A Field Guide on Gender & Sexuality, Ligonier (2024)
This is a small book, but don’t let that fool you. It deals with a big subject and does so in a thorough and biblical way. Probably the most contentious issue facing society today is that of identity. The world is confused about what a man or a woman is and how we can express that in our relationships.
A field guide is meant to offer a concise introduction to a topic. Following a question and answer format this guide opens up what the Bible teaches about gender and sexuality. The 28 questions are answered competently, compassionately and biblically.
Split into four parts, the book deals with ‘Being Human’ covering what being made in the image of God means and implies. It then goes on to ‘Homosexuality and Transgenderism’ and confronts questions such as whether same-sex attraction is a sin or only acting on it, can one be a ‘gay Christian’, and growth in sanctification. The third section ‘Events and Associations’ deals with personal dilemmas. Can I attend a gay wedding? Is it acceptable to use a person’s preferred pronouns? The final section ‘The Gospel and Love’ touches on sharing the gospel with LGBTQ people and how to help fellow believers struggling with same-sex attraction. It helpfully explains the true nature of compassion and holds out loving hope to all sinners.
The subject is a serious one; there is widespread confusion regarding sex, gender and identity. Christians have a solid foundation for understanding these subjects. As well as being a valuable introduction this book also serves as a jumping off point for those wishing to go into the subject in greater detail.
This book is available from ICMBooks.
Campbell Campbell-Jack, Falkirk Free Church
Even the Sparrow, Jill Weber (2019)
Jill Weber currently serves on the international leadership team of 24-7 Prayer as Director of Houses of Prayer. Her book ‘Even the Sparrow’ is absolutely captivating. Although it has been designed with daily readings in mind and for use possibly at Lent, at no place in this narrative do you want to stop and put the book down. She tells her story warts and all, from running with her tiny baby down the street with her belongings in two bags to the decision that she and her husband made to relocate from America to Britain. As she reveals the real Jill, she invites us into her journey, and we become prayer partners with her. Somehow her story intertwines with our story and each chapter is more challenging than the last. As I revisit the book I want to hug her real life stories: her little girl Hannah stands with a pair of scissors in hand contemplating all her golden locks in the waste bin the night before she is a flower girl; on an enforced sabbatical Jill is defiantly ignoring God, sitting in the back pew of church and daring him to speak to her. At the end of each chapter, Jill asks searching questions of the reader, and the answers require me to retreat and for once be real with the God I believe in. Passionate about the essential need for prayer and wholly committed to the daily action of a focused prayer life this humble servant of God invites us to engage deeply with His Son Jesus Christ.
This book is available from Muddy Pearl.
Ruth Aird, Trinity Community Church Penicuik