German Catholic Bishop wants change in Church doctrine on gender identities. He thinks the "gender issue" is not an ideology.

The diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations remains a challenge for the Church. Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers nevertheless hopes for changes in Church doctrine. The "gender issue" is not an ideology.

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In view of the diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations, Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers sees a need for a review of the official Church positions on these issues. "This requires a new way of thinking, which is expressed in Church doctrine and the Catechism of the Catholic Church," Timmerevers said in an interview in the new edition of the "Herder Thema" series, entitled "Visibly Recognized: Diversity of Sexual Identities."

Timmerevers continued that he personally remains unsure about many gender issues. However, a renowned scholar explained to him how sexual orientation comes about: "There is a certain age – he spoke of 13 to 16 – where an orientation is essentially fixed. And you can't change it. It's just the way it is, a fact." He wondered under what circumstances the Church could speak of grave sin here – "if at all," said Timmerevers.

"The salvation of souls is the supreme law"

The Bishop of Dresden expressed hope that something would change in Church doctrine regarding anthropology and gender theory. "This presupposes that we engage in scientific debate. This also means that this debate is not an ideology-driven science, but truly a struggle for knowledge and truth." Truth, he said, seeks to perceive the human being in his or her reality as a whole. "We should face this process of struggle. I find it difficult when, with regard to the gender issue, the immediate response is: That's ideology."

At the same time, Timmerevers emphasized his sensitivity to the cultural diversity of the universal Church: "Through my personal contacts, it has become clear to me how some African countries think about this topic," the bishop explained. "How do you reconcile all of this? How can one magisterium achieve this for everyone? How can church doctrine be further developed in a way that incorporates new human scientific insights and does not ignore the cultural horizon?" For him, the last sentence of canon law is a kind of golden rule: The salvation of souls is the supreme law. This could be the "key to an appropriate theological hermeneutics."

Schepers: Theology shouldn't just say what isn't possible

Auxiliary Bishop Ludger Schepers of Essen, who is also the German Bishops' Conference (DBK) representative for queer pastoral care, criticized in the interview that theology often says what isn't possible when it comes to questions of sexual morality. "It should also say what is possible; what successful sexuality before marriage can look like, not just with prohibitions." Theology must recognize that sexuality is a defining characteristic of life as a whole – even into old age.

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With regard to the Biblical creation narrative, Schepers warned against viewing the narrative as a scientific explanation for how God created everything. What is described in the Bible about the creation of humankind or the world as a whole should not be taken literally "in a fundamentalist manner." "The enduring historical basic statement is: God created everything; he truly created everything – heaven and earth. That is the constant of these biblical statements. And then all human beings belong to this: male, female, and everything in between, what we don't yet know, what new discoveries reveal."

Source

Fundamentals

What or who actually determines gender? The human genetic perspective Wolfram Henn

Gender and sexual orientations throughout the life course. Developmental psychological perspectives Meike Watzlawik

Acceptance through visibility. Socio-psychological perspectives Ulrich Klocke

Gender diversity: Professional responsibility and scope for action. Pedagogical perspectives Elena Maria Lemut, Nina Sophie Högler, and Marion Thuswald

Sexuality, identity, and biography. Psychological perspectives Jochen Sautermeister

Interview

"Reality is more important than the idea" A conversation with Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers and Auxiliary Bishop Ludger Schepers

Theology

Life – Love – Diversity. Biblical approaches Thomas Hieke

Created and loved in diversity. Dogmatic approaches Gunda Werner

Unconditional respect for personal dignity? A critique of the doctrinal position on transgender and intersexuality Marianne Heimbach-Stein

Visibly recognized. Anthropological Insights from a Theological-Ethical Perspective Andreas Lob-Hüdepohl

Perception of Diverse Sexual Identities. A Religious Education Perspective Judith Könemann

Interview

"I Would Almost Feel More Comfortable at a Catholic School" A Conversation with Theo Schenkel and Mara Klein

Concrete Facts

Diversity in Dealing with Diversity. Results of an Exploratory Survey at Catholic Schools Silke Gülker

On the Recognition of Intersex People. Gender-Inclusive Catholic Religious Education Katharina Mairinger-Immisch

The End of Taboos. As a Gay Man in a Catholic School Peter Hombach