Transgender Identity and the Liturgy

Through diligent scholarship of th Episcopal liturgy, which is steeped in the rich traditions of The Book of Common Prayer and the Bible, we can find profound insights and assurances into the fluidity and complexity of human identity. It is within these sacred texts that we find compelling affirmations of transgender identity, challenging the cis, heteronormative, and patriarchal interpretations that have long dominated religious discourse.

First let's consider the Genesis narrative, where Eve emerges from Adam. This profound act signifies that all men inherently possess a feminine essence. As God demonstrates in the garden; there is a woman inside of a man. To deny this intrinsic duality is to refute the Old Testament's teachings. Those who argue against the authenticity of transgender women, in essence, are negating the very realities elucidated in the Bible. To be in the presence of a transgender woman is to witness the manifestation, through revelation, of the woman present in the body of a man. The question becomes, how do we reveal this reality?

The concept of transfiguration offers us an answer. As embodied by Jesus, transfiguration is another compelling liturgical affirmation of transgender identity. Through transfiguration, the bread is transformed into the body of Christ by faith and affirmative rituals and practices, revealing its true nature. The human body can undergo a similar transfiguration through faith and affirmation inherent in the Eucharist. Through the practices of the church, one's true identity can be realized and embraced. The Church's role is not merely to witness this transformation but to actively facilitate and celebrate it.

However, the cis, heteronormative, and patriarchal structures that have infiltrated the Church stand in stark contrast to these teachings. Jesus says "You will know the false gods by their fruits". What else would you call the death, violence, and oppression forced upon our transgender members other than bad fruits? The denial of trans identity is proof that the Episcopal church has been, and continues to be in worship of false gods. Our current understanding of the liturgy leads us away from God's true nature, and if we wish to be saved by the sacrifice of the True Christ, it starts with the affirmation of our transgender brothers and sisters.