German Catholic Prits Defy Rome to Offer Blsgs to Gay Coupl - Light Of Tth

german priests blessing gay couples

German Catholics challenge the Vatin's nservative teachg on gay blsgs and female preachers.

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GERMAN CATHOLIC PRITS DEFY ROME TO OFFER BLSGS TO GAY COUPL

More than 100 Roman Catholic parish Germany held servic to bls gay upl, fiance of the Vatin’s refal to regnize same-sex unns. * german priests blessing gay couples *

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTMore than 100 Roman Catholic parish Germany held servic to bls gay upl, fiance of the Vatin’s refal to regnize same-sex Hoerhager/DPA, via Associated PrsBERLIN — More than 100 Roman Catholic parish Germany offered blsgs to gay upl on Monday fiance of church teachg and their own ll for natnwi blsgs me rponse to a cree issued by the Vatin on March 15, rercg the church’s prohibn of prits askg for God’s benevolence for gay upl, statg that God “do not and nnot bls s.

GERMAN PRITS FY VATIN TO BLS GAY UPL

“In view of the refal of the Congregatn for the Doctre of the Fah to bls homosexual partnerships, we raise our voic and say: We will ntue to acpany people who enter to a bdg partnership the future and bls their relatnship, ” the group said a statement.

Church doctre says that while gay people mt be treated wh digny, homosexualy is “trsilly disorred. ” Pope Francis has not changed this teachg, but has ocsnally raised the hop of gay Catholics by speakg of the need to love and wele gay and transgenr German church is among the most powerful and liberal the world, and Roman Catholics everywhere were watchg the rponse to the blsgs for signals of how the church might rpond to attempts at reform om those the pews and om the prits who are often among those most active fdg ways to clu gay men and lbians the church. “There has been this credible discsn Germany about same-sex upl specifilly that has not taken place anywhere else, ” said Francis DeBernardo, the executive director of New Ways Mistry, which reprents gay and lbian Catholics the Uned Stat.

“We held a blsg service this Valente’s Day, but was important to view of this story om Rome to send a clear signal that the church mt regnize, honor and appreciate life all of s many lors, ” said Father Mönkebüscher, who intifi as gay.

DOZENS OF GERMAN PRITS WILL FY THE VATIN AND LIVE-STREAM BLSGS OF GAY UPL

“We n’t ignore the fact that a lot of homosexual upl have already left the church. More about Melissa EddyA versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 9 of the New York edn wh the headle: Defyg Rome Decree, German Prits Bls Gay Coupl. In many plac, a general blsg was given at the end of the service, which, however, explicly clud homosexual upl and their relatnships.

Several German bishops have prevly spoken favor of blsgs for homosexual unns, cludg Ge Bätzg (Limburg), Franz-Josef Overbeck (Essen), Helmut Dier (Aachen), Rehard Marx (Munich and Freisg), Franz-Josef Bo (Osnabrück), Peter Kohlgraf (Maz), and Herich Timmerevers (Drn-Meissen). Thoands of German prits and church employe have also signed a petn llg on the Church to extend blsgs to same-sex upl, while some parish have also displayed rabow flags outsi Catholic Church Germany is more liberal and wealthy than many other untri and the creasgly vol acceptance of gay upl will be hard for the Vatin to ignore, the BBC's Damien McGuns Berl marriage has been legal Germany sce 2017 and the untry has also banned so-lled "gay nversn therapy" for might be terted :Media ptn, Comg out to my parents: Dad 'proud' of gay Mlim sonMore on this story.

Dozens of Catholic prits Germany plan fy the Vatin and bls homosexual partnerships, wh many set to live-stream the blsgs onle.

GERMANY'S QUIET CATHOLIC REBELLN ON GAY BLSGS AND WOMEN PREACHERS

In rponse, more than 230 profsors of Catholic theology Germany – and other untri where German is spoken – signed a statement prottg the cisn, the Associated Prs a statement, the group clared that the cree "is marked by a paternalistic air of superry and discrimat agast homosexual people and their life plans. "In view of the refal of the Congregatn for the Doctre of the Fah to bls homosexual partnerships, we raise our voic and say: We will ntue to acpany people who enter to a bdg partnership the future and bls their relatnship, " the group said a statement. A group of dissentg prits has also piled a list of church servic that will take place natnwi on or around May 10, where prits will publicly bls gay upl.

