Guidance for gender transition services published

Dec 11, 2018 by

From Church of England website.

[Editor’s note: A leading evangelical Bishop commends new services to mark gender transition. Julian Henderson, Bishop of Blackburn and the President of Church of England Evangelical Council, has commended a liturgy developed by C of E priests and transgender activists, to mark gender transition through reaffirmation of baptismal faith with a new name and gender identity. In this press release Bishop Julian refers to ‘trans people’ without any explanation. We await further reports on what appears to be a major shift in understanding of Christian anthropology.]

New guidance for parishes planning services to help transgender people mark their transition has been published by the Church of England.

The pastoral guidance, which will be incorporated into Common Worship*, encourages clergy to be “creative and sensitive” in using liturgy to enable people to mark a major transition in their lives.

It formally commends the incorporation of the existing rite for the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith into services which mark gender transition.

It details how elements including water and oil can be incorporated into the service and, crucially, makes clear that trans people should be addressed publicly by their chosen name…

…The Bishop of Blackburn, Julian Henderson, Chair of the House of Bishops Delegation Committee, which oversaw work to produce the guidance said: “We are absolutely clear that everyone is made in the image of God and that all should find a welcome in their parish Church.

“This new guidance provides an opportunity, rooted in scripture, to enable trans people who have ‘come to Christ as the way, the truth and the life’, to mark their transition in the presence of their Church family which is the body of Christ.

“We commend it for wider use.”

Read here

 

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