New Testament scholar NT Wright responded to a fancy query about transgender identity and Christian faith during a recent episode of his “Ask N.T. Wright Anything” podcast.
The episode, co-hosted by fellow theologian Michael F. Bird, featured a female listener who identifies as a person and described herself as a “lover of Christ.” The listener had undergone an elective hysterectomy and lived as a person for a decade.
“I got here to Christ after having passed through all of the hormone surgery and living as a person for 10 years,” the listener explained. “Often after I hear individuals who were transgender then became a Christian, it’s a story of them de-transitioning to be their natural born gender.”
She added that such narratives often feature individuals “originally steps of their transition and may easily, so to talk, revert back,” asking, “What would the Bible need to say about someone in my case?”
Despite having no desire to de-transition, the listener expressed concern that her current way of life may be sinful.
Bird acknowledged the complexity of the subject, noting, “Biology could be very complex. Plenty of things can go incorrect with our biology. Things also can go incorrect with our psychology. And the link between them may also be very, very complicated.”
Wright added, “That whole discourse could be very recent,” referring to modern ideas around gender identity. “We need to remind ourselves that this is just not something for which the older manuals of theology, ethics, et cetera would have prepared us.”
The 76-year-old noted that current conversations often emphasize internal feelings over biological realities, explaining, “People have gotten used to considering when it comes to, ‘Never mind what my body is or how I used to be physically born, what matters is who I feel deeply inside myself I actually am.’”
Wright clarified that while he has served as a pastor in lots of complicated situations, he has not personally counseled someone wrestling with gender identity.
“So what I’m going to say is cautious and really much aware that there are enormous sensitivities around this issue,” he said.
The Surprised by Hope writer also warned against the politicization of such matters. “There are people who find themselves capitalizing on the discomfort of some people with the intention to make, because it were, political points — and a few who would say that each one gender is entirely fluid and you’ll be able to make up … who you must be and the way you must behave.”
In addressing the biological aspect, Wright pointed to the excellence between chromosomes and identity: “Females quite clearly have XX chromosomes; males have XY chromosomes. So I’m assuming that our correspondent still simply has XX and hasn’t someway, through hormone treatment, acquired a Y chromosome. I could also be incorrect, but I don’t think that’s an option.”
“I’m not a scientist,” he said. “I don’t understand the biology, nor how the hormones work.”
Nonetheless, Wright returned to a theological perspective grounded in grace. “Again and again, I need to say, as with Jesus within the Gospels, God meets us where we’re and loves us as we’re. That’s absolutely vital.”
“Grace enfolds us within the love of God,” he said. “Then after we are enfolded and know that God is with us, then God will probably want to say to us, perhaps through a clever pastor, through our own voice of conscience or in prayer or whatever, now, there are particular ways forward that you just now have to travel.”
The theologian emphasized that this process is just not about condemnation, stressing, “It’s to not say, ‘Oh, you’re wicked. Oh, you’re a sinner. You shouldn’t be doing this, that, or the opposite.”
“It’s to say, ‘Well, where we at the moment are is sort of complicated, and let’s see how we will move forward step-by-step knowing that the God of grace and love is with you.’”
Wright cautioned that saying “God is with you” doesn’t mean affirming all past selections uncritically. “This is just not an ‘anything goes’ query,” he said. “God wants you to be a real, fully flourishing human being.”
When asked whether God can love and accept someone on this condition, Wright responded, “I need to say absolutely yes. That’s basic to the Gospel and all that it’s about.”
He referenced the story of Zacchaeus within the New Testament, whose life was transformed after an encounter with Jesus. “Sometimes, that transformation could be very slow and really subtle. Sometimes, it’s quite vivid and instantaneous,” Wright said.
He also emphasized the importance of finding “pastoral help available, clever, discerning, prayerful pastoral help” to navigate the way in which forward.
“It won’t be easy,” he acknowledged, “but I do imagine that there can be a way forward … so go along with it. Go along with your pastor. Go with the love of God surrounding you in Jesus and the Holy Spirit respiratory in and thru you in all that lies ahead.”
A recent episode of The Christian Post podcast “Generation Indoctrination” delved into the harrowing experiences of people who’ve undergone body-deforming trans procedures, only to regret their decisions and pursue detransitioning. It also highlighted the crucial role the Church plays in helping those scuffling with gender dysphoria.
One young man, Forrest Smith, revealed how, on the age of 20, he was prescribed cross-sex hormones and, over the following five years, underwent a series of irreversible body-mutilating surgeries, including breast implants and a double orchiectomy, which left him permanently sterilized.
Smith reflected on the initial diagnosis of gender dysphoria at a gender clinic, highlighting the swift medicalization of his identity without addressing underlying issues comparable to pornography addiction and an absence of male guidance in his life.
“I might say, I used to be type of pushed and pulled into the medicalization before I hadn’t nailed down the identity,” he said.
Smith also weighed in on the hurt he endured from the progressive church he attended that twisted Jesus’ words to affirm his gender dysphoria.
“I still cope with interactions with that former community, and I can tell that I’m judged; I feel pretty shunned. I’ve had visits from the community previously where they make strange little comments where they’re attempting to correct me,” he said.
Despite the severity of his ordeal, Smith found solace and direction through the guidance of a Pentecostal pastor whose approach to healing was rooted in non-judgmental support and spiritual reflection.
“I used to be really in a spot where I desired to turn around,” he said, highlighting the importance of repentance and the pastor’s ability to guide without casting judgment.
 New Testament scholar NT Wright responded to a fancy query about transgender identity and Christian faith during a recent episode of his “Ask...){kind=link}