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What Will The Synod Really Mean For LGBT People In The Catholic Church? "All Together' Podcast
Welcome to this week’s ALL TOGETHER, the podcast dedicated to exploring how religious ideas and spiritual practice inform and shape our personal lives, our communities and our world. The show is hosted by Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, the Executive Editor of HuffPost Religion.
Bishops from around the world gathered at the Vatican this last week to participate in the two week long Synod on the Family. A working document reflecting the discussions at the midway point was quickly described as revolutionary, and ‘an earthquake’ for it’s new pastoral language towards gay people and couples who live together before marriage. While not a change in doctrine, the document included such surprising phrases as:
“Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer the Christian community: are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a further space in our communities?”
And in reference to same-sex couples the document said:
“It has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners”
And for straight couples who are living together before marriage the document said there are:
“positive aspects” of such unions, especially if the couple saw them as a prelude to marriage in the Church.”
While applauded by many, the new pastoral tone was not universally embraced; with some bloggers describing the new approach represented in the document as ‘perverted’ and others saying it was “irredeemable.”
This week the Bishops are back at work considering the document and revising it, in the meantime I spoke three Catholics — Father Jim Martin, Jesuit Priest and author of Jesus a Pilgrimage, David Gibson, Reporter for Religion News Service, and Sister Monica, who is a nun whose ministry is with the trans community — to get their reactions on the potential new moment in the Catholic Church. As Pope Francis said in his homily before the document was released: ‘God is always new.. he always surprises us’
As always, All Together ends with Raushenbush’s picks for this weeks Saints and Sinners.
LISTEN TO EARLIER ALL TOGETHER SEGMENTS BELOW
‘WHAT’S THE REAL REASON TO DO YOGA’ HERE:
WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MEDITATION?
RAPTURE RHAPSODY: IS LEFT BEHIND REALLY A CHRISTIAN MOVIE?
GREEN SPIRIT vs CLIMATE CHANGE
CONFRONTING FUNDAMENTALISM
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