Vatican Makes Marriage a Soul Focus
The international media doesn't normally have trouble interpreting the Catholic Church's Italian -- but a lot more seemed to be lost in translation with yesterday's preliminary synod report. After a week-long meeting with laypeople and bishops -- the first of two weeks -- the media seized on the document as a seismic shift in how the church deals with key teachings on homosexuality.In reality, the release was just an interim report on the group's discussion -- not a doctrinal statement. Unfortunately, that distinction has been lost on a press eager to find any softening of the church's approach to marriage. And while the assembly was convened by Pope Francis, this is not a formal statement of the Roman Catholic Church. It conveys, to be sure, a certain consensus around major themes, trends that have been evident in the conversations, dominant emphases in the debates, etc., but it doesn't represent "the teaching" of the Pope or the bishops. The gathering's conversations are simply that -- conversations about how priests can best address family and marriage life.
"Homosexuals," the gathering agrees, "have gifts and qualities to offer the Christian community; are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing them a fraternal space in our communities? Often they wish to encounter a Church that offers them a welcoming home. Are our communities capable of providing that, accepting and valuing their sexual orientation without compromising Catholic doctrine of the family and matrimony?"
Next week, the bishops will have the opportunity to edit the group's findings and its final form will be used as part of a church-wide reflection leading up to the second synod session in late 2015. Like Catholics, Protestants are finding it more difficult to communicate openness to men and women outside the church when increasingly people define themselves by their sexual behavior. We can and should embrace all people who are created in the image of God, but that does not mean we can or should embrace behavior that is contrary to Scripture. There's a difference between welcoming sinners and affirming their behavior. And on that, the Church must be clear.
Under Pope Francis, there's been an intentional effort to adopt a "more merciful" approach to these issues -- which, to outsiders, is easily confused as a weakening of the Vatican's position. And for U.S. reporters, who are looking for any opportunity to sow division in the church, the narrative is a bit too open to interpretation. Without a clear statement from the Vatican, the press is running with its own storylines -- mistaking, we hope, a thoughtful conversation, for moral indifference.
Cardinal Raymond Burke, an American, recognizes the dangers these assumptions can have on the broader debate. He called Pope Francis to issue a statement defending the Catholic Church's teachings on homosexuality. In a country where same-sex "marriage" is a political powder keg, even the appearance of the Vatican waffling on this issue could do significant damage to the country. "The faithful and their good shepherds are looking to the Vicar of Christ for the confirmation of the Catholic faith and practice regarding marriage, which is the first cell of the life of the Church," he urged.
Catholics, as well as Protestants, can't afford to make vague or confusing statements on matters as vital to the faith as marriage. We call for clarity -- not just from the Vatican -- but from every pulpit in America tempted to fall silent on biblical Truth.
Pam-demonium! AG Bondi Fights Marriage Chaos
The
Supreme Court may be throwing states to the wolves, but Florida's Pam
Bondi isn't throwing in the towel. The Florida Attorney General is going
to the mat for voters on marriage, including a special filing with the
state's Supreme Court. Surprising experts on both sides, Bondi is
putting the issue squarely in local judges' laps. "(Defining marriage)
is unquestionably an important issue, and the Plaintiffs, the State, and
all citizens, deserve a definitive answer," she wrote.
"Unfortunately, the United States Supreme Court decided not to answer
the question... Florida's courts will therefore need to resolve the
issue... Because there are cases pending in multiple districts, and
because this is an issue of great public importance that now warrants
immediate Florida Supreme Court review, the State respectfully suggests
pass-through certification."The best sound bite liberals could offer was an ironic one, suggesting that Bondi and Governor Rick Scott (R) were somehow wasting taxpayer dollars -- defending taxpayers' votes. In my opinion, that's probably the most logical use of taxpayer money in years. If the government can spend millions getting monkeys drunk, it can spare a few bucks to sober up the courts on marriage.
