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German bishops proclaim homosexuality ‘normal,’ adultery ‘not grave’
LifeSite News ^ | December 9, 2019 | Dorothy Cummings McLean

Posted on 12/10/2019 1:48:45 PM PST by ebb tide

German bishops proclaim homosexuality ‘normal,’ adultery ‘not grave’

BERLIN, December 9, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) ― The Commission for Marriage and Family of the German Bishops’ Conference has come to a consensus that homosexuality is a “normal form of sexual predisposition.”

Two German prelates have also claimed that Amoris Laetitia teaches that sexual relationships formed after a divorce are neither gravely sinful nor a bar to the reception of Holy Communion.

On December 5, the German Bishops’ Conference published a press release detailing the results of an “expert consultation on the topic ‘The sexuality of man: how to discuss it scientifically-theologically, and how to assess it ecclesiastically?’”

The consultation, which included a panel of bishops, sexologists, moral theologians, dogmatic theologians, and canon lawyers, took place in Berlin and concluded on December 4. The timing of the event coincided with the German bishops’ departure along their own “synodal path.”

According to the press release, the experts agreed that “human sexuality encompasses a dimension of lust, of procreation, and of relationships.”

They also agreed that homosexuality is as “normal” as heterosexuality and that neither sexual attraction should be changed.

“There was also agreement that the sexual preference of man expresses itself in puberty and assumes a hetero- or homosexual orientation. Both belong to the normal forms of sexual predisposition, which cannot or should be be changed with the help of a specific socialization,” the press release stated.

The communiqué offered this status of normality as the reason why “any form of discrimination of those persons with a homosexual orientation has to be rejected,” a teaching it says has been demanded for “quite some time” by the teaching office of the Church and was “explicitly stressed by Pope Francis” in Amoris Laetitia.

Agreement had its limits, however. There was no consensus on “whether the magisteral ban on practiced homosexuality is still up to date.” The experts also disagreed on whether or not both married and unmarried people should be allowed to use artificial contraceptives.

The German bishops’ press release mentioned in particular Archbishop Heiner Koch of Berlin, the head of the Commission for the Family, and Bishop Franz-Joseph Bode of Osnabrück. Both had been present at the Synod on the Family in Rome in 2015. According to the statement, both men stressed “the importance of a solid discussion based on human sciences and theology and stressed the developments that already can be found in Amoris Laetitia.” 

As their example of a “development” in Amoris Laetitia, the German bishops state that the document says “a sexual relationship after a divorce and remarriage is no longer generally assessed as being a grave sin, and, subsequently, a general exclusion from the reception of the Eucharist is not foreseen.”

The other German prelates in the panel included Bishop Wolfgang Ipolt of Görlitz, Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz, and several auxiliary bishops from the Commision for the Family.

The 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church states clearly that homosexual acts are “instrinsically disordered” and “contrary to the natural law” (CCC 2357).

“They close the sexual act to the gift of life,” it continues. “They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity.”

“Under no circumstances can they be approved.”

However, the Catechesis does indeed stress that the suffering of people with same-sex attraction should not be increased by unkind treatment:

The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition (CCC 2358) 

The Catechism also stresses that “homosexual persons are called to chastity” and can “approach Christian perfection” through self-mastery, friendship, prayer, and sacramental grace (CCC 2359).

However, there is widespread rebellion in the Catholic Church in Germany against the perennial doctrine of the Church on sexual matters, including among members of the German Bishops’ Conference. The German Bishops Conference’s insistence on holding its own synod, or “synodal path,” without Vatican permission, has more traditional German Catholics worried.

Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, a president emeritus of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, has warned that proceeding down this  path — one that  questions the Church's teachings on the celibate, male priesthood; homosexuality; and marriage — could lead to a “national church” without “nearly any ties to Rome.” The dubia cardinal stated that this would be “certainly be the surest path into the final decline” of the German Church.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Moral Issues
KEYWORDS: apostates; catholicbishops; francisbishops; francischism; germany; heretics; homosexualagenda; romancatholic
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Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, a president emeritus of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, has warned that proceeding down this  path — one that  questions the Church's teachings on the celibate, male priesthood; homosexuality; and marriage — could lead to a “national church” without “nearly any ties to Rome.” The dubia cardinal stated that this would be “certainly be the surest path into the final decline” of the German Church.
1 posted on 12/10/2019 1:48:45 PM PST by ebb tide
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To: Al Hitan; Coleus; DuncanWaring; ebb tide; Fedora; irishjuggler; Jaded; JoeFromSidney; kalee; ...

Ping

(Reposted with live link)


2 posted on 12/10/2019 1:49:40 PM PST by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: ebb tide

the German church died today.

no hope.


