential for the “structure” of the sexed body as it travels through history and what may be accidental to the sexed body's “direction” within a particular theo-dramatic act. Ashton concludes by considering ways to transition from dogmatic judgments about intersexuality to the moral-pastoral care of concrete intersex individuals, briefly thinking about the complex matter of marriage.

The culture wars show no sign of abating. Same-sex sexuality continues to be one of the most brutal and bloody fronts in those wars and Christians, the fiercest combatants. Friendships, families, churches, and denominations continue to draw their lines-in-the-sand, split, and go their separate ways. Meanwhile, the lives of many, young and old, are deeply scarred and some even lost in the crossfire. It doesn't have to be that way! Challenging the arguments that perpetuate that conflict, Open Wide the Gates presents a carefully developed biblical, theological, and ethical argument for the welcome, affirmation, and inclusion of gays and lesbians in the life and ministry of the local church. Its irenic tone and clearly articulated presentation provides pastors, denominational leaders, and concerned laypeople with a reliable guide for navigating these often-turbulent waters. In this comprehensive study, Brian D. Cunnington points to a path forward, a path for following Jesus in the twenty-first century characterized by grace, love, and hope; a path that demonstrates the radical presence of God's kingdom here on earth for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Interesting to read and easy to consult, The Complete Guide to the Bible is a reliable, jargon-free handbook for average people who want to better understand the entire Bible. Captivating writing along with beautifully designed and illustrated pages entice readers into the book and keep them lingering throughout its 512 pages. This latest project from Steve Miller, author of the best-selling Who's Who and Where's Where in the Bible, provides both the big-picture view of the whole Bible and its individual books, as well as fascinating detail on particular passages and topics.

This 2-book set includes Lies Young Women Believe and Lies Young Women Believe Study Guide. In Lies Young Women Believe, Nancy and Dannah expose 25 of the lies most commonly believed by your generation. They share real-life accounts from some of the young women they interviewed, along with honest stories about how they’ve overcome lies they themselves believed . They get down in the trenches of the battle with you. Best of all, they’ll show you how to be set free by the Truth. Lies Young Women Believe Study Guide will help you internalize the truths you learned in the book and apply them to your life. Each session offers an overview of the chapter, a daily personal study, and questions tailor-made for youth group/small group settings.

Redeeming Gender argues that the problems about sexuality which continue to sap the churches' energies are really about gender. The dominant understanding of women's bodies in the Christian West has been that they are inferior versions of the superior male body. This 'one-sex model' of the human body was replaced during the Enlightenment with a model of two opposite sexes. However, both models are inadequate for a theological or a secular understanding of the sexed body. In this innovative work, Adrian Thatcher envisages relations between women and men no longer blighted by long-term patriarchy, androcentrism and sexism in church and world, but redeemed from these structural sins by the grace of Jesus Christ. Dissected into two parts, Part One explains the legacy of both the one-sex and two-sex theories. It uncovers the one-sex theory and its assumptions, and indicates its presence in early Christian thought. It then describes what happened in our social, intellectual and theological history, which leaves us thinking that there are two sexes. In Part Two, Thatcher contributes to an emerging theology of gender in which women and men are fully and equally valued, and in which sexual difference (insofar as it exists at all), is capable of transformation into joyful communion, reflecting the very life of God the Holy Trinity. He exposes the reliance of much Church and theological teaching about sex and gender either on biblical proof texts or upon the language and nomenclature of late modernity, rather than upon considerations of Theology and Christology. Thatcher also indicates how Theology and Christology, in the area of gender, envisions the redemption of human relationships.

