In Known for Love, author Casey Hough sets out to give the reader biblical principles for approaching questions about sexuality and gender. In the beginning his focus is on giving an explanation and defense of the Bible’s teachings; later, he shifts to answering questions about how these teachings affect day-to-day life. While a few sections seem to be addressed to Christians wrestling with same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria, his primary audience is those who know and have a close connection to someone in the LGBTQ community.

Hough’s book centers on an important question: What is the relationship between truth and love? Hough’s answer is combining the two—speaking the truth is love, even if sometimes it is very tough love. There are places where this approach is beneficial. For instance, Hough passionately affirms the power of God at work through his Word. “I am a firm believer in the power of God’s Word, working through the Holy Spirit to set people free from sin by bringing them to faith in Christ” (p. 59). Neither is he afraid to admit that the Christian’s life will often involve suffering as we struggle against sin in a sinful world.

On the other hand, this approach leads to some problems. Hough frequently over-emphasizes Christ’s authority over the Christian’s life, without giving enough space to the love that motivates a Christian to follow God’s law. There are places where Hough becomes too prescriptive; he is willing to take a stand on difficult questions, but he does not always acknowledge the way Christian love responds to the needs of the unique individual. And, for all the time spent urging the reader to approach these situations with love, Hough dedicates very little time to envisioning how these difficult truths could be communicated in a loving way.

So, while Hough sets out to balance love and truth, his book is weighted more heavily toward the side of truth. For this reason, Known for Love may be a helpful start to the conversation but not the only resource that Christians turn to when thinking about how they can show love to LGBTQ family and friends.