Megan Rohrer, First Openly Transgender Lutheran Bishop

Before we get too much further away from the event, I did want to note the May 8 election of the first openly transgender bishop in the Lutheran Church (ELCA version), the first transgender person to serve as bishop of any mainstream Christian denomination.  

Megan Rohrer has been groundbreaking for decades, so I'm not surprised at their election to be bishop.  Lutherans can be groundbreaking in elections to bishop; there are lots of previously marginalized people serving this way.  But when it comes to leading big congregations, we still don't see many women or people of color or people in same sex relationships or transgender people.  In the ELCA and in most denominations, the big churches are still led by men, and many of them are fairly traditional males, at least to judge by outer appearances:  older, whiter, not-disabled men.

In some ways, progress is so slow.  But I remind myself that back in 2008, Rohrer was serving a church congregation that had been kicked out of the larger denomination for having chosen them as pastor.   In 2009, the ELCA adopted a sexuality statement that allowed Rohrer and other ministers to serve officially and for churches to issue a call.  And now, almost 12 years later, a transgender bishop!

The sexuality statement is far from perfect.  It still allows churches and individuals to opt out of inclusiveness.  It's wishy-washy, or maybe it's revolutionary in its agree to disagree stance.  We won't change the hearts and minds of people by forcing a belief from the top down.  But opening the door and allowing people to serve might be the catalyst to change as people see that these humans once thought to be so different are actually quite similar.

I've often said that most of us have the same longings as humans:  we want to be safe and cared for, we want the children whom we love to be safe and cared for, we want the ones we love to be safe and cared for.  From these yearnings, it's not a great leap to want that same love and care for everyone, whether we know them or not.

I've been following Rohrer for years, and I am thrilled for this election.  Rohrer has been a source of hope and blessing for the San Francisco area for decades, and in the online arena too.  My hope and prayer is that more people can feel that level of hope and blessing and care.  The world is in such desperate need of that abundance.

May more of us be able to accept it.