This book offers easily implemented strategies for use with secondary and undergraduate students to promote greater engagement with the realities of diversity and commitment to social justice within their classrooms. Defining diversity broadly, the book provides effective pedagogical techniques to help students question their own assumptions, think critically, and discuss issues within race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and ability. The K-12 student population is increasingly diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, language, religion, socio-economic status, and family structure. However, the overwhelming majority of teachers continues to come from White, non-urban, middle class backgrounds (Fletcher, 2014; Hughes et al., 2011) These differences can have serious repercussions for student learning. Non-majority students who feel that their culture or background is not acknowledged or accepted at school are likely to disengage from expected academic and social activities (Hughes et al., 2011). Concurrently, the majority students remain unaware of privilege and ignorant of societal systemic discrimination. In order to teach for social justice, ideas regarding power structure, privilege, and oppression need to be discussed openly. Fear of upsetting students or not knowing how to handle the issue of social justice are commonly heard reasons for not discussing “difficult” subjects (Marks, Binkley, & Daly, 2014). However, when teachers choose not to discuss topics within diversity, students assume that the topics are taboo, dangerous, or unimportant. These assumptions impede students’ abilities to ask important questions, learn how to speak about issues effectively and comprehend the complex challenges woven into current national conversations.

Where do Christians fit in a two-party political system? The partisan divide that is rending the nation is now tearing apart American churches. On one side are Christian Right activists and other conservatives who believe that a vote for a Democratic presidential candidate is a vote for abortion, sexual immorality, gender confusion, and the loss of religious liberty for Christians. On the other side are politically progressive Christians who are considering leaving the institutional church because of white evangelicalism’s alliance with a Republican Party that they believe is racist, hateful toward immigrants, scornful of the poor, and directly opposed to the principles that Jesus taught. Even while sharing the same pew, these two sides often see the views of the other as hopelessly wrongheaded—even evil. Is there a way to transcend this deep-seated division? The Politics of the Cross draws on history, policy analysis, and biblically grounded theology to show how Christians can protect the unborn, advocate for traditional marriage, promote racial justice, care for the poor, and, above all, honor the gospel by adopting a cross-centered ethic instead of the idolatrous politics of power, fear, or partisanship. As Daniel K. Williams illustrates, both the Republican and Democratic parties are rooted in Christian principles, but both have distorted those principles and mixed them with assumptions that are antithetical to biblical truth. Williams explains how Christians can renounce partisanship and pursue policies that show love for our neighbors to achieve a biblical vision of justice. Nuanced, detailed, and even-handed, The Politics of the Cross tackles the thorny issues that divide Christians politically and offers a path forward with innovative, biblically minded political approaches that might surprise Christians on both the left and the right.

What does it mean to be male? What does it mean to be female? In contemporary culture, such distinctions have increasingly been regarded as much too narrow to cover the entire spectrum of humanity. Over the past few decades, thousands of individuals have bravely declared their true identities and refused to be boxed into what society has dictated. It has become increasingly important, especially for those coming into adulthood, to go beyond the concepts of gay, lesbian, straight, and bisexual when examining gender. In Gender Identity: The Ultimate Teen Guide, Cynthia L. Winfield encourages readers to reject the notion that male or female designations fit all. The author examines how gender lines have been crossed as a growing number of individuals—including young adults—have found the courage to express and celebrate their authentic selves. In this book, Winfield addresses: Differences between biological sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression Legal protections for those outside the narrowly defined gender norms Public debate and shifting views about gender identity Ways readers can make society more cognizant and inclusive of gender-variant individuals In addition to providing a well-grounded introduction to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual persons and issues, this book allows contemporary teens and young adults to voice their experiences. As more and more public figures—from actress Laverne Cox to Olympic athlete turned reality television star Caitlyn Jenner—have shared their stories, it’s just as important for everyday people to identify who they are. This second edition of Gender Identity: The Ultimate Teen Guide is a much-needed update of an important topic and will be of interest to young adults, their families and friends, and the community at large.

Forty years of feminism and still women do the majority of the housework. Why? In fact, while women are making slow but steady gains on gender disparities in the workplace, at home the gap is widening - in the UK, the average heterosexual British woman puts in 12 more days of household labour per year than her male companion, while young American men are now twice as likely as their fathers to think a woman's place is in the home. And when 'having it all' so often means hiring a nanny or cleaner, is it something to aspire to? Sally Howard joins up with a cohort of feminist separatists, undertakes a day's shift with her Lithuanian cleaner, lives in a futuristic model home designed to anticipate our needs and meets latte papas and one-percent parents in this lively examination which combines history and fieldwork with her personal story. The Home Stretch is a fascinating investigation into how we got here and what the future could look like for feminism's final frontier: the domestic labour gap.