Gender as Love - A Theological Account of Human Identity, Embodied Desire, and Our Social Worlds

A Fresh, Holistic Approach to Understanding GenderBreaking current deadlocks within gender theory and theology, this book articulates an answer to the question "What is gender?" by drawing on a theology of human love."A breath of fresh air that has the marks of a rush of the Spirit, do Vale's work clears the confusion, fear, and acrimony that has clouded around the concept of gender. Gender as Love provides erudite guidance through the theory and, even more, rich exegetical and theological resources for living justly in response to God's undeserved gifts, including the gift of gender. The joining of confidence in Christ with an epistemic humility that results in godly patience makes this author and this work a timely gift and a necessary read."--Amy Peeler, Wheaton College"Everyone knows what topics to avoid at the dinner table: religion, politics, and--wait for it--gender (the new taboo topic now that sex is 'safe'). Gender as Love is not dinner conversation; it does not shirk the difficult questions but confronts them head on, with clear-sighted reasoning and openhearted compassion. Here is biblically grounded wisdom for male and female Christian disciples intent on using their sexed bodies in ways that foster love of God and neighbor. Here is the best kind of theology: direction the church desperately needs for such a time as this."--Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School"Answering John Webster's call to engage in 'theological theology, ' do Vale adroitly clarifies how, precisely, we ought to conceive of gender from within the divine economy. Do Vale proposes that gender is a form of love directed toward various social goods in a manner that shapes the self. The result is, in a word, remarkable. This book is everything theology should aspire to be: elegant in its argumentation, accessible in its prose, brilliant in its content, and unreservedly devoted to the God of the gospel. It will remind you of why you first started writing and reading theology in the first place."--Daniel Lee Hill, George W. Truett Theological Seminary