Transgender Liturgies: Why Are They Important?

A version of this piece was published in the Broadview online magazine in July. You can read it HERE.

Transphobia has been rearing it's ugly head all across North America. People are attacked while trying to use the bathroom. Kids are afraid to go to school for fear of bullying. Politicians are making laws that are forcing teachers to out students to their parents. And in all of these instances of blatant transphobia, the bible is used as a weapon. Sermons are preached from the pulpit defending these transphobic actions. So-called Christians rejected transgender people with claims of "it's a fad", "protect the children", and "God doesn't make mistakes". So it makes sense that churches aren't seen as places someone can go for a safe haven and it makes sense that an increasing number of transgender people are walking away from church communities and losing faith in God.

No matter that some people are claiming that transgender people are a new thing, transgender and non-binary Christians are now and have always been in the church, including the Anglican Church. What's new is that we are no longer hiding who we are and we are looking to be seen, loved, and cared for within the church. The Anglican Church of Canada has spent the last 20 years working on social statements of the church, standing against homophobia and transphobia, and calling for protection of the vulnerable. Unfortunately, there has been more talk than action which makes the transgender community wonder if the church is really listening.

So when, in the fall of 2020, I was contacted by the Reverend Dr Eileen Scully to join a working group around transgender liturgies, I immediately agreed to be a participant. Over the last few years, I have had the amazing opportunity to work with transgender and gender non-binary persons, along with a few chosen allies, to be the consultative group to discuss the theological, pastoral, and liturgical lenses as a way to shape new Anglican liturgical rites and the careful pastoral introduction to them. As we lived across the country, we met over Zoom and had amazing discussions about what parts of liturgy we loved and what we thought was missing. Although there were sporadic conversations about God being gendered as male through the Book of Alternative Services, most of the discussion centered on specific rites and prayers that we, as transgender people, are in search of when we are worshipping, and to acknowledge different points of our transition. Through the time that these liturgies were discussed, written, and re-written, it was so amazing to work with a group of people who were just like me. It can feel a little lonely not knowing if there are any other transgender people in leadership, or even in the church. Not everyone is comfortable advertising their gender identity, so you just don’t know who is out there.

Changing and adding liturgies within the Anglican Church of Canada. It involves submitting them to the highest governing body of the church for approval. Every three years, the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, meets to discuss matters of national importance, review and approve financial reports, and consider legislation that affects the national church. On occasion, matters of worship and liturgy are brought to General Synod for review and approval, as was the case at last year’s meeting which convened June 27-July 2 in Calgary, AB. Resolution A122, Pastoral Liturgies for Journeys for Gender Transition and Affirmation, was brought to the floor of General Synod by Finn Keesmaat-Walsh (Ontario) and Reverend Marnie Peterson (British Columbia).

Finn Keesmaat-Walsh was one of those people I met and as I was not able to attend the General Synod personally, I asked them what it was like being on the floor for this resolution. Finn told me that with the 2019 General Synod in mind where the Synod was considering the motion of change the marriage canon, they were bracing for the worst, convinced that someone would request a vote by orders. (The vote in 2019 was ultimately lost in the order of bishops.) No request was made; therefore, a simple vote was taken with a majority overwhelmingly achieved. It was such a different result than the 2019 General Synod that I think we are still in a bit of shock.

Ultimately, the end result was good news! The Anglican Church of Canada became the first in the worldwide communion to have Pastoral Liturgies for Journeys for Gender Transition and Affirmation. As Primate Linda Nichols stated following the vote, “by approving these liturgies, we are sending a message that the Anglican Church of Canada stands in solidarity with transgender people.” These liturgies represent a public affirmation by the Anglican Church that we as transgender and non-binary folx are accepted, welcomed, and loved as the people that we are, and that we are all beloved children of God. According to Dr Scully, the person who spearheaded the consultation group, "This is historic for our part of the Christian church, in the worldwide Anglican Communion, and is an important moment in the life of the world and a great example of a grassroots movement in the church met with the discernment – in parliamentary process – of the church in a really good way. It’s the church waking up and recognizing a need for change in ourselves, a change that’s coming as we welcome the gifts of those we’ve not recognized well or at all in our midst."

Again, the acceptance of these liturgies represents a public affirmation by the Anglican Church that we as transgender and non-binary folx are accepted, welcomed, and loved as the people that we are, and that we are all beloved children of God. We have moved beyond talking into action by listening to the people who are actually affected by the work, or lack of work, of the task forces that have been set up over the last two decades. Rather than a group of straight cisgender people making decisions, the church is actually listening the transgender community. Having these liturgies affirmed by the national church is the beginning of creating space for healing the church’s relationship with those who left their home church, whether by choice or by force, because they are transgender or non-binary. It is one of many steps towards true and full inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the Anglican Church of Canada. This public affirmation could, ultimately, save lives.

Previously, when I came out as transgender to my priest, I feared rejection from her and my parish. I was also scared to come out to my bishop as I thought he would revoke my request to become a priest. If I had seen liturgies such as these being offered, I would have trusted that support would be there for me. In the end, I was one of the lucky ones because support for me never wavered. My priest was pleased to do a renaming ceremony for me. We created it ourselves because these now-authorized liturgies didn’t exist at the time.

Someone asked me if I would now go back and use some of these new liturgies on myself, like the Affirmation of Gender Identity, for example. Honestly, I hadn’t thought of it. But even if I don’t use these liturgies for myself, I am sure glad that they exist now. It shows that the Anglican Church of Canada is making space for me and others like me! And that’s the best feeling in the world right now.