RELIGION
US Lutheran Church Elects First Out Trans Bishop
Megan Rohrer will be installed as bishop on September 11
BY TAT BELLAMY-WALKER
In a history-making election,
one of the largest Christian
dominations in the country
has appointed its fi rst openly
transgender bishop.
The Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America, which boasts
more than three million members
in the US and parts of the Caribbean,
announced on May 10 that
Reverend Megan Rohrer will serve
a six-year term as bishop of Sierra
Pacifi c Synod, one of the church’s
ministries and councils in Sacramento,
California. Rohrer will be installed
as bishop on September 11.
For the last seven years, Rohrer
has served as a pastor at Grace
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
San Francisco, California. According
to a statement on the church’s
website, they received a Master of
Divinity from the Pacifi c School of
Reverend Megan Rohrer will be a bishop at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Religion in Berkeley, California,
and a Doctor of Ministry degree.
Rohrer told Gay City News they
hope taking on this job can inspire
others in and outside of the community.
FACEBOOK/MEGAN ROHRER
“It’s a humbling experience,”
Rohrer, who uses “they” and “he”
pronouns, told Gay City News.
“Trans people are people of faith
and are people who are connected
to God in ways that others might
not expect.”
In the years leading up to their
election, Rohrer fought against homophobic
and transphobic forces
in the church. In July 2010, Rohrer
was one of seven LGBTQ pastors in
San Francisco who were reinstated
to the roster of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church after previously being
barred from serving, making
them the fi rst openly transgender
Lutheran pastor ordained in the
US.
“There is a long history, particularly
queer history, of people who
keep believing in themselves, who
keep striving to work at jobs, even
before others in that profession are
ready for them,” Rohrer said. “Just
like those who continue to serve in
the military, even when the military
wasn’t ready yet, became police offi
cers before the laws allowed, and
have been teachers, despite what
any of the barriers for their profession
have been. I see myself as maybe
one of the thousands of ways in
history that we’ve been able to keep
on past fear, and just be people who
try to be good at our jobs.”
In a statement, Extraordinary
Lutheran Ministries, which ordained
Rohrer in 2006, applauded
their appointment.
“Megan has always found themself
walking alongside in solidarity
with, and to provide safety for,
those lifting their voices for justice,”
the church said in a statement on
Facebook. “Today, Extraordinary
Lutheran Ministries celebrates the
called and faithful servant, Bishop
elect Rohrer (they/he), the fi rst
trans bishop in the ELCA. Today,
history was made in our church!”
The group added, “ELM celebrates
a church that now recognizes
the gifts of queer leaders like
Bishop-elect Rohrer, and we anticipate
the day when all queer ministry
leaders will be called to ministry
settings without hindrance
or barrier and will be affi rmed in
their God-given calls.”
Rohrer’s appointment comes
amid a wave of anti-trans legislation
and record levels of violence
facing Black and Brown transgender
people in the US. Rohrer told
Gay City News those developments
hit incredibly close to home because
one of their children is Black
and transgender.
“They inspire me every day to do
the best I can for folk who are most
in the middle of the violence right
now,” Rohrer said, referring to their
child. In this high-ranking position,
Rohrer recognizes the power they
have to change the minds of other
people of faith, adding, “I think so
much of the rhetoric and legislation
that is trying to put hurdles
in the pathways of trans people is,
unfortunately, coming from some
people’s faith perspective.”
As transphobia takes a toll on
the mental health of transgender
people, Rohrer is fi elding calls from
families who have a trans relative
in crisis. In their new role, they
hope they can show that there is a
future ahead.
“Since my appointment, I have
received messages from people who
are asking for prayers in the hallway
of the ER because one of their
trans loved ones has tried to take
their own life,” they said. “I want to
say to people if you can live, we can
fi gure out all the rest.”
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