Conservative Christianity, Gender Identity, and Religious Liberty: A Primer and a Proposal

by Dirk H. de Jong

Overview

This book explores the intersection of conservative Christian values and contemporary theories and expressions of gender identity, i.e. transgender and genderqueer identities. More specifically, it examines the conflict between beliefs about religious liberty and transgender rights. It also proposes a pluralistic morality, allowing for both faith-based values and scientific discoveries about gender to resolve that conflict. Along the way, Dirk de Jong explores various contextual issues: The increase in the number of people who identify as trans or nonbinary, the differences between biblical and queer conceptualizations of gender, the impact of religious freedom policies on transgender rights, the controversy around Title IX exemptions in higher education, the emergence of trans advocacy in conservative Christian communities, and the role of dialogue in social transformation efforts with respect to gender.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030423933
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan
Publication date:	04/02/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	291 KB

About the Author

Dirk H. de Jong is Assistant Professor of Social Work at Siena College, USA. He conducts research on transgender issues in conservative Christian communities and has published several articles on this topic. 

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction: Transgender and nonbinary identities.- Chapter 2: Conceptualizations of gender: From biblical to queer.- Chapter 3: Impact of religious freedom policies on transgender rights.- Chapter 4: Exemptions to Title IX: Religious liberty in higher education.- Chapter 5: Trans advocacy and activism in conservative Christian communities.- Chapter 6: A Proposal: Morality over legality.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This is a thoughtful book that seeks better understanding and practice regarding gender identity and religious freedom. In his useful survey of a quite complex issue, de Jong opens up a wide variety of perspectives and shares the results of his preliminary research. Although I would like to see more nuanced development of the issue of religious liberty and moral philosophy, this book is a good place to start.”
–David Sherwood, former editor of Social Work & Christianity

“Through thoughtful and compassionate inquiry, this book undertakes one of the most challenging issues of today’s ‘culture wars.’ With the wellbeing, dignity, and inclusion of transgender and non-binary people at stake, DeJong engages with a diversity of Christian viewpoints, creating a space for moral inquiry that often remains elusive in contemporary discourse. Embracing a moral pluralism that includes religious and non-religious perspectives, transformative dialogue isoffered as a potential pathway to social justice for all.”
–Loretta Pyles, University at Albany, USA

"This timely book insightfully sets out a responsive framework, undergirded by ethics of care, for negotiating trans equality in conservative Christian communities and institutions. Building on compelling interview data, De Jong persuasively lays foundations for the possibility of broader transformation in conflicts between religious freedom and non-discriminatory social inclusion."
–Susannah Cornwall, University of Exeter, UK