3 posted on 12/10/2019 1:50:28 PM PST by teeman8r (Armageddon won't be pretty, but it's not like it's the end of the world.)
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To: ebb tide

That actually appears to be the case these days.


4 posted on 12/10/2019 1:52:07 PM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: ebb tide

WRONG.


5 posted on 12/10/2019 1:53:53 PM PST by karnage
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To: ebb tide

Hell is going to be busy applying for building permits to make room for these guys.


6 posted on 12/10/2019 1:54:41 PM PST by lastchance (Credo.)
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To: ebb tide

I hate this kind of reporting. The German prelates did NOT proclaim that adultery is grave. They denied, beyond reason admittedly, that 2nd marriages don’t constitute adultery. God forbid anyone see such a headline and conclude that the Church says sleeping around when you’re married isn’t grave!


7 posted on 12/10/2019 1:57:58 PM PST by dangus
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To: ebb tide
Wrong! Treating homosexuals with the same level of respect and dignity as anyone else, OK. Compromising basic Judeo Christian principles to embrace sinful lifestyles, NOT OK
8 posted on 12/10/2019 2:00:41 PM PST by Impala64ssa (Virtue signalling is no virtue)
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To: ebb tide

Don’t see that “proclaimed” in my Bible. Are they confused about their proper role, or something?


9 posted on 12/10/2019 2:08:00 PM PST by RatRipper
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To: ebb tide

Modern day Martin Luthers. They choose the world over God.


10 posted on 12/10/2019 2:11:23 PM PST by Grey182 (A Catholic Bishop Emeritus is still a Bishop, a Pope Emeritus... 209.157.64.200)
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To: lightman

The German Catholic Church finally went around the bend and off the cliff; it’s dead now.


11 posted on 12/10/2019 2:16:58 PM PST by Carriage Hill (A society grows great when old men plant trees, in whose shade they know they will never sit.)
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To: ebb tide

‘The Commission for Marriage and Family of the German Bishops’ Conference has come to a consensus that homosexuality is a “normal form of sexual predisposition.”’

So what is next? Pedophilia, beastiality? Probably so.


12 posted on 12/10/2019 2:19:30 PM PST by antidemoncrat
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To: ebb tide

Well that settles it. The Bible is wrong, and Jesus was wrong. Glad they cleared that up.


13 posted on 12/10/2019 2:24:26 PM PST by beethovenfan (Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin)
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To: carriage_hill

https://www.dailywire.com/news/walsh-floor-hell-paved-skulls-bishops-matt-walsh

“Saint Athanasius is credited with saying, ‘The floor of Hell is paved with the skulls of bishops.’ In fact, many saints have made comments similar to this. Saint John Chrysostom had the most detailed version: ‘The road to Hell is paved with the bones of priests and monks, and the skulls of bishops are the lamp posts that light the path.’”


14 posted on 12/10/2019 2:29:55 PM PST by lightman (The Millenials are asleep in their "wokeness".)
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To: ebb tide

Isaiah 5:20


15 posted on 12/10/2019 2:32:05 PM PST by william clark (Ecclesiastes 10:2)
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To: ebb tide

They have ceased to be Catholic … they’re vile heretics in the same mold as the Arian “bishops” millennia ago …

We learned The Faith decades ago; we know The Faith. These so called “bishops” have deviated from Truth, not we who keep The Faith we learned in our youth.


16 posted on 12/10/2019 2:42:23 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: NorthMountain

The atheistic Left has infiltrated all major religions. They got one of them installed as Pope.


17 posted on 12/10/2019 2:43:19 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: dfwgator

We have a Pope. His professional name is “Benedict”.

I’m not totally clear on what that other guy is, other than him being a heretic.


18 posted on 12/10/2019 2:44:26 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: ebb tide

Next, murder is good because it sends people to God.


19 posted on 12/10/2019 2:46:49 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not Averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: william clark; ebb tide; carriage_hill
“Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Thy Word”
by Martin Luther, 1483-1546

1. Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word;
Curb those who fain by craft and sword
Would wrest the Kingdom from Thy Son
And set at naught all He hath done.

2. Lord Jesus Christ, Thy power make known,
For Thou art Lord of lords alone;
Defend Thy Christendom that we
May evermore sing praise to Thee.

3. O Comforter of priceless worth.
Send peace and unity on earth.
Support us in our final strife
And lead us out of death to life.

Hymn 261
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: John 8: 31
Author: Martin Luther, 1541
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863
Titled: “Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort”
Tune: “Erhalt uns, Herr”
1st Published in: Geistliche Lieder
Town: Wittenberg, 1543

20 posted on 12/10/2019 2:47:20 PM PST by lightman (The Millenials are asleep in their "wokeness".)
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