Does God Care about Gender Identity?

by Samuel D. Ferguson

A Biblical Vision of Gender Identity  Since the beginning of humanity, people have recognized the distinct creation of the male and female gender in God’s design. But with today’s gender revolution, people are increasingly questioning who they are designed to be. In our society, gender identity has been divorced from biology and rerooted in psychology. Do the core teachings of the Bible uphold these modern ideas? In this concise booklet, Samuel Ferguson carefully and compassionately compares the core beliefs and practices of the transgender movement with fundamental truths expressed in Scripture. Ferguson argues human identity is not determined by the individual but is given to us by our Creator, who designed our bodies and minds with purpose and encourages us to live in Christlikeness―choosing the path of God-given transformation over man-made transition. 

Genres: Counselling, Christian, Gender

80 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2023

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent. I can’t imagine a better booklet-length treatment of this topic.

[Eliot Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and short, as all apologetics should be. Obvious to see Sam’s heart for ministry. Glad he wrote this.


I started this book on my honeymoon, probably after one too many margs, so I’ll probably need to revisit this.

[Grant Liller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief, practical, helpful. As someone who knows people struggling with gender dysphoria, this gave me some new, happy, and hopeful things to consider which even provided hope for me in my own walk with the Lord.

Worth a read if you’re looking for a brief treatment on the subject. With only 40 short pages, this book certainly exemplifies quality over quantity.

[Logan Vlandis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Necessitated by the boon in gender dysphoria, Ferguson offers a Christian posture on how we ought to understand gender identity and how the church can engage those who feel a sexual identity dissonance between their biological reality and their psychological impressions.

After a brief ideological exploration of dysphoria, its assumptions and recent prevalence, and Scripture’s conceptualization of gender, he concludes with numerous pieces of practical wisdom for parents, churches, and individuals who are themselves dealing with dysphoria.

I found the ethos of the book to be refreshing - probably its most shining attribute - especially considering how many voices associated with conservative social ideologies (apparently informed by Christianity) are harsh, dismissive, and derogatory of people struggling with dysphoria. Even while holding a hard line against transitioning due to dysphoria, Ferguson purports compassion and empathy as critical to being a helpful presence to people who feel this particular struggle deeply.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief (I read it in just a couple short hours), but useful. It hits the most central points, and functions as an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to understand the modern crises surrounding sex and gender dysphoria from a Christian perspective.

Ferguson is compassionate and gentle, but still firm regarding God’s authority and how we must respond to him. He doesn’t engage in stereotypes or culture war talking points, but grounds his book on scientific evidence, personal relationships and interviews with people who struggle with gender dysphoria (and their parents), and in basic biblical truths that unite all Christians.

If you or someone you know is dealing with these issues, in your private or public life, you’ll probably need to dig deeper than this book takes you. But it’s a great starting point, a way to orient yourself properly so you can grow in understanding without getting lost.

[Noah Senthil · Rating 4 out of 5]

The brief length, humble tone, and balanced approach by Samuel Ferguson are all refreshing. A great resource for parents and teens. It’s helpful to hear his personal experience as he’s walked with friends and their children through gender dysphoria. When he draws hard lines, they don’t feel harsh. They feel thoughtful and compassionate.

I wouldn’t hesitate to hand this out to those wrestling with questions about gender and sexuality. Because of it’s size, it’s very limited, but he somehow covers a lot of ground in a few words without it feeling rushed.

[Brandon Porter]

Short and to the point. Ferguson lays out 3 beliefs of the transgender movement, which helps the reader understand better how to engage people who hold to these beliefs with compassion. He also presents biblical truths about gender identity, arming the reader with a deeper understanding of God's gift of human identity. Helpful little book that hits its aim and beyond in a few words and with little space.

[Johnny Zacchio jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding! Going on our church’s resource wall!

[Bracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an age where discussions about transgenderism generally brings out the worst in people, this tiny little booklet, Does God Care about Gender Identity, seems to provide a balm for the soul with a small but powerful dose of truth and compassion. The first thing that stood out to me about this book was that it calmed me more than it agitated my soul. Usually when you encounter a hot-button issue, emotions can swirl up quickly. But with this booklet I could sense the pastoral care as I turned the pages. Second, I kept saying to myself; this guy is exhibiting a rare combination of intellectual rigor and compassion. In fact, on page 9 he says when dealing with these matters, ‘any engagement must be marked by compassion.’ His tone throughout was balanced and I suspect that it was born out of the experiences the author has had with those whom he has encountered in his work as a minister, especially those who struggle with gender dysphoria. Third, I found subtle nuances throughout the presentation of the issue and unlike the way some Christians deal with hot-topic cultural issues, the mixture of intellectual accuracy and soul care was evident throughout the booklet. I think the best part of the book is when the author explained some of the effects on gender as a result of living in a sin ridden, broken and fallen world. I appreciated that he didn’t stop with the brokenness of transgenderism but highlighted the solution being the transformation offered by the Lord through the gospel by the power of the Spirit.

[Kyle Bartsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

God does indeed care about your gender identity. He lovingly created us male or female (Gen 1:27), knitting us together in our mothers’ womb (psalm 139:13). As these tensions arise in the world, this little book makes it clear that the church must teach truth to the lost, comfort the hurt and dysphoric and remind everyone that it isn’t about who we are, it’s about who we belong to that matters. Knowing who we are is far less important than knowing who Christ is.

[Doug Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good! Helpful introduction from a lot of different perspectives. Helpful section on what ministry towards transgender community actually looks like.

Short, so there's only so much that he could do, but would love more details on practical advice for discipleship and ministry.

[Mark Einselen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard Rev. Ferguson present the content of this book in a symposium of sorts. It's helpful to have everything compiled in a format that's easy to reference at any time. The notes section, glossary, and recommended resources at the end of the book are also helpful to refer to.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, a helpful resource with good biblical categories. I wish it had not pointed strugglers to the American Psychiatric Association or integrationists like Mark Yarhouse - hence the 3 stars overall.

[Adrian Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This booklet is a great starting point for Christians, parents, and pastors thinking through the gender identity conversation. It has helpful endnotes, a glossary, and recommended resources for further reading.

[Bob Mendelsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very hard question and there are so few answers. Ferguson deals humbly and pastorally which helps. I’d like to walk this through with Gender-challenged folks to see what they say. Biblical information is terrific.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Compassionate and informative. I’d have a few other questions but they are probably a little off topic.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Best booklet on it. Compassionate and biblical. Practical too.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book. Clear, compassionate, concise. A good resource to hand to someone struggling with this issue. Thoroughly biblical and pastorally wise.

[Tegan V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but very insightful. Left me wanting more! Appreciative of the Biblical truth this presents.

[Michael Abraham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise and clear Christian response to a difficult cultural question.

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our new Hard Questions series addresses people’s deep longings for community, their concerns about biblical ethics, and their doubts about confessional faith. Sam Ferguson's book is going to be immensely helpful for youth pastors and parents. It navigates the questions that arise when when a young people wrestle with confusion about their gender.