A Review of the Book "God, Gospel, and Gender" by Margie Baker

Title: God, Gospel, and Gender: A Queer Bible Study for Teens

Author: Margie Baker

Publisher: Church Publishing

Year: 2024

186 pages

From the Back: In this bible study, Episcopal priest and teacher Margie Baker shows teens how the bible affirms and supports all of God's beloved children. Beginning with an exploration of what it means to be made in God's image and the ways that God is represented with a variety of male and female images and concluding with an examination of how love for all our siblings in central to God's relationship with humanity, the study shows a thread of inclusion that runs through the bible.

Personal Thoughts: While this book is geared towards teenagers, the information within it is certainly important for all ages to learn about. One of the biggest anti-queer arguments is that God created only two genders and that anyone who tries to live otherwise is an abomination against God. Taking the time to explore scripture and to truly understand what it means to live as created in God's image, to know that we are all wonderfully created as a child of God, could change everything about how we are living in this world.

    God, Gospel, and Gender was recommended to me and now I recommend it to you. Read it alone or as part of a group in conversation. My colleague and I plan on making this our 2025 winter book study.

    Fear of the unknown is often a lack of knowledge and understanding, so here's your chance to start building your knowledge about the queer community. And for queer youth looking for validation and acceptance in scripture, this is also the book for you. It's easy to read, easy to understand, and will encourage you to rethink some of the assumptions you may have had about scripture (or maybe reinforce what you've already been thinking!)