Press & Media

Dr. Kao’s book, My Body, Their Baby: A Progressive Christian Vision for Surrogacy, was published on Aug 15, 2023. She invites you to scroll below to read excerpts from recent reviews.

Recent Praise for My Body, Their Baby

“Will be well received by many Christians”

“While this is a scholarly book…I did find it to be relatively accessible. That is, although I read the book from the perspective of a nonexpert in the field, I could generally follow the arguments Kao was making….[T]hat is due to Kao’s skill as a writer, but it is also due to the very personal nature of the issue at hand….We encounter discussions of theology, the Bible, and science, as well as her own story (autobiography). It’s that use of a personal story that keeps the reader connected to the discussion.”

 

 Word & Way

“Will generate lively discussion”

“This is a scholarly work that will generate lively discussion in a seminary or even an adult ed class….It’s sufficiently accessible to guide church leaders who work in reproductive justice or who hunger for progressive Christian approaches to ethics and theology. And it’s practical.”

 

 Presbyterian Outlook

“Inspired in Part by a Plotline from ‘Friends'”

“The book is both personal and philosophical — giving a firsthand account of surrogacy as well as detailing the legal, ethical and spiritual issues involved.”

Religion News Service

“Essential Resource for Progressive Reproductive Ethics”

 

“Emphasizing the shared importance of experience to both feminist and Christian understandings, she breaks down prevailing objections to surrogacy with the cogency and conciseness of a practiced theologian while at the same time sharing deeply emotional stories of joy surrounding her own surrogacy journey. In My Body, Their Baby, Kao offers an essential resource for progressive reproductive ethics that speaks directly-and accessibly-to the Biblically engaged.”

Project on Lived Theology

“Expansive Christian Vision”

“This book provides an expansive Christian vision for surrogacy that bravely probes complex social ethics questions surrounding it. Kao’s accessibly articulated and social-justice-oriented guidelines offer a roadmap for decision-making that contributes fresh, thought-provoking analysis to feminist reproductive ethics.”

 

Traci C. West, Drew University Theological School, author of Solidarity and Defiant Spirituality: Africana Lessons on Religion, Racism, and Ending Gender Violence

“Invaluable Resource”

“Drawing on her own experience both as a surrogate and a Christian theologian, Kao makes a powerful and rigorously argued Christian ethical case for surrogacy. An invaluable resource for parents, pastors, and all concerned with reproduction and its ethical implications.”

 

Susan A. Ross, Loyola University Chicago, author of Anthropology: Seeking Light and Beauty 

“Insightful Book”

“Kao’s descriptions of her experience as a surrogate succeed in bringing the moral arguments for and against surrogacy into sharper focus. This insightful book shows us how narratives shape our moral visions.”

Aline Kalbian, Florida State University, author of Sex, Violence, and Justice: Contraception and the Catholic Church

 

“Responsive to Its Complexities”

“Kao masterfully weaves together personal narrative, exploration of data, and engagement with scholarly sources in an accessible theology of surrogacy that is responsive to its complexities and generous to her interlocutors.”

Kendra Hotz, Robert R. Waller Chair of Population Health, Rhodes College

“Her Work Shines With Creativity…and Care”

“The world needs more scholars like Grace Kao. With thoughtful rigor and deeply human tenderness, she provides a faithful framework for understanding surrogacy. Her cogent, compassionate arguments illuminate a practice that is often consigned to the shadows, and her work shines with creativity, empathy, and care.”

Jeff Chu, Author of Does Jesus Really Love Me?

“Painstakingly researched and assessibly written”

 

“This book breaks the ice on Christian feminist reluctance to think about surrogacy. Painstakingly researched and accessibly written, it will not only inspire needed attention to surrogacy but also influence the whole landscape of Christian ethics of reproduction.”

 

 

 Cristina Traina, Past President of the Society of Christian Ethics

Press & Media Appearances 

Grace Kao enjoys speaking to the press and being interviewed on podcasts when her expertise could be of service.

She has provided commentary about recent events or her areas of expertise to media outlets including CNN, MSNBC, local NPR stations, and radio programs in the UK and Australia.

Press Inquiries

Adam Schnitzer, Marketing & Sales Director

aschnitzer@stanford.edu

 

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1325 N. College Ave, Claremont, CA 92867

 

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