Interdisciplinary Book Reviews

God Have Mercy:  A Look at Hays & Hay's  Perspective on LGBT Inclusion AMAZON CITE This post :  Sutton, G. W. (2025). God have mercy: a look at hays & hay’s perspective on LGBT inclusion Interdisciplinary Book Reviews. REVIEWER : Geoffrey W. Sutton Book Summary The Widening of God’s Mercy by Christopher B. Hays and Richard B. Hays (2024) is a deeply reflective and scholarly work that traces the biblical narrative of divine mercy as an ever-expanding force—one that consistently reaches beyond traditional boundaries to embrace those once excluded. Written by a father-son duo, the book is both a theological exploration and a personal journey, particularly for Richard Hays, who revisits and revises his earlier positions on sexuality and LGBT inclusion in light of a broader biblical vision. Central Thesis At its core, the book argues that the Bible presents a dynamic and evolving picture of God’s mercy—one that is not static or confined by rigid legalism, but responsiv...

Trouble with gender:  Sex facts, gender fictions   By Alex Byrne   Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton CITE REVIEW:  Sutton, G. W. (2025). Sex and gender identity: Byrne’s philosophical perspective Interdisciplinary Book Reviews. ***** Woman: the female human being (Collins Dictionary) an adult who lives and identifies as female though they may have been considered to have a different sex at birth... (Cambridge Dictionary) ***** The challenges surrounding sex and gender extend beyond conceptual debates to encompass the psychological toll experienced by individuals grappling with gender identity, particularly in the face of restrictive laws and policies that constrain personal freedoms and rights. Having completed reading Byrne’s Trouble with Gender last week, I found its arguments especially resonant in light of recent events. On Saturday, I attended a local Pridefest event that celebrated gender diversity and inclusion. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Tenn...

Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality,  Revised and Expanded Edition   Explode the Myths, Heal the Church   By Jack Rogers Review Title Christians Excluding Gays:  A Look at Rogers’ Perspective on  Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality  Reviewed by      Geoffrey W. Sutton CITE REVIEW:  Sutton, G. W. (2025). Christians excluding gays: A look at rogers’ perspective on Jesus, the bible, and homosexuality.  Interdisciplinary Book Reviews . Book Summary Jack Rogers presents a historical overview of how American Presbyterians transitioned from excluding to including gay and lesbian Christians, contextualized by broader shifts in attitudes toward slavery and women's rights. He provides an extensive background on Presbyterian perspectives regarding slavery and gender equality, demonstrating how biblical texts were historically interpreted to justify oppression—a pattern he examines in Chapter 2, Misusing the Bible to Justify Oppression. In ...