When Joshua Heath, a junior research fellow, delivered a guest sermon at Trinity College chapel at Cambridge during which he compared the side wound of Jesus to a vagina and, from that, deduced that Christ had a “trans body,” one would think a lightening bolt would have zapped him where he stood.
At the very least, you’d have thought the dean of Trinity College — one of 31 colleges that make up the nearly 500-year-old Cambridge University — would have dragged him out of the chapel by his hair.
But this is 2022, and the “woke” spirit seems to have surpassed the Holy Spirit in many of the world’s churches.
🔴Dr Michael Banner, the dean of Trinity College, said such a view was “legitimate” after a row over a sermon by a Cambridge research student that claimed Christ had a “trans body”, The Telegraph can disclose https://t.co/c4M0pT9Ga8
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 26, 2022
After worshippers left “in tears” and shouts of “heresy” were heard, the dean, Dr. Michael Banner, said Heath’s view was “legitimate,” according to a shocking report from The Telegraph.
To make his case, Heath displayed Renaissance and Medieval paintings.
Where the faithful see the wound Jesus suffered on the cross at the hands of Longinus, a Roman soldier, wielding what is now called the Spear of Destiny, as his last breath before his resurrection, Heath saw female genitalia, and he wanted parishioners to see it, too.
From The Telegraph:
The sermon displayed three paintings, including Jean Malouel’s 1400 work Pietà, with Mr Heath pointing out Jesus’s side wound and blood flowing to the groin. The order of service also showed French artist Henri Maccheroni’s 1990 work “Christs”.
Heath, whose PhD was supervised by the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, also told worshippers that in the Prayer Book of Bonne of Luxembourg, from the 14th century, this side wound was isolated and “takes on a decidedly vaginal appearance”.
Heath also drew on non-erotic depictions of Christ’s penis in historical art, which “urge a welcoming rather than hostile response towards the raised voices of trans people”.
“In Christ’s simultaneously masculine and feminine body in these works, if the body of Christ as these works suggest the body of all bodies, then his body is also the trans body,” the sermon concluded.
One member of the congregation, who wished to remain anonymous, fired off a letter to Banner, stating, “I left the service in tears. You offered to speak with me afterwards, but I was too distressed. I am contemptuous of the idea that by cutting a hole in a man, through which he can be penetrated, he can become a woman.”
“I am especially contemptuous of such imagery when it is applied to our Lord, from the pulpit, at Evensong,” the letter continued. “I am contemptuous of the notion that we should be invited to contemplate the martyrdom of a ‘trans Christ’, a new heresy for our age.”
Dr. Banner’s response?
He defended the blasphemous sermon, stating it “suggested that we might think about these images of Christ’s male/female body as providing us with ways of thinking about issues around transgender questions today.”
“For myself, I think that speculation was legitimate,” he added, “whether or not you or I or anyone else disagrees with the interpretation, says something else about that artistic tradition, or resists its application to contemporary questions around transsexualism.”
On Twitter, pious heads exploded.
“Is there a name for this heresy?” asked Father Calvin Robinson. “Let’s go with Transwokism?”
Let’s go with Transwokism? pic.twitter.com/Q9DfXhrRkW
— Fr Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) November 26, 2022
“For the love of God. This is going too far,” wrote writer Wasiq Wasiq.
“I think it may actually be blasphemy,” stated another Twitter user.
“Outrageous & disgraceful,” tweeted still another. “How can this be allowed? He should be banned.”
For the love of God. This is going too far.
— Wasiq Wasiq (@WasiqUK) November 26, 2022
I think it may actually be blasphemy.
— Mary Jasper (@MaryJasper2) November 26, 2022
It was just a matter of time:
Dean at Trinity college Cambridge claiming Jesus was ‘trans’.Understandably, worshippers left in tears.
Stating the wound was the shape of a vagina.
Outrageous & disgraceful.
How can this be allowed?
He should be banned.@calvinrobinson— Patricia🇬🇧 (@Patricia344130) November 27, 2022
Below, find more of the rightfully outraged responses:
If you can't start a World War then start a Holy War.
Humanity is going nuts in this woke mentality and stupidity https://t.co/HasjPGbuak
— Punit Khimasia (@khimasiapunit) November 27, 2022
Oh FFS! Anything to get into the press and to be 'down' with the wokey lot! https://t.co/pOoQ6wyD3Q
— Jeremy Balcombe (@JeremyBalcombe) November 27, 2022
If your response to this is 'bet he wouldn't say it about Islam', rather than simply being angry that these people spread repellant lies about your Saviour, you're a weak and pathetic person https://t.co/EyRGfvqP99
— CatholicBrit🇻🇦🇬🇧 (@Englishpapist) November 27, 2022
A theology PhD student, supervised by former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
Preaching blasphemy at Evensong is a surprising low, even for the CoE .
— Bea Johanssen (@bea_johanssen) November 27, 2022
It’s always against Christ because Christ is the truth that they fear.. Satan doesn’t waste his time inspiring people to go after false religions, they are doing a good job for him.. he goes after Christianity, that’s why it’s the most persecuted religion. Viva Christo Rey..
— TweetsWithWolves (@PaulBuc31614268) November 27, 2022
Blasphemy, in some countries, is illegal, but not in a Christian country, but then, are we a Christian country any longer?
— Charles David Lingard (@CharlesDavidLi1) November 26, 2022
Republished with permission from American Wire News Service
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