Megan Rohrer

Last updated

Megan Rohrer (born 1980) is an American activist for homeless and LGBTQ+ rights and former Lutheran bishop. [1] Rohrer is the first openly transgender minister ordained in the Lutheran tradition.

Contents

Dr.

Megan Rohrer
Fifth bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod
HonorThemWithAction San Francisco 20170612-5950.jpg
Rohrer in 2017
Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Elected2021
Term ended2022
PredecessorMark W. Holmerud
SuccessorInterim Claire S. Burkat
Orders
Ordination2006
Personal details
Born (1980-04-03) April 3, 1980 (age 44)
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, US
Denomination Lutheran
SpouseLaurel Rohrer [2]
Occupation
  • former Lutheran bishop
  • activist
Alma mater

Following his reception as a minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, [3] [4] [5] [6] Rohrer served the church as bishop of its Sierra Pacific Synod from 2021 until asked to resign in June of 2022 after allegations of racism against one of the pastors under his care came to light. On June 23, 2023, Rohrer was removed from the roster of the Sierra Pacific Synod by letter, [7] and rostered ministers were notified by email on June 28. [8]

Early life and education

Rohrer was born on April 3, 1980, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. [1] In 1998, they graduated from high school and enrolled at Augustana University to study religion. [1] In college they came out as gay, and became president of the gay–straight alliance. They encountered resistance, threats, and attempted "cures" by fellow students for their sexuality. [1] [3] Rohrer graduated from Augustana in 2001. [1]

Rohrer moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2002 to continue their studies. By this time they had come to identify as transgender. [3] Rohrer attended Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary before transferring to the Pacific School of Religion (PSR) in Berkeley, California, earning a Master of Divinity degree from PSR in 2005 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2016. [1] [9] [10]

Personal life

Rohrer claims to be related to Nicholas of Flüe in the 16th generation. [11] [12]

Rohrer goes by he and they pronouns. [13]

Career

Rohrer was ordained in 2006, during a time when the ELCA did not allow LGBTQ pastors to openly serve. [14] When the policy changed in 2009, Rohrer became the first openly transgender person to serve as a minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. [1] [4] [3] [15]

In 2010, Rohrer and six other Bay Area gay and transgender pastors were reinstated into the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, after the national assembly voted to allow partnered gay people to serve as clergy. The pastors' churches had previously been removed from the denomination for ordaining gay and lesbian ministers who refused to adhere to the denomination's document guiding clergy conduct, "Visions and Expectations". [16] At the time "Visions and Expectations" required that candidates for and persons on the clergy roster remain celibate outside of legal marriage and monogamous within marriage.[ citation needed ]

In 2014, Rohrer was installed as pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in San Francisco. [3] [5]

In 2017, Rohrer was hired by the San Francisco Police Department as their first chaplain from the LGBTQ community. [6]

On May 8, 2021, Rohrer was elected bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod, becoming the first openly trans person to serve as bishop of a major US Christian denomination. [17] [18] [19] On September 11, 2021, Rohrer was installed as bishop. [20]

On December 11, 2021, the Sierra Pacific Synod terminated the employment of Nelson Rabell-González, who presided over Misión Latina Luterana in Stockton, California, and defunded the congregation. The congregation was uninformed about the decision and Rohrer, who attended the service there the next day, declined to provide an explanation. Members of the congregation protested the decision and left the building with a statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe to worship elsewhere. Rohrer also allegedly threatened to call the police on a father and child who remained in the sacristy. [21] Later that month, the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries suspended Rohrer from their membership for alleged "racist words and actions". [22] In February 2022, the synod announced that Rabell-González was removed for "continual communications of verbal harassment and retaliatory actions from more than a dozen victims," which Rabell-González has denied. On May 27, 2022, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton called for Rohrer's resignation, but initially declined to pursue disciplinary actions. [21]

In 2022, Rohrer was appointed to the Local Homeless Coordinating Board, which advises the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. [23] [ non-primary source needed ]

