Unholy row over church's play which portrays Jesus as a transgender woman who refers to God as 'Mum'
- Play portraying Jesus as a transgender woman to be performed in a church
- It is much to the fury of critics who say the play is deeply offensive
- Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, will not block the staging of The Gospel According To Jesus, Queen Of Heaven, by Jo Clifford
A play that portrays Jesus as a transgender woman who refers to God as 'Mum' is to be performed in a Church of England church today.
To the fury of critics who say the play is deeply offensive, the Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, will not block the staging of The Gospel According To Jesus, Queen Of Heaven.
The one-woman play by Jo Clifford, an award-winning Scottish playwright who has herself changed gender, imagines Jesus returning to earth as a 'trans woman' and retelling the parables with a transsexual slant.
The one-woman play by Jo Clifford (pictured) imagines Jesus returning to earth as a 'trans woman' and retelling the parables with a transsexual slant
At one point, Ms Clifford, who plays Jesus, says: 'I love my Mum.
'I am the daughter of God and almost certainly the son also. My Mum said let there be light and I say I am the light…'
In another, she says: 'Our Mother who art on Earth, blessed is your name.' Against images of gay couples kissing, she continues: 'Give us this day our daily kisses, for yours is the Queendom…'
In the drama, to be staged at St Chrysostom's church in Manchester's Victoria Park as part of the city's Queer Contact festival, the prodigal son is thrown out by his father for wanting a sex change.
The former Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, a leading traditionalist, said: 'It is quite clear from the Gospels that the identity of Jesus is male, his 'mum' is Mary and he always refers to God as 'Father', so to suggest otherwise is contrary to Christian teaching.
'In cases in which a play is to be staged in a church building, the bishop is perfectly entitled under Church law to direct the cleric in charge to ensure the content will be consistent with Christian teaching and not offensive to the public.
'If the bishop's directions are not followed, the matter becomes one of discipline.'
Christ the Redeemer, the Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Another senior cleric, an expert in Church law, said: 'This play is wholly inappropriate for performance in a consecrated building. I am sure that many people will be looking to the Bishop of Manchester to take action, as he is required to do by Church law.' The Bishop of Worcester, John Inge, a member of the Church's doctrine committee, said he was 'surprised' the play was to be performed in a church. He added that the production sounded 'irreverent'.
Ms Clifford, who is a former professor of theatre, said she did not intend the play to be sacrilegious but to challenge prejudice.
Under Church law, clergy have to 'take care' that plays performed in churches are consistent with 'sound doctrine', and clergy who are in doubt should refer the matter to the bishop. The law adds that clergy should obey any 'general directions' the bishop might issue 'from time to time'.
A spokesman for the Manchester diocese said: 'We do not accept that a bishop may use the power to issue 'general directions' regarding the use of churches for performances from 'time to time' as providing sufficient legal basis for the prevention of a specific event.'
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment