The issue of transgender equality continues to be a sensitive one. The subject became more of an issue when former Olympic star Bruce Jenner revealed his desire to become female during a televised interview.
Many Christian denominations remain steadfast in their disapproval of transgender lifestyle choices, which they regard as sinful. Other denominations remain divided. There are several denominations, however, that have held the most conservative stance on the transgender issue.
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1. Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal denomination of more than 6 million members and is the also the largest African-American Christian denomination. It has "to date, remained silent on transgender issues." However, the church has traditionally taken a conservative stance against homosexuals in general.
2. United Pentecostal Church International
Pentecostal congregations, of which the United Pentecostal Church International is one, make up approximately 25 percent of Christians around the world.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, "Pentecostal congregations have historically condemned homosexuality … most Pentecostal denominations have doctrinal statements condemning homosexuality."
3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States, otherwise known as the "Mormon" faith. With regards to transgender issues, "The church has not publically confronted the issue of transgender Mormons. However, a transgender Mormon who has sex reassignment surgery will almost certainly be subject to ecclesiastical discipline."
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4. Anglican Church
According to a 2014 Anglican Ink article, all forms of homosexuality will "remain a sin for the Church of England [Anglican Church] for now."
5. Episcopal Church
A variation of the Anglican Church of England, the Episcopal Church appears to be among the least conservative. In a 2012 decision the Church's leadership "overwhelmingly voted to allow the ordination of transgender people, by approving a change to the church's 'nondiscrimination canons' to include 'gender identity and expression.'"
6. The Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church remains the largest Christian denomination in the world, with more than 1.2 billion members. By and large, the church as a whole, "consider(s) gender reassignment surgery as mutation and violation of God's plan."
7. Christian Reformed Church
Although the Christian Reformed Church does not promote denying acceptance to transgender and other gay or lesbian individuals, the church's doctrine also specifies that such lifestyles results from sinfulness.
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8. United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church has experienced a divide during the past few years between those who favor equality for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender members and those who advocate the church's conservative doctrine. John Lomperis, the United Methodist director at the Institute on Religion and Democracy explained, in
a 2013 Boston Globe article, that, "Currently within the United Methodist Church, we have people with fundamentally irreconcilable differences about not just issues of sexual morality, but basic core beliefs."