Female pastor faces backlash for draping ‘un-Christian emblem’ over Communion table
A female pastor at an Anglican church in northeast England is facing widespread criticism for placing the trans-inclusive Progress Pride flag on a Communion table.
Some Anglicans have expressed outrage, stressing that the flag violates canon law and is “not a Christian emblem.”
Sunderland Minster, a Grade II-listed Church of England venue that is part of the progressive advocacy group “Inclusive Church Network,” has been displaying the multicolored banner in its Bede chapel, The Telegraph reported.
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The Rev. Jacqui Tyson, the associate priest who presides there, posted photographs of the draped altar on social media. “I’m proud to serve in a church that is open to God and open to all. I love these folk and so does God,” she wrote on X.
Sunderland Minster, according to its website, advocates for a welcoming environment that affirms diverse backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations. With the stated motto of “Open to God: Open to All,” it describes itself as “a faithful and lively Christian community” dedicated to building an environment of acceptance.
The Rev. Ian Paul, associate minister at St Nic’s in Nottingham, called the flag’s presence on the Communion table “a violation of canon law.”
The display, he told The Telegraph, “is not inclusive, but exclusive — it excludes people who do not accept the false claims of transgender ideology.” He added that it also “distorts and misrepresents the purpose of the Communion table,” which, he said, is already open to all individuals regardless of their identity, as they are invited to share in the bread and wine.
Canon law requires Communion tables to be covered with a plain cloth of white, silk or other suitable material.
The gender-critical advocacy group LGB Christians has also denounced the flag. “This distinctly un-Christian emblem should be removed since it is illegal, and utterly alien in the context of Anglican worship,” the group was quoted as saying. “Above all else the Progress flag symbolizes one of the greatest threats to safeguarding and an inducement to betray medical and educational good practice while also being theologically illiterate.”
In 2022, St. Nicholas’ Church in Leicester requested permission from the Diocese of Leicester to permanently display the Progress Pride flag on their altar. St. Nicholas’ staff argued that the flag symbolized the redemption of the world by God in Christ, including trans-identified individuals, people of color and the LGBT community through Christ’s Crucifixion, the Daily Mail reported at the time. The church further claimed that the hardships endured by Jesus during His Crucifixion mirrored the struggles faced by LGBTQ-identified individuals.
In February 2024, Chancellor Naomi Gyane refused permission for it, saying, “The Progress Pride flag is not a Christian emblem.” She described it as a secular symbol used for a variety of issues and noted that canon law mandates the table remain covered by a suitable cloth, preserving a focus on Jesus’ sacrifice for everyone who approaches the sacrament.
