Church not against priesthood for transgenders

Christianity never banned priesthood and baptism for transgender people, and the Holy Bible very well clarified this, the Mar Thoma Metropolitan, Joseph Mar Thoma, has said.

The Metropolitan was inaugurating a seminar on ‘Problems faced by transgender people,’ jointly organised by the Communion of Churches in India, National Council for Communal Harmony, and the Mar Thoma Justice and Peace Commission, at the Kombady Camp Centre, near Thiruvalla, on Wednesday.

Examples in history

He said the baptism of an Ethiopian eunuch by Philip and the prophesy of Isaiah amply justified this bare truth.

The role played by the eunuch in the formation of the Ethiopian Church too was noteworthy in this regard, he said.

The Metropolitan said the tendency to keep the transgender people away from the mainstream by misinterpreting the Gospel and the prophesies should be rejected.

Bishop Thomas Samuel presided.

Fr. Oommen Philip, Mar Thoma Church secretary; Prakash P. Thomas, Communion of Churches in India treasurer; Simon John of the Church of South India, Fr. Dens B. Oommen, and Fr. Easow Mathew spoke. Fr. Lal Cherian, clergy trustee of the Mar Thoma Church, was the moderator.

Papers presented

Kerala Laingika Nyoonapaksha Federation State president Sreekkutty and Vineeth Mathew presented papers.