CofE service to mark change of gender

TRANSGENdER Christians are to be offered a special church service to celebrate their new sexual identity.

Church of England bishops ruled that an existing ceremony that allows worshippers to renew their baptismal vows can also be used ‘to mark a gender transition’.

The service will in effect allow a transgender churchgoer to undergo a second baptism, using a different name to the one they used first time round. The introduction of a sex change service is the latest in a series of initiatives by the CofE to accommodate the demands of the increasingly powerful transgender lobby. It follows a push by the CoE to eliminate bullying of transgender pupils in its schools.

Clergy who want to stage a service for a parishioner who has had a sex change have been told they can use the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith, which was created for those who want to make a renewed declaration of belief. The Bishop of Norwich, the Right Reverend Graham James, said: ‘The Church of England welcomes transgender people and wholeheartedly wishes for them to be included in the life of the Church.

‘On the matter of whether a new service is needed, the House of Bishops has decided that the current service that is used to affirm baptism can be adapted. Clergy always have the discretion to compose and say prayers with people as they see fit.’

The Church will publish a fuller explanation of its plan over the next two weeks.