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Transfaith: an Exploration of Gender in the Church from the Margins

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Transfaith: an Exploration of Gender in the Church from the Margins TRANSFAITH: AN EXPLORATION OF GENDER IN THE CHURCH FROM THE MARGINS. BY CHRISTOPHER DOWD A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF CONTEXTUAL THEOLOGY (ThD- ATS QUEENS) College of ARTS AND LAW University of Birmingham AUGUST 2014 0 Page University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Synopsis This thesis uses Indigenous Knowledge and Feminist Participatory Research methodologies to investigate the faith lives of 13 transfolk. This thesis contains the following elements: A literature review contained in Chapter 2. This concludes there are two different conversations in the UK about transfolk. The first is a response to a perceived threat to marriage and binary gender while second is the search for meaning, identity and pastoral care. A methodological statement contained in Chapter 3 describing how the 13 interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed using Nvivo 10 software. A discussion of the results contained in Chapter 4. This concludes the lives of transfolk show the search for identity, integrity and meaning can be painful but that it also has the potential to be spiritually transformative. A set of research-based insights that can help inform pastoral care for transfolk and those affected by their gender dysphoria in Chapter 5. In Chapter 6, this thesis concludes that the Church has problematized transfolk as a threat to heteronormative marriage and a literal interpretation of Genesis 1:27. By doing this, the Church has created a distorted intellectual atmosphere where it rejects both the lived experience of transfolk and expert opinion in favour of a predetermined negative stance on transfolk. By doing this the Church misses out on a rich source for theological reflection and denies transfolk and those affected by their gender dysphoria their rightful place as part of the Body of Christ. 2 Page Dedication To my beloved Will, whose loving support made this work possible. With thanks to Sal Bateman, Rev Dr Christina Beardsley, Jenny-Anne Christine Bishop, Rev Kieran Bourne, Rev Dr John Bradbury, Phyllis Grimm, Rev Dr Jenni Hurd, Dr Nick Jones, John Kivett, Frin Lewis-Smith, Rev Max Reay, Mona Shabaz, Dr James Shearer , Dr Nicola Slee, Alison Smith, Rev Dr Janet Tollington, Cambridge University Writing Group and The Sibyls. And to the unnamed prophets who trusted me with their stories. I hope I have done them justice. 3 Page Contents General definitions used in this thesis .................................................. 15 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. ................................................................ 20 The problem explained. ............................................................................ 20 Evolution of the research. ........................................................................ 22 Initial assumptions and aims of the research project. ..................... 22 The broadening agenda of the research. ........................................ 23 The researcher. ........................................................................................ 25 Brief biography of the researcher. .................................................. 25 Researcher motives for research..................................................... 26 The beneficiaries of this research. ............................................................ 28 The originality of this thesis. ..................................................................... 31 Constraints and limitations. ...................................................................... 33 Dissertation objectives. ............................................................................ 35 4 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. ......................................................... 36 Page Introduction. ............................................................................................ 36 Source Literature ...................................................................................... 40 Introduction .................................................................................... 40 O’Donovan-Transsexualism and Christian marriage. ................................ 43 Main arguments ............................................................................. 43 Use of Sources ................................................................................ 46 Scripture ......................................................................................... 47 Contribution ................................................................................... 48 Horton-A Christian Response to the Cross Dresser and Transsexual. ........ 50 Main arguments ............................................................................. 50 Sources ........................................................................................... 53 Use of Scripture .............................................................................. 53 Contribution ................................................................................... 54 Kolakowski- Towards a Christian ethical response to transsexual persons. ................................................................................................................. 56 Main arguments ............................................................................. 56 Sources ........................................................................................... 56 5 Page Use of Scripture .............................................................................. 58 Contribution ................................................................................... 59 Holder- Crucible articles on transsexuality. .............................................. 60 Main arguments ............................................................................. 60 Sources ........................................................................................... 63 Scripture ......................................................................................... 64 Contribution. .................................................................................. 65 Watts- Transsexualism and the Church. .................................................... 66 Main arguments ............................................................................. 66 Sources ........................................................................................... 68 Use of Scripture .............................................................................. 70 Contribution ................................................................................... 71 Parakaleo Ministries. ................................................................................ 72 Main Arguments ............................................................................. 72 Use of Sources ................................................................................ 73 Use of Scripture .............................................................................. 74 Contribution ................................................................................... 74 6 Page In summary. ............................................................................................. 75 Denominational Responses. ..................................................................... 77 Evangelical Alliance – Transsexuality. ....................................................... 81 Understanding of transsexuality in the report. ............................... 81 Use of Sources ................................................................................ 83 Use of Scripture .............................................................................. 87 Impact on Church practice .............................................................. 87 Trans Reactions to the report ......................................................... 89 Other reactions ............................................................................... 91 The Anglican Church: Issues in Human Sexuality, Some Issues in Human Sexuality: A Guide to the Debate and Bishops Working Group on Human Sexuality(the Pilling Report). .................................................................... 92 Some Issues in Human Sexuality: A Guide to the Debate. .............. 94 Understanding of transsexuality ..................................................... 94 Sources ........................................................................................... 98 Scripture ....................................................................................... 102 Advice on church practice ............................................................. 102 7 Page Reactions by transfolk .................................................................. 104 Summary. ............................................................................................... 105 Transfolk speaking for themselves. .......................................................
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