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Transgender Issues Next Battle in Culture B NDINGS Vol. 37 No. 2 A Publication of New Ways Ministry Spring 2018 In Germany, Catholic Church grapples with blessings for gay marriage By Tom Heneghan in a lesser-known provincial daily. become legal starting on Oct. 1. and a few only in private. National Catholic Reporter “I’m not for ‘marriage for all,’ but if Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich, The church in Württemberg, the January 24, 2018 two homosexuals enter a same-sex who as chairman of the bishops region around Stuttgart, is the only relationship, if they want to take conference is the country’s top Catholic holdout. Influenced by a conservative Germany's unexpected legalization responsibility for each other, then I can leader, reiterated his opposition to same- Pietist tradition in Lutheranism, its synod of gay marriage last year has created a bless this mutual responsibility,” he said. sex marriage just before Christmas and blocked a resolution to allow blessings pastoral dilemma for the country's “This is valuable and praiseworthy, has not publicly reacted to his deputy’s last November. Reform supporters Roman Catholic bishops, who even if this bond is not in complete comments. vowed to keep up their campaign. campaigned against the "marriage for agreement with the church.” But the issue is not likely to About 60 percent of Germans are all" bill and now have to maintain that disappear and may come up Christians, with slightly more Catholics doctrinal stand while also showing again soon — when the bishops than Protestants. Ecumenical cooperation respect for gay and lesbian parishioners. hold their next half-yearly and intermarriage are common, so Roman Catholicism firmly opposes meeting in the spring. developments in one denomination are same-sex marriage as unnatural, so even Legalization of same-sex often debated in the other, even if the Germany's creative theologians have marriage came as a surprise same change is not made. little leeway there. But the theology of because Merkel, the daughter of The Protestant churches changed giving a blessing to a gay couple is less a Lutheran pastor, had long their policies in recent years as public clear, and two bishops have now spoken opposed it. But she allowed a acceptance of homosexuality evolved. out in favor of considering some form of parliamentary vote on it under Germany decided in 2001 to legalize benediction as a way to adjust to the strong pressure from her Social same-sex civil unions, known as “Le- changing times. Democratic coalition partners benspartnerschaften” (life partnerships), The country's Protestant churches and the opposition parties. but pressure for marriage equality grew already offer gay couples at least a In the end, Merkel cast her vote slowly. blessing ceremony, if not a full church against legalization, but it Commonly called “homo marriage” marriage, and even the main association passed with a comfortable because it was not available to hetero- for lay Catholics supports allowing majority. sexual couples, the law on same-sex civil blessings. While Pope Francis has ruled Right after the law was unions expired in October when gay out approving gay marriage, he raised passed, Marx expressed hope marriage was made legal. expectations of some kind of reform that the traditionally Catholic The Central Committee of German early in his papacy by famously asking state of Bavaria, where Munich Catholics, an influential association of "who am I to judge?" about gay people. is the capital, would challenge it lay church activists, came out in favor of “Even though ‘marriage for all’ in Germany’s constitutional blessing same-sex couples in 2015. “We clearly differs from the church’s court. must build bridges between church understanding of marriage, it is now a The staunchly conservative doctrine on marriage and the family and political reality,” Bishop Franz-Josef state government, normally keen the world that believers are living in Bode of Osnabrück, the deputy chairman to line up with the Catholic today,” it said. of the German Bishops Conference, said Bishop Franz-Josef Bode Church when it serves its Although most church officials still earlier this month. political purposes, commissioned a long reject it, the idea of blessing gay couples “We have to ask ourselves how we Roman Catholicism, though it legal study but does not seem ready to has been under discussion long before should deal with people who tie this opposes same-sex marriage, preaches file a suit. Bode’s interview in the Neue Osna- knot. Some of them are active in the respect for individual gays and By contrast, all but one of the 20 brücker Zeitung made national headlines. church. So how are we going to lesbians. Both bishops made clear that a regional churches of the Evangelical “I know the issue is out there, not accompany them with pastoral care and church blessing would not amount to a Church in Germany (EKD), the only in Osnabrück or in the (episcopal in the liturgy?” Bode asked. “We could church wedding, because