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That sliding scale of tolerance/acceptance
9 years ago
General
I started thinking about this again because of a rather earth-shattering statement from Pope Francis the other day that you've undoubtedly read about...
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Pope Francis said Sunday that Christians owe apologies to gays and others who have been offended or exploited by the church, remarks that some Catholics hailed as a breakthrough in the church's tone toward homosexuality.
"I repeat what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: that they must not be discriminated against, that they must be respected and accompanied pastorally," Francis said at a press conference aboard the papal plane returning from Armenia.
"The Church must ask forgiveness for not behaving many times -- when I say the Church, I mean Christians! The Church is holy, we are sinners!"
As he often does during unscripted moments -- particularly papal news conferences -- the Pope spoke expansively, saying the church should seek forgiveness for a number of historical slights committed in its name.
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It's pretty monumental, really. No Pope has ever come close to this type of admission or declaration concerning gay people. It's kind of like his former "Who am I to judge" on steroids.
Yet, thinking about it another way, it is no surprise many within the LGBT community want more--more than just lip service when they see no actual change in policy, and that much of the same oppressive structure is still in place--still harming people by making them feel less than whole, less than God's perfect plan. Nothing has fundamentally changed in the Catholic church as far as stances of the institution marriage, and how the gay person is not afforded the same covenant, and their options less than their heterosexual counterparts.
Yet, it's still something, to reread his most recent statements above and realize this has never occurred. In Papal attitude, there IS change, there is a clarity which didn't exist before, and the encouragement for other Christians--not just Catholics--to reach out in love to their gay brothers and sisters, and apologize for their actions.
So I guess my question is, should we be glad for incremental changes? Should we use the opportunity to address the very real forms of discrimination which are still in place in the Church, or should we just gracefully receive what we get at the moment?
~ ~ ~
Pope Francis said Sunday that Christians owe apologies to gays and others who have been offended or exploited by the church, remarks that some Catholics hailed as a breakthrough in the church's tone toward homosexuality.
"I repeat what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: that they must not be discriminated against, that they must be respected and accompanied pastorally," Francis said at a press conference aboard the papal plane returning from Armenia.
"The Church must ask forgiveness for not behaving many times -- when I say the Church, I mean Christians! The Church is holy, we are sinners!"
As he often does during unscripted moments -- particularly papal news conferences -- the Pope spoke expansively, saying the church should seek forgiveness for a number of historical slights committed in its name.
~ ~ ~
It's pretty monumental, really. No Pope has ever come close to this type of admission or declaration concerning gay people. It's kind of like his former "Who am I to judge" on steroids.
Yet, thinking about it another way, it is no surprise many within the LGBT community want more--more than just lip service when they see no actual change in policy, and that much of the same oppressive structure is still in place--still harming people by making them feel less than whole, less than God's perfect plan. Nothing has fundamentally changed in the Catholic church as far as stances of the institution marriage, and how the gay person is not afforded the same covenant, and their options less than their heterosexual counterparts.
Yet, it's still something, to reread his most recent statements above and realize this has never occurred. In Papal attitude, there IS change, there is a clarity which didn't exist before, and the encouragement for other Christians--not just Catholics--to reach out in love to their gay brothers and sisters, and apologize for their actions.
So I guess my question is, should we be glad for incremental changes? Should we use the opportunity to address the very real forms of discrimination which are still in place in the Church, or should we just gracefully receive what we get at the moment?
He deserves some credit. He's at least trying to be a morally consistent Christian and I can respect that even if I disagree with how he interprets that particular charge.
What it mostly seems to come down to is, he's all about showing grace and genuine love to a person, regardless of how sinful or connected with the Church the person may or may not be. While it's still slightly conditional, it's still a refreshing change from other most other past popes.
God does such funny things, like bringing an unlikely person to become Pope; And by the way, not the first time. Check out Pope John the 23rd...
Even throughout church history God rose up people to challenge Papal authority. It is a well-known fact that God sends unlikely messengers to keep the Pope honest when the need arises. Just like the Old Testament Prophets and John the Baptist. People like Joan of Arc, Theresa of Leisue (sp?), Francis of Assisi, Hildegard of Bingen, and a lot of FEMALE personas to challenge the male-dominated "court."
Under the last Pope, we had such a stifling of faith and a strong adherence to the rubrics of the church. It was an emphasis on "How" we do things instead of the "Why" we do them. This is totally different under Pope Francis. The WHY means more than the process. I have great faith in Francis. I pray that those who have no faith at all may begin to see that God is the Lover and not the vindictive monster portrayed in the O.T., and that those people come to know the Saviour, no matter what denomination (if any) that they may be in.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/07/livin.....iew/index.html
So perhaps he might be liberalizing the church's stance in respect to sexual/romantic ethics.
Pope Francis seems to be saying it is no more sinful than pre-marital sex, and further that sexual sins are not inherently worse than other sins such as coveting. Further the Catholic church traditionally stresses forgiveness.
So I see it as him saying that was and is wrong for Christians to have singled out the LGBT community. Also part of Catholic Theology includes the idea that in the end each individual must use their own judgement and conscience when determining whether something is sinful (does it harm others? does it cause one to turn away from the sufferings of others and from God).