Featured

Gender Fluidity Conference

“Can a person choose their gender?”

“Is gender established at creation or constructed by society?”

“Is gender a binary thing or is it a spectrum?”

These are just some of the many questions increasingly faced by every one of us in Britain in 2021. Understanding the complexity of those questions and offering both theological and pastoral responses is something churches will not be able to avoid for much longer.

We need to be able to critically engage with our culture, seeking to understand what is ‘going on’ in the world we live amongst, but also to think through our theology, seeking to understand what the Bible does (and doesn’t) say about these issues.

The Theology Network invite you to join with Christian leaders from across the Midlands at a two-day conference to explore the issue of gender fluidity with the help of two experts in this field.

Downlad Conference Brochure

Guest speakers

Dr Elaine Storkey is a Christian feminist, philosopher, sociologist and theologian who has published and taught widely on gender-related issues for over thirty years as well as working extensively in broadcasting, including being a regular contributor to Radio 4’s “Thought for the Day”.

Dr Ian Paul is an ordained Church of England minister, lecturer and theologian who runs psephizo.com, one of the most widely read Christian leadership blogs in the country, in which he has repeatedly engaged in gender-related issues over many years.

Both Elaine and Ian are informed academics who are also heavily involved in the church. It’s hard to think of two better people to have help us with these questions.

Conference format

The conference will take place over two days on Friday 15th October – Saturday 16th October 2021 at Chawn Hill Church, Chawn Hill, Stourbridge, DY9 7JD.

Friday 15th October
Time: 12pm-4:30pm and 7pm-9:30pm

Friday will include teaching sessions which focus on understanding where we’ve got to in culture, how we’ve got there and the issues facing the church.

Saturday 16th October
Time: 9:30am–4pm

Saturday will include teaching sessions that focus on the biblical anthropology of gender and what we can really say about these questions from a Christian perspective.

Both days will include panel sessions with Elaine and Ian where we will delve deeper into asking and discussing key questions around the issue of gender fluidity.

Questions being explored

Gender fluidity is a huge area of study and we only have two days to look at it. Therefore, attendees will be asked to send in their questions ahead of time to ensure that we address the real issues people are currently facing. Specific questions that will be covered include:

  • Is gender something we can choose?
  • Is gender essentialised (are we, with very few exceptions, either male or female) or is it a spectrum?
  • Is gender something established in creation or something constructed by society?
  • If men and women are created different, is it just about biology and reproductive systems?
  • What are the theological and pastoral implications of transgenderism?

Who can attend?

The heart behind the conference is to serve the church by providing a safe place to explore this highly emotive issue with sensitivity and with the help of knowledgeable academic and theological experts.

The conference is open to anyone with an interest in this topic, however we strongly recommend church leaders, youth and children’s workers and church staff teams to book in and join us.

Whatever your opinion on the subject, we aim to provide a helpful and constructive environment in which to wrestle with this issue and develop well-informed and gracious responses to key questions about gender fluidity.

Book your place

Advance booking is essential and can be done online by clicking the link below:

BOOK IN HERE

In order to make the conference accessible to as many people as possible, there are multiple booking options:

  • Whole conference£40 (inc. lunch on both days)
  • Friday all day (12-4:30pm & 7-9:30pm) – £25 (inc. lunch)
  • Saturday all day (9:30-4pm) – £25 (inc. lunch)
  • Friday afternoon (12-4:30pm) – £15 (inc. lunch)
  • Friday evening (7-9:30pm) – £10

Lunch will be provided on both days and is included in the price unless otherwise specified.




Related posts

COMPASSIONATE CONVERSATIONS, a session from The Black Country Mental Health Forum’s - The Black Country Mental Health Forum, who brought us together last November for the Sanctuary Conference, are taking information on anxiety and mental health out to the boroughs of the Black Country. Compassionate Conversations – Helping The Church Tackle Anxiety is a chance for Christians to explore how we can support people living or suffering […]
Together for 2024 - This week saw the launch of our big event for the November - Together for 2024. Find out more here.
Feasts & Festivals – What’s the Point? - Together Narrative As 2023 draws to a close and the New Year almost upon us, I reflect on the past 12 months and focus on certain highlights that will remain with me for many years. One of these, for a whole variety of reasons, is undoubtedly the Together 23 Festival at Himley on July 8. […]
Snapshot – A review of a year of movement. - Snapshot 2023 – Love Black Country As we share this annual snapshot, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude to you all. Love Black Country has been part of this regional Church community for over 30 years, and it’s humbling to see the progress we’ve made together. This movement isn’t just about […]
MOVEMENT – How a regional youth gathering changed a church - Last week 200 young people gathered TOGETHER from across the Black Country to worship & pray together, this regional evening was a roaring success with young people pouring themselves out for Jesus and coming forward for prayer. The sense of the spirit was tangible. We’re sure that investing in young people will feed, grow and […]

Archives