Originally published May 8, 2023 6:00 pm PDT
The Manhattan Church of St. Paul the Apostle is currently hosting an exhibit titled “God is Trans: A Queer Spiritual Journey.”
QUICK FACTS:
- The Manhattan Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City is currently featuring a “God is Trans” exhibit inside its sanctuary.
- The series of paintings, described by the artist as “a queer spiritual journey in three steps: Sacrifice, Identity and Communion,” have been placed next to the church’s altar.
- The exhibit says that “Sacrifice” represents the need to “shed an old life.” “Identity” is described as “the most impactful part” of the display, asking the question, “What does holiness look like?”
- While the church has a reputation for being “very liberal,” some parishioners are speaking out about the offensiveness of the exhibit.
- “It seems like they are trying to force the agenda on others,” one parishioner said. “Also, when a friend asked a priest about this they didn’t answer. You can’t put this out on the altar and then hide. That’s what gets the church in trouble.”
CATHOLIC PARISHIONER ON THE “GOD IS TRANS” EXHIBIT:
“The church should not be promoting this. I understand there are transgender people. I pray for all people but enough is enough,” the parishioner said.
BACKGROUND:
- In February 2023, the General Synod, the legislative body of the Church of England, officially recognized gay marriage by voting to allow priests to bless same-sex marriage.
- The measure was almost universally approved by the House of Bishops, who voted 36 to 4, with two members choosing not to vote.
- While some rejoiced at the measure, General Synod member Daniel Matovu described the move as a “fiasco.”
- “Where does the Church get its doctrine on marriage from? It comes directly from God,” Matovu said. “The Bishops cannot see, apparently, that the draft prayers are out of sync with, inconsistent with, and undermine the doctrine of marriage as in Canon B:30. They should have gone to Specsavers, bless them.”
- In March 2023, Pope Francis raised the possibility of allowingIn an interview with the Argentine news website Infobae, the pope said the church’s celibacy requirement could be reconsidered, although he added that he did not believe relaxing the rule would encourage more men to consider a clerical vocation. Catholic priests to marry, calling celibacy for priests a “temporary prescription,” according to a report from The Washington Times.
- Priests in the Roman Catholic Church have been required to remain unmarried throughout their ministry for 1,000 years, while married men in Eastern rite churches in communion with Rome have been allowed to be ordained.
- In an interview with the Argentine news website Infobae, the pope said the church’s celibacy requirement could be reconsidered, although he added that he did not believe relaxing the rule would encourage more men to consider a clerical vocation.
- “It is temporary in this sense: It is not perpetual like priestly ordination, which is forever, whether you like it or not,” the pope told the website. “Whether you leave [the church] or not is a different matter, but [ordination] is forever. Celibacy, on the other hand, is a discipline.”
