The Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM), a coalition that supports LGBT Lutheran clergy, has suspended Bishop Meghan Rohrer, the first trans-identified bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the U.S. and the head of the California-based ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod.
Rohrer, who uses they/them pronouns, was suspended after being found to have "an existing pattern of behavior" that violated ELM's "mission, vision and values...specifically as it pertains to being an anti-racist organization."
"This suspension is not only a response to recent harm done by the Sierra Pacific Synod Council and Bishop Rohrer to the Latinx community in Stockton, CA. This is a decision that ELM staff and Board have been discerning for much of 2021," the ELM board wrote in a statement released on December 20.
"The Accountability Team has attempted to work with Bishop Rohrer to specifically address how the bishop's racist words and actions have harmed members of the ELM staff, board, and community."
According to ELM, Rorher refused the group's Accountability Team's "invitation for continued work to repair these relationships." The group, however, did not disclose what specifically Rohrer's "racist words and actions" were. However, recent reports revealed that Rohrer fired Rev. Nelson Rabell-González of Misión Latina Luterana in Stockton, California on December 12, the Christian Post reported.
In addition, ELM co-chair Michael Wilker told the Cosmopolitan profile on Rohrer said that the first openly transgender pastor in the Lutheran Church "educate others about the importance of acceptance, saying the key to combatting prejudice is to always be your best self and, in turn, be louder than fear."
Before becoming the first transgender bishop of the Lutheran Church, Rohrer was a pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in San Francisco and also served as the community chaplain coordinator for the San Francisco Police Department. Rohrer became bishop in September, during which they said that their installation was a testament to "all that is possible when we trust God to shepherd us forward."
Rohrer, who reported being constantly harassed in school as a youth, shared that other students would use the Gospel of Matthew to imply that it would be better if they drowned at sea. The constant hatred and abuse inspired Rohrer to use faith as a source of love and acceptance, and to pursue religious education.
However, Rohrer's recent "racist words and actions" appear to oppose the message of acceptance. Due to the suspension, Rohrer will no longer be invited to ELM events. ELM has also asked Rohrer to remove references to the group from writings, biographies, and reports.
Rohrer's installation did not come without criticism. In fact, Exposing the ELCA wrote that installing a transgender person as a bishop was a "complete slap in the face to God."