On June 3, 2022, the governing body of the Sierra Pacific Synod considered a resolution asking for Rohrer's resignation but, if Rohrer refused, for them to be dismissed through formal adjudication. [24] Out of the 324 legal votes cast, 183 voted for the resolution and 138 voted against. Since passage of this resolution required a two-thirds majority the resolution was defeated. [25] On June 4, following an announcement by Eaton that she would be "initiating the discipline process immediately including suspension of Bishop Rohrer, based on additional information that has come to light", Rohrer resigned as bishop. [26] [27]

On March 1, 2023, Rohrer filed a lawsuit against the ELCA and Sierra Pacific Synod, [28] seeking monetary damages for gender discrimination, openly hostile work environment [29] and workplace [28] harassment. [30]

On June 23, 2023, Rohrer was removed from the ELCA roster of Word and Sacrament by Interim Bishop Claire S. Burkat as a result of the denial of Rohrer's petition for On Leave from Call status. [31] [32]

Activism

Rohrer has helped the homeless in San Francisco, serving as Executive Director of the Welcome ministry to the homeless and hungry, leading the Singers of the Street choir, distributing sandwiches, and participating in a night ministry with other local pastors. [4] [5] [33] [34] Rohrer has also helped to grow and distribute thousands of pounds of free food from community gardens. [4] [9]

In 2015, Rohrer started a fundraiser to raise bail for Meagan Taylor, a black trans woman who was held in isolation in an Iowa jail. [35]

In the wake of the 2016 Oakland warehouse fire, in which at least three transgender people were killed, Rohrer was called upon by the city of Oakland to provide support and assistance to the community. [36]

Rohrer has advocated for trans people who would be negatively impacted by proposed "bathroom bills" that seek to restrict restroom usage based on sex assigned at birth. [37]

In 2021, Rohrer shared their experiences of being a pastor during the COVID-19 pandemic, and advocated for LGBTQ community members to get vaccinated. [38]

Awards, honors, and recognition

Selected publications

Through Grace Lutheran Church and Wilgefortis Press, Rohrer has written a number of books for children in the Good News Children's Book Series. [43]

Children titles authored by Rohrer:

Children titles authored and illustrated by Rohrer:

Children titles authored by Rohrer with diverse illustrators:

Adult titles authored and illustrated by Rohrer:

Adult titles authored by Rohrer:

Adult titles co-authored by Rohrer:

Adult titles edited by Rohrer:

Adult titles co-edited by Rohrer:

Related Research Articles

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant Lutheran church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. As of 2022, it has approximately 2.9 million baptized members in 8,640 congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada</span> Protestant denomination in Canada

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada's largest Lutheran denomination, with 95,000 baptized members in 519 congregations, with the second largest, the Lutheran Church–Canada, having 47,607 baptized members. Together with the LCC and the Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations, it is one of only three all-Canadian Lutheran denominations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, and the Anglican-Lutheran North American grouping Churches Beyond Borders. According to the 2021 Canadian census, a larger number of 328,045 adherents identify as Lutheran.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilma Kucharek</span> American Lutheran bishop (born 1954)

Wilma S. Kucharek is bishop of the Slovak Zion Synod.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glide Memorial Church</span> Church in California, United States

Glide Memorial Church is a nondenominational church in San Francisco, California, formerly a United Methodist Church congregation, which opened in 1930. Since the 1960s, it has served as a counter-culture rallying point, as one of the most prominently liberal churches in the United States. Located in the city's Tenderloin neighborhood, an area affected by drug addiction and homelessness, Glide is known for its social service programs, as well as the Glide Ensemble, its Gospel choir. The church building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.

Herbert W. Chilstrom was an American religious leader, who served as the first Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He was re-elected to a four-year term at the 1991 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Orlando, Florida. He served as bishop of the Minnesota Synod of the Lutheran Church in America, one of the three church bodies which merged to form the ELCA on Jan. 1, 1988.

