“So God created humankind in His image,
in the image of God He created them;
male and female He created them.”
[Genesis 1:27]
In March 2023, the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada ratified a blessing for “the Process of Gender Transition” and a full Liturgy for the “Affirmation of Gender Identity.”
This includes the options for the person to claim a new name; to state their new gender identity, and to renew baptismal vows. This Liturgy can be “incorporated within a regular weekly parish Celebration of the Holy Eucharist” — but is recommended to be used on specific Feast Days!
You can read the full 28-page document by following/clicking on this link. The Blessing is posted below, as are several snips/screenshots from the liturgy, which is several pages long.
ISSUES:
There is NO exclusion of underage minors from being affirmed. (Affirmation leads to the emotional, spiritual, physical — hormonal & surgical — alteration of vulnerable children.)
There is no requirement for mental health assessment or treatment of underlying illness.
There is no advice about dealing with reasonable opposition from parents, extended family, individual parishioners, or the congregation, in a Christian manner.
There is no discussion about someone holding multiple or rapidly changing identities, or indeed, a non-human gender identity.
This is the blessing and acceptance of the ‘process of transition’ (more than the blessing of the person specifically involved.)
There is no reference to De-transitioning and there are no prayers for De-transitioners.
There is no comment about the liability to the Anglican Church when encouraging a minor to mutilate their own body.
The acceptance of all “natural” sexual identities & preferences must lead to the acceptance of “minor-attracted person” [MAP] / “non-offending minor-attracted person” [NOMAP] a.k.a. Paedophiles.
This will damage the equality of women within the Anglican Church.
The blessings and Liturgy will cause further split within the Anglican Communion and is another nail in the coffin of the Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue.
The Anglican “Blessing over the Process of Gender Transition.”
This Introduction and Blessing may be used in the context of a small gathering, in pastoral prayer, or within the community’s regular public liturgy of the Word or of the Eucharist. The role given to the Deacon here may be exercised by another leader in the community, including friends and supporters of the person transitioning.
Presider: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God created the plants, trees, and creatures of the land, sea, and air. God created a human being in their image, an embodiment that included maleness, femaleness, and more, all affirmed as very good.
Deacon: All humans are made in God’s image whether we recognize ourselves in our bodies as female, male, or intersex; whether we are transgender, cisgender, or do not recognize ourselves in any of these labels. We are called by God both to care for and to be co-creators of all of creation and that includes our bodies. We are called to participate in God’s commandment to tend and love all that God has made with the whole of our beings.
Presider: Today we ask God’s blessing on this process of transition for (N) Let us pray. Holy and gracious God, we ask your blessing [on N’s family, their health care teams and] on all who will support them in this process. We ask that they would know your goodness and love in them. We ask that you would guide and direct (name) (and their support team) in each step of this process. Sustain and keep them. Surround them with care and comfort, especially on days that are hard. Keep them in your protective embrace. And the blessing of God all Loving: † Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be upon you, and remain with you now and always.
Or,
And the blessing of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, † the God who creates, redeems and sanctifies, be upon you, and remain with you, now and always.
All: Amen.
“YOUR TRUE NAME AND GENDER”
So, we can be born without a true name and gender?
What happens if the person wishes to change a second or third time — which then is the true name and gender?
“WE BRING BEFORE YOU [THIS T (TESTOSTERONE) / THIS ESTROGEN / THESE MEDICATIONS”]
Puberty blockers and opposite sex hormones cause permanent physical damage, such as osteoporosis and lack of skeletal development. (The Blessing abbreviates Testosterone to “T” which suggests either profound familiarity or that they know there is something to hide.)
“FREE N FROM ALL HARM”
And what of the harm from an inappropriate transition?
80% of children with gender dysphoria resolve the dysphoria as they go through puberty: many discern that they are, in fact, Gay.
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
Even the Church of England has gone too far on the issue.
In 2017 they passed a motion which does not just welcome transgender people into the Anglican Church, but looks to affirm their decisions. It stated:
“That this Synod, recognising the need for transgender people to be welcomed and affirmed in their parish church, call on the House of Bishops to consider whether some nationally commended liturgical materials might be prepared to mark a person's gender transition.”
THE CHURCH OF IRELAND
The (Anglican) Church of Ireland appears to have no specific statement on their website about affirming gender transition. There is a 2020 report about the Church acknowledging non-binary people.
“GENDER JUSTICE”
The Anglican Communion defines Gender Justice as the reasonable belief “that men and women are equally made in the image of God.” “Male and female He created them.”
That will change once there is no such thing as innate masculinity and femininity or an objective definition of “what is a woman” / “man”.
[https://www.anglicancommunion.org/mission/gender-justice.aspx]
NON-HUMAN ‘GENDER’ IDENTITY??
The document made no comment about a Trans-person choosing a non-human gender identity. There are over 760 pronouns referring to vast numbers of ‘identities,’ including:
Deadly Sins: Wrath; Envy; Greed.
Animals& Insects: Cat & Kitty; Puppy; Wolf; Sheep; Bear; Bug.
Inanimate Objects: Poppyseed; Poison.
Fantasy: Monster; Fairy; Ghost; Angel and even Deity.
Go further: what will happen if the Church is asked to affirm someone who identifies as a different race or a different age?
31-year old Stanley Thronton
DETRANSITIONERS NEED OUR SUPPORT
Click image to hear detransitioner Chloe Cole’s painful testimony.
One would think that there should be as much, if not more, support for de-transitioners. Many will suffer from the lifelong physical, emotional and spiritual damage.
A WELCOMING CHURCH
It is appropriate to have a generic blessing and/or liturgy for any parishioner going through an illness, treatment and/or surgery. One does not have to validate a personal choice/lifestyle, to pray for a good outcome.
Following the guidance of the Holy Father, the Roman Catholic Church needs to actively welcome every person: that includes LGB, transsexuals & de-transitioners.
All of us are sinners and everyone is welcome to seek redemption through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Kevin Hay
(You can follow Kevin on Twitter [now X?] @kevinhay77)