Is German Catholic Blessing of Gay Marriages Sound Theology


Attacks on the German Catholic Church's intention to approval gay marriages are just beginning. It's going to be a bloodbath. But the Germans have figured something out that has eluded the world Catholic Church for a long time. It is that human experience has always influenced how the Bible was read. It is OK to do it today. Opponents of Germany will have a hard time putting down the German Catholic Church on this. Their case is strong.

Mark Silk, a Methodist columnist, discusses the very recent declaration in which the Vatican declares clearly "blessings" of the church cannot be given to same sex marriage because it is not a marriage and sex out of marriage is a sin. The German Bishop said the Vatican's views would be considered along with  others. Silk chuckles at the Vatican's hopeless effort to stop the German branch of the Catholic Church. 

A Belgian Bishop calls the Vatican ruling against same-sex marriage a decision that has intellect at "the High School level." He openly criticized the Vatican.

While I may not understand the German argument well, my impression is it goes something like this. Jesus was a human. His expression of the gospel took place in the context of the time. Why can't humans repeat this today, is part of their case. The are going through the arguments methodically hearing all views. It seems clear minds at the top in Germany are ready to keep performing a style of wedding ceremony.  

The Belgian Bishop pushed back on the Vatican's statement the Church cannot bless a sin. The Bishop said

“sin is one of the most difficult theological and moral categories to define, and one of the last to pin on people and their way of living together.”

The Belgian Bishop knows well the Vatican's sin business going far back into time. If pushed I'm sure he will point to arbitrary labels of sin which were changed by humans when times changed. This, of course, is the case being made by the Germans.

We're in for some great entertainment as this plays out.

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