The Rev Karen Booth, executive director of Transforming Congregations, an organisation she says ministers to "sexually confused, sinful and broken people", believes transgender people exhibit a "deep, psychological conflict", according to the United Methodist News Service.
While the Church should minister to them, she says, leadership should not be an option.
"We recognise that there are, in fact, people who are unfortunately born with a chromosomal blueprint that is ambiguous. That is a valid medical condition that needs to be addressed," she said, as reported by UMNS. "Most of what we see is more of a psychological state where a person says, 'I don't feel like I'm in the right body.' We believe that's a blurring of the distinct way God created us as male and female."
Phoenix argues that transgenderism is compatible with Christian teaching.
"It was in the context of my faith in Christ, led by the Spirit, that I made the transition (of gender)," Phoenix said. "We want to be known as the children God created us to be. That's been my experience with my Church, across the board.
"I can say that I have come home to the child that God created me to me, and I'm very joyful, whole and peaceful," Phoenix said Thursday at a press conference sponsored by pro-gay group Affirmation during the General Conference in Fort Worth.
Booth, meanwhile, says it is ironic that "gays and lesbians say, 'God created me this way' whereas transgender people say, 'God made a mistake.'"
"There's a real inconsistency here," she said.
Booth submitted petitions to the General Conference for church policy to state that neither transgenderism nor transsexuality "reflects God's best intentions for humankind".
