Austen Hartke

In 2014, Time magazine announced that America had reached “the transgender tipping point,” suggesting that transgender issues would become the next civil rights frontier. Years later, many people—even many LGBTQ allies—still lack understanding of gender identity and the transgender experience. Into this void, Austen Hartke offers a biblically based, educational, and affirming resource to shed light and wisdom on this modern gender landscape.Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians provides access into an underrepresented and misunderstood community and will change the way readers think about transgender people, faith, and the future of Christianity. By introducing transgender issues and language and providing stories of both biblical characters and real-life narratives from transgender Christians living today, Hartke helps readers visualize a more inclusive Christianity, equipping them with the confidence and tools to change both the church and the world.

In 2014, Time magazine announced that America had reached “the transgender tipping point,” suggesting that transgender issues would become the next civil rights frontier. Years later, many people―even many LGBTQIA+ allies―still lack understanding of gender identity and the transgender experience. Into this void, trans biblical scholar Austen Hartke brings a biblically based, educational, and affirming resource to shed light and wisdom on gender expansiveness and Christian theology. This new edition offers updated terminology and statistics, plus new materials for congregational study, preaching, and pastoral care. Transforming deftly weaves ancient and modern stories that will change the way readers think about gender, the Bible, and the faith to which Jesus calls us. Hartke helps readers visualize a more inclusive Christianity, equipping them with the language, understanding, confidence, and tools to change both the church and the world.

This resource offers a short commentary which takes into account biblical integrity and knowledge, key Lutheran interpretative lenses, and the diverse experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community. This commentary addresses eight of the so-called “clobber passages” used to exclude LGBTQIA+ people from the body of Christ, and finishes with eight Bible passages that offer inclusive and expansive understandings of the nature of God’s welcome. Our hope is that these interpretations, based in scripture, tradition, and reason, may lead to a deeper understanding of our LGBTQIA+ siblings in Christ and continued acts of reconciliation within God’s family.

- DESAFIANTE, TRANSFORMADOR, ESPERANZADOR - Un recorrido por las vidas transgénero en diálogo abierto con el texto bíblicoEn 2014, la revista Time anunció que Estados Unidos había alcanzado "el punto de inflexión transgénero", sugiriendo que esta temática se convertiría en la próxima frontera en materia de derechos civiles. Años después, muchas personas -incluso aliados LGBTQ+- todavía carecen de comprensión sobre identidad de género y experiencias transgénero. En este vació, Austen Hartke ofrece este recurso con fundamentos bíblicos, educativos y re-afirmantes de la diversidad de género, para arrojar luz y sabiduría en este contexto. La Biblia y las Vidas de lxs Cristianxs Transgénero provee acceso a una comunidad poco representada e incomprendida, y cambiará el modo en que los lectores piensan sobre las personas y fe transgénero, y el futuro del cristianismo. Al presentar temáticas y lenguaje transgénero, y proporcionar historias tanto de personajes bíblicos como narrativas de la vida real de cristianos transgénero que viven hoy en día, Hartke ayuda a los lectores a visualizar un cristianismo más inclusivo, equipándolos con la confianza y las herramientas para cambiar tanto la iglesia como el mundo.