While the Vatin holds that gay people mt be treated wh digny and rpect and n be blsed, gay sex is "trsilly disorred. But drew notable phback Germany, which has seen discsn on hot-button issu such as the church’s teachg on homosexualy as part of a formal procs of bate and Moenkebucher, a pastor om wtern Germany who helped iate blsgs for same-sex upl last year, told the dpa news agency that the participants the new iative were spired by a public g-out by 185 actors Germany last iative is llg for all LGBTIQ who work for the church to jo up, and appealg to bishops to give s manifto public support. Your thoughts on german tholic Prits blsg gay upl.

That's bee for the lbian and gay Catholics here, after a lifetime the Church, this is the first time they have felt fully accepted. That's OK too, says Fr Kordschke wh a the Pope has said on homosexualyOctober 2020: Pope Francis tells a documentary-maker same-sex upl should be allowed to have "civil unns". "Homosexual people...

CATHOLIC PRITS GERMANY BLS GAY COUPL, DEFYG POPE

"October 2014: Bishops at the Church synod drop proposals for wir acceptance of gay people that were backed by the 2013: On a flight the Pope tells reporters that gay people should not be margalised but tegrated to society. Gay clergymen should be fiven and their ss fotten, he ptn, "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?

”Prits and dc all over Germany have joed the “Liebe Gewnt” or “Love Ws” iative, wh blsgs takg place this week ci like Berl, Munich and Cologne, home to Germany’s largt archdce, as well as ral March ban on blsgs, which Pope Francis approved, sparked dissent wh the Church and surprised many bee he has been more nciliatory towards gay people than perhaps any other pope has held meetgs wh gay upl and enuraged those who want to raise their children the Church to do so.

In 2013, he ma the now-famo remark “Who am I to judge” about gay people seekg God and tryg to live by the Church’s Church teach that beg gay is not herently sful but forbids same-sex sexual March, more than 2. -based thk-tank, 86% of Germans thk homosexualy should be accepted. “‘I am nvced that homosexual orientatn is not bad, nor is homosexual love a s...

GERMAN CATHOLICS TO BLS GAY UNNS SPE VATIN BAN

I want to celebrate the love of homosexuals wh the blsgs bee the love of homosexuals is somethg good...

Homophobia of my church mak me angry and I am ashamed of . There are 35 upl total, cludg homosexuals, heterosexuals, married, divorced and unmarried people. German Catholic Prits Defy Rome to Offer Blsgs to Gay Coupl Light of Tth May 16th, 2021 More than 100 Roman Catholic parish Germany offered blsgs to gay upl on May 10 fiance of church teachg and their own bishops.

The ll for natnwi blsgs me rponse to a cree issued by the Vatin on March 15, rercg the church’s prohibn of prits askg for God’s benevolence for gay upl, statg that God “do not and nnot bls s. “In view of the refal of the Congregatn for the Doctre of the Fah to bls homosexual partnerships, we raise our voic and say: We will ntue to acpany people who enter to a bdg partnership the future and bls their relatnship, ” the group said  a state-ment.

GERMAN CATHOLIC PRITS DEFY ROME TO OFFER BLSGS TO GAY COUPL

A prit Germany harshly cricized the church’s refal to orda women and gay men, as well as s unwillgns to bls same-genr upl, llg some Catholics “bouncers” for their exclnary attus.

May nounced the refal of the church to orda gay men, argug that a person’s sexualy should not prohib them om servg the church.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GERMAN PRIESTS BLESSING GAY COUPLES

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data-qa="name-wh-optnal-lk" data-cy="name-wh-optnal-lk"><span data-qa="attributn-text" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP">By <!-- --> </span><a data-qa="thor-name" href=" rel="thor" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP wpds-c-cNdzuP-jZcdxj-isLk-te">David Von Drehle</a></div></div><span class="wpds-c-ewNrgJ thor-scriptn le-flex ems-center"><span class="wpds-c-ewNrgJ thor-scriptn" data-qa="thor-scriptn">Deputy opn edor and lumnist</span><span class="wpds-c-eLkhzY">|</span><button data-cy="thor-follow-button" aria-prsed="false" aria-label="Follow thor" dataFollowStat="notfollowg" class="wpds-c-idoGjQ wpds-c-idoGjQ-eBDnyp-isFollowg-false wpds-c-idoGjQ-iiYjTZS-css"><svg class="ntent-box fill-gold" width="10" height="10" viewBox="0 0 16 16" xmlns=" style="marg-right:var(--wpds-space-025)" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>Add</tle><path d="M7 7V1h2v6h5.929v2H9v5.929H7V9H1V7h6z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg>Follow</button></span></span></div></span></div></div><div data-ttid="timtamp" class="wpds-c-kgabfe wpds-c-kgabfe-ikrKXLV-css"><span data-ttid="display-date" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV">May 11, 2021 at 3:56 p.m. EDT</span></div></div></div></hear></div><article class="grid-article mb-xxl-ns" data-qa="ma"><div data-ttid="le-art" data-qa="le-art" class=""><figure class="overflow-hidn relative hi-for-prt center center mb-sm mb-md-ns ml-to-ns mr-to-ns"><div style="filter:blur(10px);transn:filter .1s;le-height:0" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="425"><img style="background-size:ver;max-width:1600px;background-image:url('data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E')" alt="" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="425" srcSet=" 400w, 540w, 691w, 767w, 916w, 1200w" siz="(max-width: 440px) 440px,(max-width: 600px) 691px,(max-width: 768px) 691px,(m-width: 769px) and (max-width: 1023px) 960px,(m-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1299px) 530px,(m-width: 1300px) and (max-width: 1439px) 691px,(m-width: 1440px) 916px,440px" dg="async"/></div><figptn class="ml-gutter mr-gutter mr-to-ns ml-to-ns font--subhead font-xxxs mt-xs left gray-dark">Pastoral worker Brigte Schmidt bls Ralf-Michael Berger and Andreas Helich a Catholic church Cologne, Germany, on May 10. (Thilo Schmuelgen/Rters) </figptn></figure></div><div class="grid-body"><div class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-PJLV-hSmMVC-isLuf2-false"><div class="wpds-c-jUMcim wpds-c-jUMcim-ibVGacg-css hi-for-prt mb-sm"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ieDMgMI-css flex ems-center" nfig="[object Object]" data-qa="article-actns"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><button aria-label="Comment" class="wpds-c-gPbxFP"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-kKAfCG wpds-c-efqEZa flex ems-center jtify-center brad-lg poter transn-400 ease--out transn-lors" aria-label="Comment on this story"><tle>Comment on this story</tle><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg></button><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Comment</span><span class="wpds-c-fOvfhP wpds-c-fOvfhP-kshkDy-isCommentType-te none" aria-hidn="te"><span class="ment-unt font-xxxxs sc-ral-unt"><span class="ral-unt unfed" data-ral-notext="te"></span></span></span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div class="dib poter" data-qa="gift-share"><div aria-label="Gift this story" aria-ntrols="gift-share" aria-owns="gift-share" id="gift-share-ntrol" class="" aria-haspopup="te" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf wpds-c-PJLV" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><path d="M10.73 5h.14a1.75 1.75 0 0 0 1-2.25 1.83 1.83 0 0 0-.51-.75 1.72 1.72 0 0 0-1.48-.35 1.76 1.76 0 0 0-1.2.94L8 3.93l-.68-1.4A1.76 1.76 0 0 0 4 3.59 1.74 1.74 0 0 0 5.13 5H2v4h1v5h10V9h1V5ZM9.58 3a.77.77 0 0 1 .51-.4h.17a.73.73 0 0 1 .47.17.72.72 0 0 1 .27.71.72.72 0 0 1-.48.58l-1.77.66ZM5 3.43a.72.72 0 0 1 .27-.71.73.73 0 0 1 .47-.17h.17a.77.77 0 0 1 .51.4l.83 1.7L5.48 4A.74.74 0 0 1 5 3.43ZM3 6h4.5v2H3Zm1 3h3.5v4H4Zm4.5 4V9H12v4ZM13 8H8.5V6H13Z" data-name="Path 10"></path></svg></div></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Gift<!