marriage in country’s main Protestant federation, conference’s) Pastoral Commission, but think about giving them a blessing.” Catholic teaching is a sacrament reserved began offering blessings for same-sex across Germany,” said Holger Dörne- After Bode spoke in an interview for a man and a woman. couples even before the national law mann, the new delegate for relations with with his local newspaper, it emerged that This suggestion comes after the changed. gay people in the Cologne Archdiocese, another prelate, retiring Auxiliary Bishop bishops protested last June when Five of them allow full church the largest and richest in the country. Chancellor Angela Merkel did an abrupt Dieter Geerlings of Münster, had wedding ceremonies and 14 offer (Continued on page 6) essentially said the same a month earlier U-turn that allowed nuptial equality to blessings, some during a public service Transgender issues next battle in culture war By Heidi Schlumpf that children are harmed when told they Bishop Joseph Bambera of Scranton, bishops' fall general assembly in The National Catholic Reporter can change their sex, "sowing confusion Pennsylvania, chair of the Committee on November in Baltimore, during which January 13, 2018 and self-doubt." Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. ecumenical and interfaith partners "Parents deserve better guidance on Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik told the discussed gender ideology with members In December, while the rest of the these important decisions, and we urge Pittsburgh Post-Gazette he also of the conference's Subcommittee for the country was debating tax reform and net our medical institutions to honor the supported the letter, though he was not a Promotion and Defense of Marriage. neutrality, four Catholic bishops and 16 basic medical principle of 'first, do no signatory. The press release also men- other conservative religious leaders harm,' " the letter said. It was unclear if any transgender tions previous letters on "religious issued an "open letter" about transgender It was signed by Archbishop Charles people were consulted in the drafting of freedom" and "defense of marriage," issues, firing a shot in what has become Chaput of Philadelphia, chair of the U.S. the document. Repeated requests by with similar groups of ecumenical the next major culture war issue after bishops' Committee on Laity, Marriage, NCR for comment from the United partners. same-sex marriage. Family Life and Youth; Bishop James States Catholic Conference of Catholic The transgender letter was signed by Not surprisingly, progressive Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, chair of Bishops, which released the statement, the Anglican Church in North America, Catholic groups — including New Ways the Subcommittee for the Promotion and were declined. which broke away from the Episcopal Ministry, Call to Action and Dignity Defense of Marriage; Archbishop Joseph However, a U.S. bishops' conference Church in 2009 over LGBT issues, and USA — denounced the document, while Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, chair of press release states that the letter is the by the more conservative Presbyterian traditionalist Catholic websites and the Committee for Religious Liberty; and result of a meeting, held after the U.S. Church in America, North American media supported it. Lost in the battle Lutheran Church, and the Lutheran were transgender people themselves. Church - Missouri Synod. "It's like we're collateral damage in It was not signed by those the culture war," said Hilary Howes, a denominations' more liberal counterparts: Washington D.C.-area Catholic and the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian founder of TransCatholic, a ministry to Church (U.S.A.), and the Evangelical transgendered people. "It's painful to Lutheran Church in America, which have have people think of us in this way." taken stances in favor of LGBT rights. The open letter, titled "Created Male The open letter also follows and Female," affirms the "inherent a February 2017 statement from Chaput dignity" of all people, but warns that and Bishop George Murry of Youngs- transgenderism is a "false idea" and town, Ohio, praising the Trump admin- "deeply troubling," and calls upon istration's repeal of a previous instruct- government to support "policies that ion from the U.S Departments of Justice uphold the scientific fact of human and Education that prohibited discrimin- biology." ation of students based on gender iden- Transgenderism "compels people to tity, including transgender status. either go against reason — that is, to "I think this is the new front in the agree with something that is not true — gender culture wars," said Mark Silk, or face ridicule, marginalization, and professor of religion in public life at other forms of retaliation," said the Dec. Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, 15 document. (Continued on page 8) The bishops and other signers warn Archbishop Joseph Kurtz Hilary Howes Page 2 BONDINGS Vol.
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