Meanwhile in Alaska, where the courts couldn't wait until Monday to topple the first constitutional marriage amendment in America, the state filed an appeal first thing in the morning -- as well as an emergency stay to put any weddings on ice. Thanks to rogue judges, a few ceremonies did take place in the Last Frontier, courtesy of activists who conveniently waived the three-day waiting period for marriage licenses. Based on the state's filing, Alaska is prepared to fight the ruling to the bitter end -- a sentiment shared by plenty in the "lower 48."
Instead of subduing the opposition, these decisions are inflaming it. Voters and state officials are increasingly irate at watching their laws swatted away like legal nuisances. In Nevada, conservatives are sounding the alarm about the judicial selection on the Ninth Circuit Court and demanding a rehearing from the country's most radical bench. Led by the Coalition for the Protection of Marriage (CPM), the group is questioning the impartiality of the court, which continues selecting liberals "at random" for cases involving homosexuality. "Statistical analysis," it said, "demonstrates that the improbability of such occurring randomly is not just significant but overwhelming. Thus, the odds are 441-to-1 against what we observe with the relevant cases."
There was no shortage of strong opinions on last weekend's "Fox News Sunday" show, where I debated former Solicitor General Ted Olson on the fallout of redefining society's oldest institution. There was one question in particular that Ted had trouble answering -- and his non-response is getting an interesting amount of attention in places like the Washington Examiner, NRO, and CNSNews. Twice, I asked Ted what the purpose of marriage is, and twice, he dodged the question. Mona Charen, writing for the Examiner, thought this was especially interesting.
"Asked about where he would draw boundaries on who should be permitted to marry if it's 'only about love,' Olson changed the subject... 'There' no heterosexual couple, (he said), that is going to decide to get divorced or not to get married or not to raise children just because another couple next to them is treated equally and with respect and decency under our Constitution.' But it does affect the larger culture. If it didn't, there would be no need for debate. Homosexuals comprise a tiny fraction of the population (just over 2 percent according to the CDC). I wish them nothing but happiness and peace, but they are a side issue. Of course they deserve 'dignity' and 'respect,' but changing marriage is not the way to get there."
Snoops on the Stoops of the Church
When
it comes to illegal surveillance, it looks like the NSA has some
competition. In a story that's making Texans' heads spin, the Houston
P.C. police -- the same Council that passed an LGBT ordinance this year
-- is subpoenaing sermons, emails, and even text messages from local pastors to see if they're promoting a voter referendum to overturn the measure.The jaw-dropping move -- one in a long line of Houston's "gotcha" government -- is only fanning the flames of outrage over the city's totalitarian tactics. Even for Houston's radical leadership, this is an affront to the plain language of the First Amendment, which not only gives churches the right to speak freely but the individuals leading them as well! "City council members are supposed to be public servants, not 'Big Brother' overlords who will tolerate no dissent or challenge," said Alliance Defending Freedom's Erik Stanley. "In this case, they have embarked upon a witch-hunt, and we are asking the court to put a stop to it."
Yesterday, ADF filed a motion in court to stop the senseless monitoring of churches. "The message is clear," they explain, "oppose the decision of city government, and drown in unwarranted burdensome discovery requests... Not only will the pastors be harmed if these discovery requests are allowed, but the People will suffer as well. The referendum process will become toxic and the People will be deprived of an important check on city government."
It's a sad commentary on our times that a nation founded by church leaders is trying to muscle those same religious voices out of the political process. Obviously, there's no limit to how low the Left will stoop, and how many laws it will break, to impose its agenda on unwilling Americans.
** The Faith Family Freedom Fund is hitting the road to support key candidates in a special PAC-sponsored Iowa bus tour! After yesterday's kick-off, the Standing for the American Family Tour will make several stops throughout the week for with Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), Bob Vander Plaats, FFFF's Connie Mackey, Brian Brown, Rick Santorum and others. For more details or to find a stop near you, click here.
Tony Perkins' