Local Church Sports Outreach Ministry - Gender Issues #3 - Definitions

Local Church Sports Ministry and Gender Issues

The blogs in this series are excerpts from Dr. Linville’s yet to be released book.  They explore the realities occurring in local church Sports Outreach Ministries in relationship to an evolving culture and shifting trends within sport, The Church and society in general. This blogs establishes definitions and points needing consideration of the general topic of Gender in relationship to Local Church Sports Outreach.

GENDER ISSUES DEFINITIONS

Gender issues include, but are not restricted to, what it means to be engendered, heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderism etc.

Gender: Dictionaries define “gender” as “the state of being male or female” as used in social or cultural references.

Sex: Dictionaries define “sex,” to describe the biological side of the topic as “male, female or neuter” in relationship to people and language.

Engender: The fundamental definition is “to cause to come into existence.”  Biblically it is often used in reference to “begetting,” meaning to be the parent or progenitor of someone.  Theologically to be “engendered” has to do with God creating human beings in His image… “male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1.27)

Heterosexual: “A person attracted to someone of the opposite sex” (gender)

Homosexual: “A person attracted to someone of one’s own sex” (gender)

Bisexual: “A person attracted to both men and women”

Asexual: “A person who has no sexual feelings or desires”

Transgender: “A person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to their sex (gender) at birth”

Hermaphrodite: “A person having both male and female sex organs or other sexual characteristics”

Gay: The term is usually associated with male homosexuality

Lesbian: The term is usually associated with female homosexuality

GENDER ISSUES DISCUSSION POINTS

This series of blogs will discuss the issues of gender in relationship to Local Church Sports Outreach Ministries.  It will discuss four basic areas: a) The Biblical texts; b) The Theological Truths; c) The arguments concerning homosexuality and transgenderism; and d) The pragmatic issues encountered by Local Church Sports Ministers.

Next week’s blog will begin to explore the Biblical Texts relating to homosexuality.

This blog is an excerpt from Dr. Linville's book Christmanship and a yet to be released book.  All rights reserved.  For any reproduction right, including copying, computer reproduction, etc. contact:

Dr. Greg Linville at CSRM International C/O The World Outreach Center 5350 Broadmoor Circle N. w. Canton, Ohio – USA 44709 or glinville@csrm.org

Other blogs and articles on Local Church Sports, sports theology and ethics written by Dr. Greg Linville are archived at: www.csrm.org

A Plea For Grace

This set of blogs discusses the most socially charged issue of the current day.  The author is attempting to seek truth, provide both questions and answers to further the discussion, engage in civil discourse and most importantly provide a haven for love and grace.  I encourage all readers to: “know your mind, but not have your mind made up.”  As Martin Luther stated, I believe we should be open to being persuaded by Holy Scripture and evident reason (logic).  I start by asking for grace when I don’t use the right term to describe something or someone, and I plead for forgiveness when I offend someone due to my own fallen nature which may lead to unintentional insensitivity, ignorance or callousness.  My intent is not to hurt or injure anyone, but rather, it is to seek Christ’s will for all of us who are attempting to follow Jesus as we travel this path together.