BRI Ethics Committee Releases
Statements on Transgenderism
October 2014
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In
recent months the Ethics Committee of the Biblical Research Institute has
received a number of inquiries about the pertinent topic of transgenderism. As
transgender persons accept Jesus and join the Seventh-day Adventist church,
some crucial questions emerge, two of which are addressed in the statements
below. The first deals with whether a transgender person should get married.
The second addresses how the Church and its members may relate to sex-change
surgery. After close reflection and study of the Bible, the committee formulated
two positions to help the Church deal with these issues in a biblical way.
Marriage of Persons who have Experienced Sex-Change Surgery a Current Position
The
question of whether marriage should be considered by transgender people who
have experienced sexchange surgery[1] or whether it should be discouraged by the
Adventist Church is a delicate question.[2]
Oftentimes the affected persons have suffered
emotionally and spiritually because of their feelings of gender incongruity and
rejection by others. So they need all our love and respect. However, if
marriage of transgender persons is being considered, a few considerations are
in order.
(1)
The Bible teaches clearly that according to God’s plan and design only one male
and one female can be joined together in marriage. In strongest terms Jesus
upheld heterosexual marriage and ruled out polygamy as well as homosexual
relations. These biblical norms are binding for humanity at all times and under
all circumstances. Therefore, they need to be adhered to when pondering
marriage of transgender people.
(2)
The Biblical Research Institute Ethics Committee currently works with the assumption
that a male to female surgically-changed transgender person should be
considered female and a female to male surgically-changed transgender person
male, even though the new state is not perfect as constant dependence on
hormone therapy indicates. If a transgender person has not had a sex-change
surgery, the committee would consider that person to be male or female
according to his/her biological sex, even if that person has adopted a first
name associated with the sex opposite of his/her biological sex.
(3)
This would mean that a marriage between a non-transgender male and a
transgender male or between a nontransgender female and a transgender female
would be understood as a homosexual relationship,[3] prohibited by Scripture.
(4)
A transgender person may be attracted to the same sex but may dislike sexual
relations, for instance, as a male with another male and therefore may seek
sex-change surgery, which would open the way to have sex with a male now as a
female. Such behavior appears to be a sophisticated form of homosexual behavior
that would also militate against the biblical perspective of homosexuality.
(5)
Regarding the question of whether a surgically-changed transgender person
should attempt to reverse the prior surgery, we do not expect persons who have
undergone sex-change surgery to attempt to revert to their former state, because
presently sex-change surgery is irreversible. Under this assumption it would
theoretically be possible for a transgender female to marry a male and a
transgender male a female, unless the sexchange surgery was undertaken for
homosexual desires. Yet even if marriage would be potentially possible, we
believe that transgender persons who have had a sex-change surgery should
abstain from seeking it.
(6) A marriage between a transgender person
and a non-transgender person can be a tremendous challenge, especially if total
transparency is lacking. The non-transgender partner would need to know that
the future spouse originally had the same biological sex that the other partner
still has. Some partners might be able to live with such a situation, while
others may find it challenging or impossible to live in a marriage relationship
with a transgender person. In addition, the issues of sexual relations and
having children would need to be raised between the partners that want to
marry. For instance, a male to female transgender person cannot bear children naturally.
(7)
Even if both partners were transgender persons, reasons for getting married,
issues of sexuality, having children, forming a family, etc. would militate
against such a marriage.
(8)
As much as heterosexual marriage of non-transgender partners is a blessing, it
also means work and adjustment of the partners to each other. This does not end
after an initial period of a few months or even several years but continues for
as long as a marriage exists. Today some heterosexual marriages are ending in
divorce even after thirty or forty years because the spouses can no longer
stand each other’s diosyncrasies and standard behavioral attitudes. If this is
true for marriages that are entered into by persons who have not had their gender
identities compromised in any way, it is an even greater challenge for persons
who come into a marriage relationship with strong psychological burdens as a
consequence of feeling trapped in the body of the other sex. Marriage is not a
way to bring psychological healing to individuals struggling with gender
identity issues.
For
these reasons we strongly caution transgender people against a transgender
getting married. However, even if the Church would not approve of a couple’s
choice to marry, the local pastor should still minister to those entrusted to
his care.
Sex-Change Surgery: A Current
Position[4]
The
rise of transgender issues to social prominence raises important questions for
the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In particular, the question of sex-change
surgery (also called sex reassignment surgery) challenges the Church with
sensitive questions. Although the transgender question is important, the scope
of this document is limited to providing some guidance regarding sex-change
surgery. We acknowledge that questions related to sex-change surgery are not
merely clinical, but involve human beings who are experiencing deep emotional distress
as they try to grapple with their personal gender identity. These people need
our love, prayers, support, and guidance.
There
are two areas of questions for believers in reference to sex-change surgery.
The first is whether those who are already members of the church but experience
gender identity tensions should have sex-change surgery. The second regards
those who first have had sex-change surgery and then come to Christ and the
Church.
Believers and Sex-Change
Surgery
Gender
identification usually aligns with one’s birth sex. Sometimes, however,
genetic, chromosomal, hormonal, and intrauterine influences may result in
ambiguity of anatomical sexual differentiation. In these situations anatomical
development of genitalia can result in a spectrum of disorders spanning the
gamut from definitely female to overtly male. Those born with ambiguous
genitalia may well benefit from corrective surgical treatment.
There
is another group of persons whose anatomical gender identity is clearly male or
female but who identify with the opposite gender of their biological sex. Such
individuals sometimes request surgical intervention to change their genitalia
into that approximating the opposite sex. They are the focus of the following
considerations.
(1)
While the struggles and challenges of those identifying as transgender have
some elements in common with the struggles of all human beings, we recognize
the uniqueness of their existential situation and the limitation of our
knowledge in such issues.
(2)
As Christians we look to the Word of God for guidance. First, from a biblical
perspective the human being is a psychosomatic unity. This means that sexual
identity cannot be entirely independent from one’s body as is frequently
asserted. In fact, in Scripture, our gender identity is, to a significant
extent, determined by our birth sex with God being the author of gender
identity (Gen 1:27; 5:1, 2; Mark 10:6; Ps 139:13, 14). Second, the Bible
reminds us that each person with his/her mind and psyche is part of the
creation that is corrupted by sin (Rom 3:9; 7:17; 8:20–23; Jer 17:9; Gal 5:17)
and needs to be renewed by God (Rom 12:2). Our emotions, feelings, and
perceptions are not fully reliable indicators of God’s designs, ideals, and
truth (Prov 14:12; 16:25). We need guidance from God, through Scripture, to
determine what is in our best interest (2 Tim 3:16).
(3)
A human is meant to be an undivided sexual entity. The claim that some
individuals experience a psychological sexual identity incompatible with their
biological sex reveals a serious type of psychological dichotomy. Such
psychological disturbance or brokenness is an expression of the damaging
effects of sin on humans. It remains unclear, however, if this disturbance or
brokenness can be overcome through sex-change surgery. Such treatment may
disturb the patient even more.
(4)
So far, sex-change surgeries are irreversible. Persons undergoing these
procedures have to use hormones for the rest of their lives, which indicates
that an integrated sexual identity is not achieved through surgery. Surgery does
not solve the problem completely. What aggravates the situation is that while
surgery is irreversible, people may change psychologically as they grow and
mature, seeking again a new identity.
(5)
In some cases, sex-change surgery may be motivated by a sophisticated desire
for homosexual activity. Undergoing sex-change surgery in order to satisfy the
homosexual urge to have sex with a person of the same sex would violate the
ethical and moral biblical principle of sexual activity being limited to
heterosexual marriage.
(6)
The Scriptures call humans to manage their emotions and passions by bringing
them under the lordship of Christ (Gal 5:24; Jas 4:7). Sexual drives and
identities are not to be satisfied on the grounds that, since they are
considered to be normal or natural, we should let nature run its course. Sin
and evil have corrupted human nature, including gender identity and sexuality.
While self-discipline is indispensable in bringing both into harmony with
biblical values and principles, God has promised the Holy Spirit to help us
face our sinful impulses and our attraction to sin.
(7)
Since surgery does not solve the situation, a person is more likely to find wholeness
and healing by learning to live with his or her sexual condition of a real or
perceived dichotomy in sexual identity while leaning on the Lord for constant
help.
For
these reasons the BRI Ethics Committee strongly cautions against such a radical
and irreversible procedure and urges pastors and church members to demonstrate
care and regard toward those who struggle with this challenging issue. Should
individuals seek to use sex-change surgery as a way of circumventing biblical
principles addressing human sexuality and the proper way to satisfy such
desires, they would be acting against God’s revealed will. The Church must
remain loyal to its commitment to the will of the risen Lord as revealed in the
Scriptures and therefore display love for all.
New Converts with
Pre-Conversion Sex-Change Surgery
The
situation becomes even more complex in the case of persons who underwent
sex-change surgery before coming to know Jesus as their personal Savior and
Lord. How should the Church deal with them when they ask to become members of
the community of believers? To answer this crucial question we make the
following recommendations:
(1)
That we treat these persons with love and respect, demonstrating our serious
interest in their wellbeing. Those involved in the conversation should do their
utmost to avoid aggravating the new converts’ emotional condition. Adding pain
to persons who have been hurting most of their lives is not an expression of
Christian love.
(2)
That we recognize that God called them to salvation in the state in which they
were found by Him, lacking wholeness, and that they accepted the call to
salvation.
(3)
That we do not coerce these persons to reverse their surgery. It could be
argued that although the Lord finds us in a state of fragmentation, He wants to
transform and restore us, and that, therefore, new believers should begin a
process of medical reversal that will take them back as close as possible to
their pre-surgery physical condition. Such an attempt would create significant
problems because complete surgical reversal remains impossible, and even a
partial reversal may seriously endanger the health of the persons involved.
(4)
That we do not deny church membership to persons who have undergone sex-change
surgery but are committed to the Lord and His will. The only thing that we can
biblically require is what the Bible requires from all of us: to allow the
Spirit of the Lord to bring inner healing to us and to live a life of moral and
sexual purity while looking forward to the moment when the Lord will restore
wholeness to all of us.[5]
The
irreversible nature of sex-change surgery, the fact that the Lord touches the
hearts of transgender persons and accepts them as His children, as well as the
recognition that all of our bodies have not yet been redeemed (Rom 8:23), makes
us very cautious when interacting with them. Our respect and care for these
persons follows Christ’s example of serving others while being fully committed
to God and His revealed will.
Fuente: https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/sites/default/files/BRI%20newsltr%20%201-15%20%28%2349%29.pdf
[1]Other designations are sex reassignment surgery, gender reassignment
surgery, sex affirmation surgery, gender confirmation surgery, or sex
realignment surgery.
[2]For the question of whether the BRI Ethics Committee would recommend
or discourage sex change, see the statement on sexchange surgery.
[3]See the two official statements of the Adventist Church on
homosexuality: http://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/0/homosexuality/vitality/service/
and http://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/0/same-sex-unions/beliefs/en/.
[4]The BRI Ethics Committee is indebted to Ángel M. Rodríguez on whose
work this statement is based, e.g.,
https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/sites/default/files/pdf/sex-change%20surgery.pdf.
[5]For a discussion of the issue of transgender and marriage, see the
related BRI Ethics Committee’s opinion.
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