1
“The idea of a constructed identity actually denies in an unrealistic way the importance of the sexed
body.” – Robert Cardinal Sarah, God or Nothing
Introduction and Purpose:
In his recent autobiography God or Nothing, Cardinal Sarah condemns gender theory for
denying an ontological difference between man and woman. 1 He does not, however, define the term
“gender theory” well enough and, consequently, fails to articulate what gender theory is. Gender theory
does not necessarily advocate for no difference whatsoever between man and woman; rather, gender
theory generally refers to the growing academic field of gender studies. What Cardinal Sarah should
have condemned is properly called gender ideology. An ideology, based on definitions given in the
Merriam-Webster dictionary, is an emotionally and intellectually charged set of beliefs and ideas shared
by a social group. 2 Gender ideology, therefore, for the purposes of this thesis refers to a disintegrated
image of the human person, a disparity between the human mind and the human body. In particular,
the popular understanding of gender denies a real and true connection between gender and human
nature as embodied.
Common human experience and intuition suggests that the human person is gendered. Such is
part and parcel of human nature. Yet, what is gender? Unfortunately, the term has not been adequately
defined, in part because people cannot agree on a suitable definition. Ironically, it seems to me, we
know what gender is when no one asks, much like the concept of time. Akin to the manner people speak
of time, the term, gender is commonly used and invoked, as if it were the simplest of concepts. Still,
gender is not a simple topic to define and some people deny an absolute link between the human body
and gender. For example, gender theorist Susan Stryker defines the transgender movement as “the
movement across a socially imposed boundary away from an unchosen starting place.” 3 Under this
1
Robert Cardinal Sarah, God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith with Nicolas Diat, trans. Michael J. Miller (San
Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2015), 163.
2
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ideology as both “the set of ideas and beliefs of a group or political
party” and “a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture”. It is the
pejorative connotation of these definitions that matter for the purposes of this essay.
3
Susan Stryker, Transgender History (Berkely, CA: Seal Studies, 2008), 1.