'Drag & Spirituality Summit’ at Emmanuel Bridges Faith and Performance
Julian Munro, an MDiv/MPS student at Emmanuel who co-directed the summit, as their drag persona King Julez. (Photos by Will Dang and Shawn Kazubowski Houston)
By Joe Howell
Emmanuel College recently hosted a first-of-its-kind conference exploring the intersection of drag performance and the sacred. This was the first time the three-year-old Drag & Spirituality Summit took place at a theological school.
The international summit brought drag performers and faith leaders together for a mix of panel discussions, workshops, keynotes and live performances. The event was co-sponsored by the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts, the continuing education unit at Emmanuel which puts on various public-facing events.
Hosting the summit was a visible and public proclamation of the multi-faith college’s commitment to inclusivity, said Rev. Dr. HyeRan Kim-Cragg, principal of Emmanuel College.
“Having a drag show in a theological school might seem like a bold statement,” she said. “Emmanuel is just embodying what it means to fully welcome LGBTQ+ members.”
Emmanuel College, located within Victoria University in the University of Toronto, is rooted in the ecumenical heritage of the United Church of Canada. The school offers Christian, Muslim and Buddhist foci in its Master of Theological Studies and Master of Psychospiritual Studies programs, and welcomes members of other religious communities who wish to get a degree in counselling with a spiritual dimension.
The summit preceded centennial celebrations of the UCC, which was founded in 1925 and has embraced queer identities since the 1980s. “The United Church has been a trailblazer among Christian denominations in challenging norms on this and other progressive issues,” said Kim-Cragg.
Emmanuel College student Julian Munro, who performs under the drag clown persona King Julez, co-directed the conference. Munro first proposed to Kim-Cragg that Emmanuel host the event after attending last year’s Drag & Spirituality Summit in San Francisco.
Munro, a United Church ministry candidate, is working on their joint Master of Divinity/Master of Psychospiritual Studies degree and is also this year’s chair of the Emmanuel College Student Society. They said their journey into drag began six years ago as they sought non-traditional ways to explore gender presentation, finding the art form to be a deeply spiritual practice capable of overcoming all manner of barriers.
“I like to bring the King Julez character to religious and spiritual spaces because it really helps to tear down some of those walls,” said Munro. “Throughout history, clowns have been the ones to tell stories and to poke holes in systems of power.”
Kim-Cragg said the fusion of drag and spirituality offered rich opportunities for exploration, while acknowledging the event could surface tensions in a theological setting.
“We choose to live with that intersectional complexity in a multi-faith institution like Emmanuel,” said Kim-Cragg. “We don’t expect everyone to be of one mind all the time. As long as something is not hatred or intentionally exclusionary, we are prepared to learn how to negotiate differences without losing our own identities.”
There are also challenges regarding the religious trauma experienced by some in the queer community, said Munro—but humour and art play crucial roles in bridging gaps and fostering understanding.
“Laughter and play are all immensely healing and community-building,” they said. “I’ve personally felt most connected to a divine presence amid just complete and utter joy.”
The annual summit aims to create an inclusive space for both experienced drag artists and those curious about spirituality in the art form, Munro said: “We really just want to open the doors and shine a light on what this art form means to people, and how beautifully it’s integrated with our spiritual lives.”
Kim-Cragg emphasized that laughter can be a powerful tool of resistance.
“It’s nonsense that people discriminate based on gender, race, language, whatever,” she said. “When faced with that absurdity, how do you defy it? Through humour. Part of our academic and theological mission is cultivating creativity.”
Emmanuel’s commitment to inclusivity is also reflected in the college’s growing number of queer-identified students, said Kim-Cragg. “Many LGBTQ+ students were rejected from their previous denominations but still feel a spiritual calling. This summit provides a space where their lived experiences can be fully heard and acknowledged.”
Kim-Cragg said she hoped the Drag & Spirituality Summit would disrupt binary notions of “the sacred and the profane” through its queer-affirming approach to religion.
“We encourage open dialogue and mutual respect among different faith traditions,” said Kim-Cragg. “That work can be difficult, but why come to university if not to challenge your own boundaries and unexamined prejudices? Emmanuel seeks to provide an education that’s grounded in both academic learning and actual theological engagement with the world.”
Curious to discover if you can see yourself here? Learn about our programs at Emmanuel Encounter, a meet and greet for prospective students on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Please visit here for details and registration, or contact admissions counsellor Andrew Aitchison at emmanuel.admissions@utoronto.ca for more info.