Finding Your Best Identity: A short Christian introduction to identity, sexuality and gender

by Andrew Bunt

Overview

Who are you? And how can you find who you are?

Andrew Bunt has wrestled with these questions. At one point in his childhood, he thought he might be a girl in a boy’s body. As he grew up and discovered he’s same-sex attracted, the world started to tell him that his sexuality is his identity. And for many years, he believed the lie that he was a freak and a weirdo, assuming that’s what everyone thought of him.

In this short Christian introduction to identity, Andrew explores and examines different ways we can discover who we are. Blending his personal story with careful Bible teaching and genuine cultural awareness, this is a book to get conversations going and help us all understand our best identity.

With questions for discussion and reflection, and an application exercise to end the book, Finding Your Best Identity is a practical and profound introduction to some of the biggest questions we all face.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781789744217
Publisher:	IVP
Publication date:	11/18/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
File size:	775 KB

About the Author

Andrew is part of the leadership team at King’s Church Hastings and Bexhill and is also a speaker and writer with Living Out. He studied theology at Durham University and King’s College London, specialising in biblical studies and biblical languages. He loves helping people to understand and apply the Bible and loves wrestling with big cultural issues. Andrew is the author of 'Who In Heaven's Name Do You Think You Are?' (2014) and 'People Not Pronouns: Reflections on Transgender Experience' (Grove Books, 2021). He is also a regular contributor at thinktheology.co.uk.

Table of Contents

Contents

Foreword xiii

1 Who am I? 1

2 ‘Others decide’ 8

3 ‘I decide’ 19

4 ‘God decides’ 35

5 ‘God decides’ identity, sexuality and gender 49

6 Experiencing your best identity 66

Notes 76

Further reading 86

Acknowledgements 88

Editorial Reviews

In Finding Your Best Identity, Andrew Bunt explores the power our core identity—or controlling self-understanding—has over us. He shows how both traditional and modern identities are unstable and ultimately crush us when we fail. Only our God-given relationship with Jesus provides an identity that is not fragile and that allows honesty and vulnerability without shame. It's an identity that cannot be taken away by changing experience, by the opinion of others or even by death itself. While Andrew explores these competing identities in conversation with sexuality and gender, this is a book that will benefit any current or potential follower of Jesus.

Greg Johnson

Compassionate and compelling, insightful and instructive, Andrew Bunt’s excellent book sheds light and brings clarity to a subject often distorted by emotion and conflict. Few things are more important than establishing your true identity. I urge you not only to read it but help others by recommending it to them.

Terry Virgo

Andrew has written something remarkable and significant. With heartfelt honesty about his own experiences, he lays out a compassionate and clear case for a God-given identity. This is essential reading for anyone working with young people who may be struggling with sexuality or gender issues, but will also be deeply challenging for anyone who wants to better understand their Christian identity.

Robin Barfield

Sociologically aware, pastorally sensitive, biblically rooted – Andrew Bunt’s work provides a helpful introduction to why questions of identity are crucial to mission and ministry today, especially amongst emerging generations.

Gareth Crispin

Andrew has written a book on identity that is concise, clear and practical. Whilst he applies his arguments particularly to matters of sexuality and gender, the principles in the book would be of great value to every person made in the image of God. Andrew provides a strong but easily-understood critique of how our culture constructs identity. He then argues persuasively that a God-given identity frees us from the insecurity and pressure of letting either other people or our own feelings decide who we are .

Stuart Parker

This is a much needed book in a society where there is such overwhelming pressure to look inside ourselves and discover our true identity. It is a book I wish I could have read as a young adult - I wrestled with doubts and questions about who I was until I realised that I am who God says I am and that he rejoices over me with singing!

Julie Maxwell

With radical openness, personal experience, sensitivity and grace, Andrew approaches this mine-field of a topic with one clear aim in mind: to help all people. The clarity here is vivid. The council here is godly. The freedom offered is persuasive.

For all who want to be fully known and fully loved, this will point you in the right direction of true identity.

Tope Koleoso