In this week’s podcast, we’re honored to learn from Austen Hartke about coming out as transgender in seminary, the work he is doing right now to help transgender and gender-expansive Christians, and some encouraging words for Christians parents of transgender youth.
You can get this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube. You can also listen or download the full podcast episode here.
In this episode, Austen talks with us about:
• Choosing an affirming vs non-affirming seminary
• Anxiety about going to a non-affirming seminary
• Advice for LGBTQ+ students wanting to attend seminary
• How Hebrew courses helped Austen understand bias in Bible translations
• What shocked Austen in his Pentateuch (Torah) classes
• Dealing with difficulties in the Bible
• Genocide and sexual violence in the Bible
• Fears of coming out as transgender in a non-affirming seminary
• Anti-transgender legislation and fears of trans youth
• Advice to trans people on self-acceptance and transitioning
• Tips for parents and guardians of transgender and gender-expansive Christians
Austen Hartke is a graduate of Luther Seminary’s Master of Arts program in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Studies, and is the winner of the 2014 John Milton Prize in Old Testament Writing. He is the author of a book entitled “Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians,” which is published by Westminster John Knox Press. He is also the founder and director of Transmission Ministry Collective — an online community dedicated to the spiritual care, faith, and leadership potential of transgender and gender-expansive Christian.
