Rachel Mann becomes Church of England's first transgender archdeacon

Announcing her appointment, the Bishop of Manchester Rt Rev David Walker said: “I’m delighted that Rachel has agreed to be the next Archdeacon of Salford and Bolton. In her two years as full time Area Dean for the Bury and Rossendale Deanery, she has shown how she can care for and support her clergy and church officers across the breadth of Anglican tradition, whilst providing clear leadership in the mission goals set out in our Vision and Strategy.

“Her personal gifts, including as a writer, poet, liturgist and broadcaster, will combine with her new responsibilities, to help the people of this generation know and love Jesus Christ.”

The Revd Dr Matthew Porter, Bishop-designate of Bolton said: “I am very much looking forward to ministering with Rachel, as we seek to grow Christ’s Church, nurture disciples, and serve the people God has called us among.”

Accepting the appointment, Canon Rachel said: “I am humbled and excited to have been called to become the new Archdeacon of Bolton and Salford. I am passionate about helping individuals and communities meet Jesus and follow him and I look forward to serving alongside the people in the Archdeaconries of Bolton and Salford as we respond to God’s joyous call on our lives. Please do pray for me as I step forward into this demanding and hope-filled role and be assured of my prayers in the weeks, months and years to come.”

Appointed an Honorary Canon of Manchester Cathedral in 2017, Canon Rachel is also Visiting Teaching Fellow in the Manchester Writing School, MMU, and Visiting Scholar in Sarum College. She is a Trustee of Emmanuel Theological College and a member of the Church of England’s theological advisory board, the Faith And Order Commission. She is also a member of the General Synod, and Chair of the House of Clergy in Manchester Diocesan Synod.

VOL was sent another email with some of her writings. They can be seen here: https://www.rachelmann.co.uk/pp002.shtml

THEOLOGY

My work as a theologian has primarily been focussed on feminist/queer liturgical theology and practice.

SHE WRITES: As a feminist and queer writer, I try to ground my work in my own story and experience, producing liturgy that seeks to be critical of patriarchy and liberative for both men and women.

I also seek to work theologically with the relationship between liturgy and poetry, drawing attention to the creative and dynamic relations between both. Often using story and poetry, I explore the human sense of the transcendent and the divine in ways which break free of traditional gender and sexual stereotypes and extend the tradition. I try to demonstrate a commitment to gender justice and employ expansive language in an attempt to reclaim and create richer visions of the Divine. It does this in an attempt to open up more satisfying ways for all — male and female, black and white, straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered — to worship God.

A Prayer of Approach

Holy God, chuckling wise woman, tender and strange, we bless you.
Bless us, trouble us, bewitch us into delight in your love, mercy and grace.

Christ our Sister, unite us in your holy bleeding.
As you took spit and dust for healing,
take our hands, cracked and huge as washerwomen’s, for God’s work.
Take our sacred bodies for the healing of the world.

Birth-Spirit, as you coursed in intimacy through the veins
of Eve and Adam, Hagar and Abraham, Deborah and Lappidoth, Naomi and Ruth,
be the pulse of our lives. Desire us with your desire.

From: Presiding From the Broken Middle

And we shall speak a song God gave us
And we shall find bread in the stones we found
And we shall receive blessing when rejection is given
And we shall arise when we’ve been beaten down.

And we shall sing a song God gave us
And we shall break bread on holy ground
And we shall proclaim a blessing in a world that is riven
And we shall stand and know we are found.

And we shall roar a song God gave us
And we shall share bread among the lost and found
And God will heal from the broken middle
and with grace and hope and love astound.

I believe this borders on rubbish if not outright blasphemy.

Rachel Mann becomes Church of England’s first transgender archdeacon

by Donna Birrell
PREMIER CHRISTIAN NEWS
Jun 17, 2023

The Church of England has appointed its first transgender archdeacon.

Rev Canon Rachel Mann has been made Archdeacon of Bolton and Salford, having ministered in the Diocese of Manchester for the last 18 years.

Canon Rachel who is also an author and radio commentator, served her curacy at St Matthew’s Church, Stretford before taking on the role of Priest-in-Charge and later Rector at the Church of St Nicholas, Burnage. In June 2021, she left St Nicholas Burnage to take on her current role of Area Dean of Bury and Rossendale.