A Catholic church in New York City is hosting an art exhibit suggesting a theological embrace of transgenderism.
The Church of Saint Paul the Apostle is currently displaying paintings from the exhibit “God is Trans: A Queer Spiritual Journey.”
The exhibit was created by Adah Unachukwu and is organized by what is described as a three-part spiritual journey for queer-identifying people. The steps include "Sacrifice," "Identity" and "Communion." The paintings are on display near the church’s altar.
According to the description of the exhibit, "Sacrifice" speaks “to the need to shed an old life and personhood in order to be able to focus on your spiritual need.”
“There is no devil; just past selves,” the summary notes.
"Identity" is called the most impactful of the exhibit and is intended to raise the questions “What does holiness look like? What does your god look like? Are these two portrayals that can be merged?”
Finally, "Communion" places “God and the mortal on the same plane to speak to one another.”
“This installation is about a spiritual home and the ways we can achieve this home in our everyday lives,” the summary concludes. The installation also included a film.
A spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York declined The New York Post’s request for comment on May 7, reportedly telling the outlet that he was not aware of the exhibit.
The Vatican published a statement in 2019 addressing the increasing debate over transgenderism. The church said that while people who identify as transgender should be treated with love and kindness, members of the faith should reject the suggestion that biological sex should be altered or changed.
“Gender theory (especially in its most radical forms) speaks of a gradual process of denaturalisation, that is a move away from nature and towards an absolute option for the decision of the feelings of the human subject,” wrote the Congregation for Catholic Education. “In this understanding of things, the view of both sexuality identity and the family become subject to the same ‘liquidity’ and ‘fluidity’ that characterize other aspects of post-modern culture, often founded on nothing more than a confused concept of freedom in the realm of feelings and wants, or momentary desires provoked by emotional impulses and the will of the individual, as opposed to anything based on the truths of existence.”
According to its website, the Church of St. Paul the Apostle was established in 1858 by The Paulist Fathers, the first community of Catholic Priests in America. The church notes it is a “gathering place for everyone” and offers programs to "engage young adults, LGBTQ Catholics, artists, returning Catholics and seekers.”
This includes its “Out at Saint Paul” ministry specifically for “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender” people “to engage our Catholic faith through service to our community, social activities and the exploration of Catholic spirituality.” The ministry is led by the OSP chaplain Father Paul Rospond.
