Favale has been there and back again. For years she lived in and devoured the world of gender studies and secular feminism along with all of their trappings. But she has been redeemed from them and now is one of its most cogent critics. She continues to be a gender studies lecturer, of sorts, but is now committed to her Catholicism which puts her deeply at odds with her former beliefs. She is both a rigorous academic and rigorous Catholic, which makes her dangerous for the gender paradigm of her former life and against which she writes.
The fundamental argument of the book is that the current gender paradigm - which states that gender is a state of mind, a choice of the individual rather than a reality connected to the physical body - is fundamentally at odds with the paradigm of gender laid out in the opening chapters of Genesis. The Genesis paradigm invites us to see ourselves as created, made in God’s image as male and female to walk in his ways. Thus it is only when we acknowledge our createdness and our Creator that we can truly see ourselves as we truly are and embrace the reality of our humanness. In particular, the creation narrative shows us that our bodies reveal our gender. Thus there is an intimate connection between our body and our psyche. To admit this is good, as God declared about the original couple. To deny it is damaging in a legion of ways.
The strengths of this work are numerous. Let me cite only a few. First, is the autobiographical perspective of the book. Favale outlines her personal journey from a conservative Christian family, to evangelical egalitarianism, to postmodern feminism and queer theory. But somewhere along the line she was drawn back to the Christian faith. She began to see the emptiness of her thought and in her search for answers she discovered Catholicism. Her story both informs the discussion, but also an example of the way out of the vacant teaching of modern gender theory. Favale’s story offers great hope. Second, Favale offers an intelligent, clear understanding of the other point of view - hers is a critique from the inside. She knows what the other side is thinking and she knows what is at stake in the debate. No one can doubt that she has understood her opponents before she has set out to disagree with them. Third, this is an unrelenting Christian critique. Though Catholic, there is much in this work with which a Protestant would wholeheartedly agree. We would get to her conclusions in different ways, and perhaps make additional ones, but there is no doubt that Favale is committed to traditional Christian values. Fourth, it is a loving, gracious, humble, yet firm critique. Her words are honed and particular, yet are expressed in ways that demonstrate her love for the people on the other side of the issue. In particular, her chapters ‘Sex’ and ‘Gender,’ which build on her examination of Genesis 1-3 in ‘Cosmos’ and are the heart of her interaction with the gender paradigm, are both poignant and caring.
This book does, however, have a number of things that hold it back. First, she is committed to a higher-critical view of Scripture which doubts the historicity of the first couple in Genesis and all that happens in the opening chapters of Genesis. This perspective weakens an otherwise strong argument from the creation narrative. Second, as mentioned, Favale is Catholic, and a devout one at that. Her references are primarily to Catholic works, including many references to Pope John Paul’s work Theology of Body, which may be a bridge too far for many readers in the Protestant tradition. Third, she is clearly committed to sacramental theology and a strong Mariology which create arguments and perspectives that sound odd to the Protestant ear. In particular her love of Mary frames the last chapter of her book and guides her discussion of femininity at many points. For Protestants who do not hold these convictions her reasoning becomes unconvincing and problematic. A final critique builds on the title of the subtitle of the book - A Christian Theory. While the above points regarding her critique being sure and sharp are true, at points Favale hesitates to draw out the full weight of her perspective. For example, in her recitation of a conversation with a committed trans woman who also believes herself to be a devout Catholic, Favale offers the possibility that the two sides can be reconciled. If the story is recited for the purpose of furthering dialogue, it is welcome. But if she is hedging from drawing lines based on her “Christian theory” it is potentially problematic.
This book is for those who want an excellent foray into the current gender discussions. But if the Catholic perspective is too much to overcome, may I recommend a couple of excellent works from within the Protestant tradition,
God and the Transgender Debate: What Does the Bible Actually Say about Gender Identity? By Andrew Walker
Affirming God's Image: Addressing the Transgender Question with Science and Scripture by J. Alan Branch
Male and Female He Created Them: A Study on Gender, Sexuality, & Marriage by
Denny Burk, Colin Smothers, David Closson
Soli Deo Gloria
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