-- --> <span class="PJLV PJLV-ikqOWxF-css">Article</span></span></div></div><div class="dib poter" data-qa="wpds-tooltip-ntrol"><div aria-ntrols="actns-tooltip" aria-owns="actns-tooltip" id="actns-tooltip-ntrol" class="" aria-haspopup="te" aria-expand="false"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div tabx="0" aria-label="Share" class="PJLV PJLV-ietWzJw-css"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf wpds-c-dJBvpf-iPJLV-css "><path d="M14 14H2V7h1v6h10V7h1Zm-5.5-2h-1V3h1Z"></path><path d="M10.29 5.71 11 5 8 2l-.71.71L5 5l.71.71L8 3.42l2.29 2.29z"></path></svg></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Share</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">More than 100 Roman Catholic church across Germany <a href=" target="_blank">gave blsgs</a> on Monday to same-sex upl.<a href=";!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!UKC5AKYamhbkFi4rbvnp5gHRf46Wzui6cCqMCVpDnDLAoVkOhqGD4MRaqW6bNa6T-1Xrnfk$"> </a>The prits were actg open fiance of Pope Francis, who signed a statement March om the Vatin forbiddg such blsgs, bee, the words of the Curia, God “<a href=" target="_blank">nnot bls s</a>.”</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="db dn-ns mr-neg-gutter ml-neg-gutter mb-md hi-for-prt" data-qa="subscribe-promo"><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div><a class="pt-sm pb-sm flex ems-center bold font-xxxs font-xxs-ns jtify-center" href=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="lor:#166dfc;borr:none"><svg class="ntent-box" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" xmlns=" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>Wp</tle><path d="M11.055 8.728l-1.018-1.019-.782.782v6.292l1.782 1.564.018-.019v-7.6zm-4.11.236L5.674 7.71l-.836.855v6.237l1.545 1.327.564-.636V8.964zm2.656 9.074l-2.528-2.182-1.927 2.182-2.619-2.255v-3.564h-.509c-.454 0-.672.273-.745.636H1.09a2.89 2.89 0 0 1-.091-.69c0-.473.2-1.71 1.527-1.71V7.691c0-1.073-.709-1.127-.709-2.054 0-1.037.982-2 2.782-2.637l.164.145c-.6.291-1.09.655-1.09 1.437 0 1.2 1.163.89 1.163 2.782v.727l2.127-2.236 2.237 2.2 2.109-2.2 2.036 2v6.728l-3.745 3.455zm11.108-9.625l-1.073-.982-.964 1.018v6.6c.855.11 1.491.4 2.019.964l.018-.018V8.413zm-2.382.418l-.528.545v10.237l.528.492V8.83zm1.49 9.055c-.308-.382-.69-.709-1.145-.836v3.782l-.036.018-1-.927-2.11 1.945-.036-.018V16.96c-.636.145-1.327.545-1.854 1.2l-.146-.091c.127-1.4.818-2.436 2-2.837v-3.545h-.382c-.527 0-.89.363-.963.763h-.219c-.054-.145-.127-.381-.127-.836 0-.891.6-1.564 1.582-1.564h.11V8.085l-.655-.582-.51.51-.254-.237 2.018-2.073 1.71 1.564V9.05l.527-.564v-2.09h.345v1.727l2.273-2.419L23 7.576v7.91l-3.182 2.4z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg><span class="mr-xs ml-xs gray-darkt flex ems-center">Get the full experience.<span class="ml-xs subs-theme blue">Choose your plan</span></span><svg class="ntent-box" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" xmlns=" style="fill:#166dfc" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>ArrowRight</tle><path d="M7.664 1.25l6 6a1 1 0 010 1.414l-6 6L6.25 13.25 10.499 9H2V7h8.585L6.25 2.664 7.664 1.25z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></a><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">It is an age-old temptatn for pop and their burecraci to edge across the le between terpretg God and playg God. The Almighty is so darned aloof, so circumspect — who n blame humans for speakg on God’s behalf?</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">But here’s what means to believe a force of fe spe and power, a self-fg Creator who mak all thgs and knows all thgs: God n do whatever God feels like dog. A God ntaed a book, or a system, or an orthodoxy, is but a force harnsed by humans — no God at all. God nnot be harnsed; that’s built to the fn. Humans, even exalted humans magnificent palac shaped by the glory of Michelangelo, see through a glass darkly, while God se face to face.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">An implitn of this unharnsed tth is that God is ee to go new directns, or directns that seem new only to , while beg entirely nsistent. Here’s God <a href=" target=_blank>speakg</a> to the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, I will do a new thg; now shall sprg forth; shall ye not know ?”