Opposing viewpoints and Christian dialogue: A lecture on sex and gender

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, Hope College hosted attorney John Bursch and Dr. Megan DeFranza for a civil discussion about sex and gender. The Saint Benedict Institute (SBI) co-sponsored the event along with the Provost’s Office, the Dean for Arts & Humanities, the Pre-Law Society and the Department of Philosophy. During the introduction, Dr. Jared Ortiz, a religion professor at Hope and the moderator of the event, stated that “questions around sex and gender are some of the most contentious today.” He pointed out that these are fundamental questions that “touch on what it means to be human” and
“who God is.”

The purpose of the event was to demonstrate respectful dialogue between Christians with different opinions on issues related to the Bible’s teachings on sex and gender, intersex people, transgenderism and more regarding gender identity. Bursch is the author of the recently published book “Loving God’s Children: The Church and Gender Ideology,” while Dr. Megan DeFranza is the author of “Sex Difference in Christian Theology: Male, Female, and Intersex in the Image of God” and the director of a documentary titled “Stories of Intersex and Faith.”

The speakers held different perspectives, including interpretations of Genesis and how this impacts intersex people. Defending the view of sex as a spectrum, Dr. DeFranza pointed out that “Genesis is meant to teach us about the relationship between God and creation—it is not an inventory of all that is good.” While affirming this point, Bursch emphasized the differences between men and women, stating that, “our body is not just a construct; our bodies and souls are inextricably linked.”

While diverging in ideology, there were points of convergence between the speakers. Both DeFranza and Bursch expressed that more caution is needed in regard to gender reassignment surgeries for children. DeFranza stated that “Our society is toxic; it just is. There’s so much in our society that makes raising children difficult.”

Both agreed that conforming to Christ’s image is more important than conforming to gender ideals. The night ended with students submitting questions for the guest speakers, providing an intentional space for further discussion and discovery. Overall, the conversation successfully demonstrated how to civilly engage with opposing ideas—a skill that is urgently needed in today’s society.

(Featured image source: Nico Kazlauskas)