ANTI-BIBLICAL HERESY: Archbishop Allows Blessings of Homosexual Unions

Image from Vatican Radio, announcing Koch’s appointment by Francis as Berlin archbishop

“Archbishop Licenses Priests to Confer ‘Gay Blessings’,” Church Militant reports. This is a heretical act, since both the Bible and Catholic Church doctrine explicitly condemn active homosexuality as gravely sinful.

The Berlin archbishop reportedly cited, as justification of his own actions, Pope Francis’s decision to allow the divorced and remarried to receive Holy Communion, even though such people are living in a state of sin and thus cannot receive Communion according to Church teaching (see Matt. 19:3-9, where Jesus says divorce and remarriage constitutes “adultery”). The archbishop also mentioned the heretical theory that doctrine can “evolve” and that, because some homosexual couples exhibit good qualities such as support for each other, that somehow makes their sexual union good too.

From Church Militant, Aug. 29:

“The archbishop of Berlin has released an official statement permitting priests under his jurisdiction to administer blessings to same-sex couples, emphasizing that his directive aligns with the intentions of Pope Francis.

Quoting Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia in a letter dated Aug. 21, Abp. Heiner Koch notes that ‘it is no longer possible to say that all who are in any so-called irregular situation are in a state of mortal sin and have lost sanctifying grace’…The archbishop says that he will personally not bless same-sex couples because the Holy Father has not ruled explicitly on the matter.”

When asked about the Church’s requirement for homosexuals to be chaste rather than engage in same-sex relations, Pope Francis previously blathered about how “everyone is invited” and condemned strict interpretations of the Sixth Commandment, which explicitly forbids adultery and has always been taken as condemning all illicit sexual activity for thousands of years in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Francis added a vague recommendation for the “most appropriate pastoral attitude”—which, in his mind, doesn’t seem to include upholding the Bible and Church doctrine. The pope has also supported radical LGBTQ activist Fr. James Martin in the past, and actively shielded a homosexual bishop and a convicted pedophile while still a cleric in Argentina.

First of all, it is essential to emphasize that clerics are not being “loving” or “merciful” by blessing same-sex unions—quite the opposite. Because the Bible makes it crystal clear that homosexual acts are gravely sinful, and because this teaching is also an unchangeable doctrine of the Church, those who actively engage in homosexual activity are condemning themselves to Hell. That’s not my opinion, that’s what God’s inspired Scriptures say. Therefore, the most loving and merciful thing to do is to tell people they need to turn from such dangerous sin, and offer help to deal with any struggles along the path to repentance and forgiveness. Their souls are more important than anything else. It is not loving to affirm someone in a behavior that merits damnation; it is cruel and wicked to do so.

Secondly, here are the verses from the Bible to back up what I said above (as I previously wrote for PJ Media):

[St. Paul:] Who changed the truth of God into a lie; and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature. And, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men working that which is filthy, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error…Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death; and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them. —Romans 1:25-27, 32

St. Paul also addresses homosexuality in the First Letter to the Corinthians, when he says that those who practice certain sins cannot be part of the kingdom of God:

Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor liers with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners, shall possess the kingdom of God. —1 Corinthians 6:9-10

This translation is accurate but can be a little confusing. To be clearer, the original Greek word being translated here as “liers with mankind,” ἀρσενοκοῖται, means literally “men engaged in sexual activity with the same sex.” So it would be equally accurate to translate ἀρσενοκοῖται as “homosexuals.”

Homosexuality is addressed in the Old Testament too. Leviticus 18:22 says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” The most famous Bible story about homosexuality is Sodom and Gomorrah. In Genesis 19, two angels visit Abraham’s nephew Lot in the disguise of men, to warn Lot that Sodom and Gomorrah — where he lives — will be destroyed for their sins. A mob of men shows up at Lot’s house (Genesis 19:5) to demand that he send out his male guests, “that we may know them.” To “know” someone is often used in the Old Testament of sexual relations (for instance Genesis 4:1).

Lot, who seems to be a good host but a questionable father, offers, “I have two daughters who as yet have not known man: I will bring them out to you, and abuse you them as it shall please you, so that you do no evil to these men.” (Genesis 19:8) The Sodomites refuse Lot’s startling offer, clearly uninterested in women, and become so importunate they almost break down the doors. The angels rescue Lot and blind the Sodomites.

Sodom and Gomorrah are subsequently destroyed with “brimstone and fire” by the Lord God (Genesis 19:24). The older name for homosexuality is “sodomy” because of this Bible story.

Thus when Pope Francis supports radically pro-LGBTQ Fr. James Martin, or this German archbishop allows legitimization of homosexual unions, they are encouraging behaviors that are spiritually very dangerous. The Church needs to help homosexuals live in accordance with God’s laws, not encourage them in seriously sinful behaviors.