Preston M. Sprinkle - Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say

What people are saying about

EMBODIED

The history has not always been good between people of faith and those who identify as transgender. This history, combined with a desire for much better, is what makes voices like Prestons so essential for the times in which we live. Preston has this wonderful, Jesus-like way of flexing the muscles of conviction and compassion, of truth and grace, of law and love, of empathy and human design, all at the same time. As he does this, he not only finds the way but shows the way to befriend, empathize with, and come alongside those whom Jesus has called us to love. I need this book, and I suspect that you do too.

Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville and author of Jesus Outside the Line and A Gentle Answer

There are many good books written on transgender identities, but if you are looking for one book that is scientifically sound, theologically grounded, and gracious in its demeanor, Embodied is the book to get. Whether you are a scholar looking to understand the issue more deeply, a parent trying to help his or her transgender child, a friend wanting to better love transgender people, or someone wrestling with your own gender identity, this book will be an indispensable resource. My thanks to Sprinkle for writing and researching such an important and timely book.

Sean McDowell, PhD, associate professor at Talbot School of Theology, speaker, and author of Same-Sex Marriage

In Embodied, my friend Dr. Preston Sprinkle tenderly tackles topics most run from. He hosts the very conversations the church avoids or mishandles. This work is researched the way Preston loves deeply. I fought back tears as I read and found myself convicted, challenged, and equipped to love, listen, and learn. Everyone deserves to know that they are intimately woven for the love of God.

Lisa Bevere, New York Times bestselling author of Without Rival

Dr. Preston Sprinkle has become the go-to voice for a biblical theology of sexuality that is orthodox, intelligent, well-researched, nuanced, open-minded, yet firm in conviction, compassionate, and above all, grounded in reality. This book has more than dry data; it has compelling stories of real flesh-and-blood sexual minorities and their quest to follow Jesus in a cultural moment of ideologies and agendas. This is simply the best book Ive found on the subject.

John Mark Comer, pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church and author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

In Embodied, Preston Sprinkle has done the church a great service by biblically, sensitively, and pastorally navigating the transgender debate. His biblical and exegetical credibility is evident as he handles the Bible with care and precision. And his pastoral sensitivity to transgender people, which comes out of real relationships with them, enables him to provide such wise counsel for the church. Though readers might disagree with Preston in places, his approach is both biblically sound and relationally compassionate. I know of no better work on this complicated issue than Embodied and no one better positioned than Preston Sprinkle to write such a book.

Scott B. Rae, dean of faculty, professor of Christian ethics, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

Prestons Embodied is one of the first (and most comprehensive) theological looks into the trans* conversation. As a non-binary Christian I am thankful that he has offered a much-needed voice to this topic. While we do often come to different conclusions, I greatly appreciate his voice in this conversation and his sincere desire to present a holistic approach to better love and understand trans* people in our churches.

Lesli Hudson-Reynolds, gender identity ministry director of Posture Shift

I read Embodied in one sitting because I just couldnt put it down. Sprinkle once again handles an important conversation with honesty and authenticity, humility, wisdom, and grace. Sprinkle is careful to make this about more than theological debates. He keeps the focus on the real lives of people who deserve dignity, respect, and love. I am disappointed in myself for not knowing enough about this subject before reading Embodied. I am thankful for Sprinkles extensive study and wise Christian reflections.

Nijay K. Gupta, professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary

As someone who follows Christ and also experiences incongruence with my gender, I have been hungry for literature that is well researched, compassionate, and practical. It is no small feat that Preston Sprinkle has achieved all three of these things in his book Embodied. For anyone looking to understand trans* people better, or looking for answers for themselves, I would highly recommend this book. At the very least, it serves as a wonderful primer to engage this challenging conversation thoughtfully and carefully.

Benjamin Schulke, MDiv

In a time of confusion and pain on almost every front, Preston Sprinkle brings light and clarity to the conversation about, and the lived experiences of, trans* persons. Drawing on psychological, physiological, and biblical research, Sprinkle calls us to listen first and lead with love. Embodied is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand their neighbors.

Roberta Green Ahmanson, writer, philanthropist, and art patron

EMBODIED

Published by David C Cook

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All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form without written permission from the publisher.

The website addresses recommended throughout this book are offered as a resource to you. These websites are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement on the part of David C Cook, nor do we vouch for their content.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV. Copyright 1973, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved; KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (Public Domain); NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The author has added italics to Scripture quotations for emphasis.

Library of Congress Control Number 2020937663

ISBN 978-0-8307-8122-5

eISBN 978-0-8307-8123-2

2021 Preston Sprinkle

The Team: Michael Covington, Judy Gillispie, James Hershberger, Susan Murdock

Cover Design: Faceout Studio, Tim Green

First Edition 2021

For Lesli,

Mentor, friend, and faithful servant of Christ and humanity

The idea for this book was sparked in 2014 on a chilly October evening in East Chicago. I was bundled up outside, smoking cigars with a gay friend named Kevin. He was encouraging me to finish my book on homosexuality.