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="wpds-c-eyhHZm wpds-c-eyhHZm-igCbUYf-css"><div data-state="closed"><button type="button" aria-ntrols="" aria-expand="false" data-state="closed" class="wpds-c-kCVdRh"><div class="wpds-c-qEzGg"><span class="wpds-c-diBAsU"><span data-ttid="avatar" class="wpds-c-qhccP wpds-c-qhccP-dBwtqg-size-200"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:le-block;overflow:hidn;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;posn:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizg:borr-box;display:block;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:ial;height:ial;background:none;opacy:1;borr:0;marg:0;paddg:0" alt="" aria-hidn="te" src="data:image/svg+xml,></span><img alt="" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" dg="async" data-nimg="trsic" class="wpds-c-cNQNEw" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%;background-size:ver;background-posn:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E'")"/><noscript><img alt="" srcSet=" 1x" src=" dg="async" data-nimg="trsic" style="posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;borr:none;marg:to;display:block;width:0;height:0;m-width:100%;max-width:100%;m-height:100%;max-height:100%" class="wpds-c-cNQNEw" loadg="lazy"/></noscript></span></span></span><span class="wpds-c-knzOLY"><strong data-ttid="follow-span">Follow</strong> <span data-ttid="thor-span-mobile" class="PJLV PJLV-icxmzMM-css">this thor</span><span data-ttid="thor-span-non-mobile" class="PJLV PJLV-ikqOWxF-css">David Von Drehle</span>'s opns</span></div><div class="wpds-c-gwAEdF"><span aria-hidn="te" data-ttid="hover-show-span" class="wpds-c-cSlAcw wpds-c-cSlAcw-ieGvjgr-css">Follow</span><span aria-hidn="false" aria-label="Expand" data-ttid="pl-in-span" tle="Follow thor" class="wpds-c-cptzaU"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="var(--wpds-lors-gold60)" class="wpds-c-tcCuY " aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><path d="M14 7.5H8.5V2h-1v5.5H2v1h5.5V14h1V8.5H14Z"></path></svg></span></div></button><div data-state="closed" id="" hidn=""></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">I don’t know if God is dog a new thg and those German prits have gotten the msage, or if the Vatin is rrect about what God wants. But I’m pretty sure the statement “God nnot [fill the blank]” is jt the sort of thg a powerful group of humans might say before God cuts them down to size. A humbler Christian, the apostle Pl, was more ut when he <a href=" target=_blank>observed</a> of God: “How unsearchable are his judgments and how sctable his ways!”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The wrer Annie Dillard has a proper sense of <a href=" target=_blank>fe force</a>. “Do anyone have the foggit ia what sort of power we so blhely voke?” she wr of humans at our prayers. “It is madns to wear ladi’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearg crash helmets. Ushers should issue life prervers and signal flar; they should lash to our pews. For the sleepg god may wake someday and take offense, or the wakg god may draw out to where we n never return.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">God “nnot bls s.” The statement mak sense terms of human theology, but begs all the larger qutns. For only God fully knows God. Only God n say what God nnot do. And only God knows the boundari of grace and s. Blhely vokg so much thory, maybe the Vatin should vt crash helmets.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Meanwhile, history would say, keep an eye on those Germans. It was a fiant, prottg German prit, after all, who <a href=" target=_blank>touched off the Reformatn</a> some 500 years ago. Mart Luther took exceptn his own day to this same Roman hery: that humans — even a pope — n fe God’s power to punish or five. The pugnac monk 1517 formally rejected the sellg of so-lled dulgenc, by which, for a fee, believers acquired tickets to heaven.