Protect or Punish? Christians Divided on Treatment of Trans People

Few issues have divided Americans more in recent years than the treatment of transgender people. Like the American public at large, religious groups are deeply divided on how far affirming trans identity should go in the years to come.

Now, people of faith are being forced to confront a difficult question: what does Christian compassion look like in an era where trans lives have become a political battleground?

"Not in Jesus' Name"

Days after Christmas, a group of pro-trans Christians gathered at the Wisconsin State Capitol in protest of violence and bigotry against the transgender community – violence that they say has been wrought in part by Christians.

The event, called "Not in Jesus’ Name," featured marches, songs, and prayers inside the Capitol Rotunda, and was an unmistakable repudiation of what they argue is unfair religious scapegoating of the trans community.

“Transgender people are under violent assault, both physical and spiritual,” stated Reverend Liz Edman. “For too long, such violence has been justified by appeals to religion. But we aim to follow Jesus, who taught us to catch stones thrown at vulnerable people, not throw them ourselves.”

“We believe that faith is something that we’re responsible to live well,” Edman continued. “And anytime you point fingers at somebody else and go after them, you have violated the terms of our covenant with God.”

Edman explained that the event was intentionally designed to align with the Feast of the Holy Innocents, which is in remembrance of King Herod’s slaughter of innocent children. “The story is a stark reminder to Christians today that faith demands courage, especially when innocent people are being preyed upon for political gain,” Edman stated.

A Fire and Brimstone Approach

You'll be shocked to learn that some religious leaders feel differently.

Just a month prior, Pastor Jim Burgen of Flatirons Community Church – a megachurch based out of Colorado – delivered a sermon on trans people which could not be less similar. 

“Our children are being hunted and consumed by predators and pedophiles,” he preached, alleging that the LGBTQ+ community is grooming minors. “Our children are being in surgery to alter their bodies, to align with their misguided feelings in biology. And boys are unfairly competing against our daughters.”

Burgen explained that his church is trying to get several items on upcoming ballots for Colorado voters to decide on, including "[stopping] irreversible sexual surgery on minors” and “[keeping] girls’ and boys’ sports biologically fair.”

Any Christians who do not take up with his cause, he says, are “a traitor to your first allegiance, Jesus”, and that having beliefs contrary to his is “equivalent of mutiny and deserting your post.”

Related: What Does the Bible Say About Trans People?

A Spirited Debate

Same faith, different pastors, wildly opposing beliefs. For Christians watching these debates unfold, the divide is impossible to ignore.

One side frames trans affirmation as a moral imperative rooted in the gospel’s concern for the vulnerable and helpless. The other casts it as a threat demanding spiritual resistance everywhere from the ballot box to the bathroom. 

Indeed, conversations about trans representation in media, locker room policies, and gender-affirming care for trans children dominated headlines throughout 2025.

What were once niche policy debates have become cultural flashpoints, with culture war battles raging everywhere from courtrooms, to state legislatures, to local school boards. And, of course, the original "third place" in American life: churches. 

What do you think Christian faith demands at this moment, and where should the line be drawn?