Worshippers had been reportedly left in tears by a sermon on the College of Cambridge’s Trinity Faculty chapel that instructed Jesus had a “trans” physique.
The sermon was delivered at a latest evensong service by visitor speaker Joshua Heath, a junior analysis fellow.
Within the sermon, the researcher explored depictions of Jesus in Medieval and Renaissance artwork and instructed that the wounded facet of Christ “takes on a decidedly vaginal look”.
He used the 14th-century portray Pietà with the Holy Trinity, by Jean Malouel, to assist his argument.
“In Christ’s concurrently masculine and female physique in these works, if the physique of Christ as these works counsel the physique of all our bodies, then his physique can be the trans physique,” stated Heath, based on The Telegraph.
Regardless of complaints of “heresy” from members of the congregation, the sermon has been defended by Dean of Trinity Faculty, Dr Michael Banner, who stated that the interpretation was “respectable” even when individuals may disagree with it.
Trinity Faculty stated in an announcement: “Neither the Dean of Trinity Faculty nor the researcher giving the sermon instructed Jesus was transgender.
“The sermon addressed the picture of Christ depicted in artwork and numerous interpretations of these inventive portrayals.
“The sermon’s exploration of the character of spiritual artwork, within the spirit of thought-provoking educational inquiry, was in line with open debate and dialogue on the College of Cambridge.”