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font--article-body font-py gray-darkt ma-0 pb-md" dir="null">Luther <a href=" target="_blank">went viral</a> thanks to a new technology lled the prtg prs. Wh a few years (lightng speed the 1520s), Luther’s crique had reached more than 300,000 rears across Europe, sparkg over a century of relig wars. In the 1530s, England broke away om Rome to form s own church. A French emigre to Swzerland, <a href=" target="_blank">John Calv</a>, lnched Prottantism 2.0 the mid-1500s. And 1564, the year Calv died, a child was born Pisa, <a href=" target="_blank">Galileo Galilei</a>, whose geni would fe the scientific method and further shrk the claimed thory of church.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The morn world th gurated has not been acmodatg of the power of Rome. Even Italy, attendance at weekly Mass has <a href=" target="_blank">dropped signifintly</a>, and only about <a href=" target="_blank">40 percent</a> of the populatn unts themselv as church-attendg Christians.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Catholic hard-lers are <a href=" target=_blank>cricizg Pope Francis</a> for extendg a hand of healg to Lutherans and tacly acknowledgg that the Vatin was out of le 500 years ago. But will some future pope have to do the same to close the rifts beg created today?</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">A proper attu of huy would lead to more searchg and fewer diktats<i>. </i>Fai today are not formed one way only, through the terurse of a man and a woman. Fai wele children through adoptn, surrogacy and reproductive technology. Maybe God is not as obssed wh sex as humans are, and r more about mutual love and rpect. Maybe God is dog a new thg.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><b>Read more:</b></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><a href=" target=_blank>Brandon McGley: The rise of inty Catholicism</a></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><a href=" target=_blank>E.J. Dnne Jr.: Joe Bin and the stggle for Amerin Catholicism</a></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><a href=" target=_blank>Drew Gos: What the pope got right wh his cree on gay marriage</a></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><a href=" target=_blank>Will Ed Green: I’m a gay Methodist mister. The church jt turned s back on me.</a></p></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-ibHxfFu-css flex mt-md tt overriStyl"><div class="mb-lg-mod" data-qa="ments-btn-div"><button aria-label="Scroll to the ments sectn" data-qa="ments-btn" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-eHdizY-nsy-flt wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left ments hi-for-prt"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg><span class="ral-unt unfed" data-ral-notext="te"></span> Comments</button></div><div class="wpds-c-dXjReQ"><button id="gift-share-shortcut" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left hi-for-prt ml-sm"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-dJBvpf "><path d="M10.73 5h.14a1.75 1.75 0 0 0 1-2.25 1.83 1.83 0 0 0-.51-.75 1.72 1.72 0 0 0-1.48-.35 1.76 1.76 0 0 0-1.2.94L8 3.93l-.68-1.4A1.76 1.76 0 0 0 4 3.59 1.74 1.74 0 0 0 5.13 5H2v4h1v5h10V9h1V5ZM9.58 3a.77.77 0 0 1 .51-.4h.17a.73.73 0 0 1 .47.17.72.72 0 0 1 .27.71.72.72 0 0 1-.48.58l-1.77.66ZM5 3.43a.72.72 0 0 1 .27-.71.73.73 0 0 1 .47-.17h.17a.77.77 0 0 1 .51.4l.83 1.7L5.48 4A.74.74 0 0 1 5 3.43ZM3 6h4.5v2H3Zm1 3h3.5v4H4Zm4.5 4V9H12v4ZM13 8H8.5V6H13Z" data-name="Path 10"></path></svg><span class="wpds-c-iSKIAI">Gift this article</span>Gift Article</button></div></div><div></div><div class="hi-for-prt"><div></div></div><sectn class="dn-ns hi-for-prt" data-ttid="mostRead" subscriptns-sectn="ntent"><div data-ttid="lazy-most-read-parent" class=""><div style="m-height:800px"></div></div></sectn><div class="wpds-c-hsVKiV"><div data-qa="newsletter" class="hi-for-prt relative"><div class="dib w-100"><div><div class="flex jtify-center align self-center center transn-all duratn-400 ease--out" data-qa="sc-newsletter-signup" aria-label=""><svg aria-labelledby="react-aria-1-aria" role="img" viewBox="0 0 100 80"><tle id="react-aria-1-aria">Loadg... .

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