Lutheran viewpoints concerning homosexuality are diverse because there is no one worldwide body which represents all Lutherans. The Lutheran World Federation, a worldwide 'communion of churches' and the largest global body of Lutherans, contains member churches on both sides of the issue. However, other Lutherans, including the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference and International Lutheran Council, completely reject homosexuality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First United Lutheran Church</span> Church in San Francisco, California

First United Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), located in San Francisco, California. Formed in 1886 as the Women's Memorial Church, it was the first Lutheran congregation in California to use English as its primary language for worship. In 1990, First United was suspended, and later expelled from the ELCA for ordaining an openly gay pastor, against the wishes of the denomination. The ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted to approve openly gay clergy in 2009, and in 2012, First United rejoined the denomination. Presently a "church without walls," First United meets in St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church, located at 2097 Turk Street, near the main campus of the University of San Francisco.

herchurch Church in San Francisco, California

herchurch is another name used for the Ebenezer Lutheran Church in San Francisco, a congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The church is a member of the San Francisco Council of Lutheran Churches. The church was founded on August 10, 1882, by Augustana Lutheran minister Johannes Telleen, who served as its pastor until 1890. The construction of the first church building was completed in 1895. For many years, the church primarily served the Swedish population; the original church building was designed by Swedish American architect August Nordin.

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM), founded on October 31, 2007, is an organization committed to the full participation of persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the life and ministry of the Lutheran church.

The relationship between transgender people and religion varies widely around the world. Religions range from condemning any gender variance to honoring transgender people as religious leaders. Views within a single religion can vary considerably, as can views between different faiths.

The ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) clergy who are open about their sexuality or gender identity; are sexually active if lesbian, gay, or bisexual; or are in committed same-sex relationships is a debated practice within some contemporary Christian denominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ordination of women in Christianity</span> Taking place in Protestant churches

In Christianity, the ordination of women has been taking place in an increasing number of Protestant and Old Catholic churches, starting in the 20th century. Since ancient times, certain churches of the Orthodox tradition, such as the Coptic Orthodox Church, have raised women to the office of deaconess. While ordination of women has been approved in many denominations, it is still a very controversial and divisive topic.

Elizabeth Amy Eaton is the fourth Presiding Bishop, and the first female Presiding Bishop, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). She was first elected to this post in 2013 and was re-elected for a second term in 2019. Prior to becoming presiding bishop, she served as bishop of the Northeastern Ohio Synod.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christianity and transgender people</span> Attitude of Christians toward gender identity and transgender people

Within Christianity, there are a variety of views on the issues of gender identity and transgender people. Christian denominations vary in their official position: some explicitly support gender transition, some oppose it, and others are divided or have not taken an official stance. Within any given denomination, individual members may or may not endorse the official views of their church on the topic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sierra Pacific Synod</span> Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Sierra Pacific Synod is one of the 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). It covers central and northern California and northern Nevada and supports ELCA congregations throughout that region. It was headed by bishop Megan Rohrer who resigned on June 6, 2022.

