Gender diversity and transgenderism are new ideas to many people living in our complicated, modern world. With topic such as gender-neutral bathrooms and locker rooms, transgender athletics, name changes, and sex change operations, the issues surrounding gender are not short of controversy. Moreover, there are people living around us who identify as a different gender than their birth anatomy and/or gender expression. There are even those who propose that their gender is fluid and will constantly change. Clearly these are rough waters for a Christian to navigate when we read in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (ESV). Federal and State laws are now offering policies and support for transgendered individuals, and it is becoming increasingly clear that these policies are not going away. So how do we navigate the complexities of gender identity through a lens of the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ? How do we show love and care for those who do not conform to a traditional “binary” experience of gender? These questions and more will be addressed and answered at our next Gospel& Project conference: The Gospel& Gender.
We are excited to have Dr. Mark Yarhouse with us this year to help us understand and apply God’s Word to these complicated situations.
About our Speaker:
Mark A. Yarhouse, Psy.D., is the Rosemarie S. Hughes Endowed Chair and Professor of Psychology at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he is a core faculty member in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Yarhouse has spent several years promoting dialogue between people who view the topic of sexual identity differently. In 2000 he chaired a groundbreaking symposium at the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) annual convention that brought together gay psychologists and Christian psychologists to discuss common ground in treatment options for those who experience sexual and religious identity conflicts. Dr. Yarhouse was named Senior Fellow with the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities to conduct a study of students navigating sexual identity concerns at Christian colleges. He has been a consultant to the National Institute of Corrections to address issues facing LGBT+ persons in corrections, and he was part of a consensus panel from the APA on sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts that convened to provide input to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in Washington, DC. Dr. Yarhouse is currently the Chair of the task force on LGBT+ issues for Division 36 (Psychology of Religion and Spirituality) of the APA. He was invited to write the featured white paper on sexual identity for the Christ on Campus Initiative edited by Don A. Carson for The Gospel Coalition. Dr. Yarhouse has published over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and is author of several books, including Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture.
You can pick up Dr. Yarhouse’s book at amazon.com.