My Top 10 LGBT & Christian Books of 2025
There were a couple of unlikely candidates who made the list, and plenty more that didn’t. Here are my top LGBTQ Christian books of 2025, counting down to my favorite:
Honorable Mention: Galileo’s Middle Finger by Alice Dreger
Dreger is a passionate advocate for intersex rights (and by extension, for trans rights as well) who isn’t afraid to critique the internal politics and messiness of the trans rights movement. The book is a bit of a slog due to the detailed case studies and backstory, but it’s worth reading to better understand the real-world complexities and narratives that shape our discourse today.
10. The Genesis of Gender by Abigail Favale
Favale was a very progressive gender studies professor before converting to Catholicism and adopting a deeply conservative approach to gender and embodiment. This book lays out her theological and philosophical framework with both conviction and rigor. It’s not an easy read, but it’s thought-provoking. Especially for those wanting to understand how someone can journey from progressive to traditionalist.
9. Love Kindness, Barry Corey
There’s a certain irony in this book making the list. Corey’s premise is that Christians should disagree with kindness – and his insights here are worth the cost of the book. He has an interesting chapter on LGBTQ questions, and he coins the term ‘Third Way’ when talking about how we can disagree and still be Christians. The real irony is that as President of Biola, he has actively discouraged any Third Way approach around LGBTQ issues on campus, including banning Biola’s support group for LGBTQ/SSA students at the end of 2025.
8. Four (and a half) Dialogues on Homosexuality and the Bible, Donald Zeyl
Zeyl is an Emeritus Professor of philosophy at University of Rhode Island and got tired of reading theologians of any slant who pretended that LGBTQ questions were not open for real conversation. His book follows four imagined college students exploring the issues from four different perspectives. There is lively dialogue about the strengths and weaknesses of each. It’s solid read and a nice summary (and holds a few keen insights, particularly for what L.R. Holben would call the accommodationist perspective).
7. When Children Come Out: A Guide for Parents, Mark Yarhouse
As a rule, I think we should all read everything Mark Yarhouse writes. He’s a research psychologist at Wheaton College, so he’s not affirming personally. His research does not align with either theological perspective – it’s just good information. And he gives wise counsel that is appropriate for Christians across the spectrum. This book was not as excellent as some of his others, but it’s practical and a good resource for parents.
6. Do You Still Talk to Grandma, Brit Baron
Baron is gay herself, affirming and a pastor. Her book is largely written to progressive evangelicals inviting them not to cut off their more conservative family and friends. It’s funny (she’s a stand up comic, after all) and insightful, and a good read regardless of your theology. It’s the relational companion to the theologically oriented Christlike Acceptance Across Deep Difference (#1 on my list).
5. An Impossible Marriage, Matt and Laurie Krieg
Matt and Laurie went into marriage with eyes wide open, fully aware that she is same-sex attracted. Often raw, they tell the story of their deep romantic divides and huge emotional swings. It felt like some of the theology was forced, and at times you end up wondering if they are really going to make it. It’s not the best written, but it is an important perspective and thus it’s this high on my list.
4. Love Makes Room, Staci Frenes
Staci recounts her journey as a conservative evangelical mom in fulltime ministry who had to face the reckoning of her teenage daughter coming out as a lesbian. It’s heartfelt and helpful, and a quick read.
3. Better Ways to Read the Bible, Zach Lambert
This book is not explicitly about LGBTQ issues. It’s about how we read the bible. While Lambert touches on LGBTQ issues, he unpacks the unhealthy ways his hyper conservative Baptist upbringing taught him about how to read the bible. At Small Church Big Table, we often find that the biggest roadblocks on the way to healthy conversations in churches about LGBTQ questions come from some of the very issues he addresses.
2. The Limits of My World, Gregory Coles
Greg Coles is a young, celibate, gay Christian who is stunningly thoughtful and insightful. His other books are a must-read as well. This book is odd to be on the list because it’s science fiction – which made it all the more fun to read. He explores gender identity and love in subtle and insightful ways that will expand your mind and humble your heart.
1. Christlike Acceptance Across Deep Difference, Ron Pierce and Karen Keen, eds.
This was by far my favorite book in 2025 about the theology around LGBTQ questions. It has 18 contributing authors, 9 of whom are affirming and 9 of whom are not – and they write winsomely about each other and the issues at hand. Ron Pierce (Professor Emeritus at Biola) wrote the opening chapter, and it should be required reading for every pastor and elder who wants to enter into these discussions. The book maintains that Jesus-loving, scripture-obeying Christians can and do differ around questions like the morality of same-sex marriage. A fantastic read.
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