April Ulring Larson is an American retired Lutheran bishop. In 1992, she became the first woman to be elected to serve as a bishop by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The Reverend James F. Mauney is a Lutheran pastor who served as Bishop of the Virginia Synod from 1999-2017. James Foltz Mauney was born to The Rev. Marshall F. Mauney and Laura Virginia Foltz Mauney of Norfolk, VA. His father served as pastor at First Lutheran, Norfolk, for 20 years.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Rev. Megan Rohrer". The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Religious Archives Network. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  2. ↑ Nahmod, David-Elijah (June 22, 2017). "Pride 2017: Trans pastor and police chaplain helps others". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Chien, Jen (May 10, 2016). "A shepherd finds the perfect flock". KALW . Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "The Rev. Megan Rohrer". Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries . Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Nahmod, David-Elijah (February 27, 2014). "Lutherans install trans pastor". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Rosato Jr., Joe (January 17, 2017). "San Francisco Police Department Hires Its First-Ever LGBTQ Chaplain". NBC Bay Area . Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  7. ↑ Flores, Jessica (2023-07-03). "SF transgender bishop who sued is removed from ministry after Latino pastor's dismissal". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  8. ↑ 20230628 Letter To Rostered Minister Megan Rohrer 1 2.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Distinguished Alumni/ae". Pacific School of Religion . Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  10. ↑ Pacific School of Religion (n.d.). "Doctor of Ministry Dissertations". Archived from the original on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  11. ↑ "Bishop-elect Megan Rohrer". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
  12. ↑ "Lutherans elect Megan Rohrer first transgender bishop". Religion News Service. 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  13. ↑ Rohrer, Megan. "Megan Rohrer (@mmrohrer) on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  14. ↑ DeSantis, Rachel. "Lutheran Church Elects First Transgender Bishop: 'A Place in History That Means a Lot'". People.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. ↑ Rohrer, Megan. "Reverend Dr. Megan Rohrer - I Am Beautiful". Cosmopolitan.com. Cosmopolitan Magazine. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  16. ↑ Martinez-Cabrera, Alejandro (July 26, 2010). "Gay and transgender Lutheran pastors reinstated". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  17. ↑ Business Session 5 - Synod Assembly 2021 , retrieved 2021-05-09
  18. ↑ O'Donnell, Paul (May 10, 2021). "Lutherans elect Megan Rohrer first transgender bishop". The Washington Post . Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  19. ↑ Bowman, Emma (May 10, 2021). "Megan Rohrer Elected As 1st Openly Transgender Bishop In U.S. Lutheran Church". NPR . Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Transgender Bishop Steps Into Historic Role In The Evangelical Lutheran Church". NPR . September 11, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  21. 1 2 Molina, Alejandra (June 2, 2022). "ELCA presiding bishop releases report examining removal of Latino pastor by Bishop Rohrer". Religion News Service . Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  22. ↑ Ferrannini, John (December 23, 2021). "Lutheran LGBTQ group accuses trans bishop of racism". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Local Homeless Coordinating Board". hsh.sfgov.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  24. ↑ Keynote and Business Session 3 - Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly 2022 , retrieved 2022-06-04
  25. ↑ Business Session 4 - Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly 2022 , retrieved 2022-06-04
  26. ↑ Flores, Jessica (June 6, 2022). "S.F. transgender Lutheran bishop resigns amid controversy over removal of pastor". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  27. ↑ Burkett, Eric (June 10, 2022). "Racism at heart of trans bishop's exit, but corruption allegations surface". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  28. 1 2 Rohrer V Pacific Sierra 2023 Workplace Harassment.
  29. ↑ Miller, Emily McFarlan (2023-03-09). "Former Bishop Megan Rohrer, forced to resign over Latino pastor's removal, sues ELCA". Religion News Service. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
  30. ↑ Bharath, Deepa (March 2, 2023). "Transgender pastor claims bias, sues Lutheran denomination". AP News . Associated Press . Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  31. ↑ 20230628 Letter To Rostered Minister Megan Rohrer 1 2.
  32. ↑ Flores, Jessica (2023-07-03). "S.F. transgender bishop who sued is removed from ministry after Latino pastor's dismissal". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  33. ↑ Downing, Shane (May 20, 2016). "Faith-Based Meetup Distributes PB&Js To The Castro's Hungry". Hoodline. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  34. ↑ Fagan, Kegin (October 9, 2016). "Transgender pastor preaches to the choir with love". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  35. ↑ Ennis, Dawn (July 20, 2015). "Minister Raises $2,000 Bail for Black Woman 'Arrested While Trans'". The Advocate . Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  36. ↑ Melendez, Lyanne (December 6, 2016). "Heartbreak in LGBT community for lives lost in Oakland Ghost Ship fire". ABC San Francisco . Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  37. ↑ Robinson, Joshua (March 30, 2017). "Trans pastor visits Missoula amid "bathroom bill" news". ABC Fox Montana. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  38. ↑ "Rev. Megan Rohrer on #TDOV2021 and #VaccinateSF". San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. March 30, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021– via YouTube.
  39. ↑ Martin, Diane (February 24, 2014). "Dalai Lama Honors Lutheran Church's First Transgender Pastor". Human Rights Campaign . Archived from the original on March 11, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  40. ↑ "2014 Honorable Mentions". Unsung Heroes of Compassion. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Winners 2014". The International Film Festival for Spirituality, Religion, and Visionary. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  42. ↑ Murrow, Lauren; Johnson, Sydney (November 19, 2015). "Saluting 37 Soldiers of Social Change". San Francisco Magazine . Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  43. ↑ "Books". Wilgefortis. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.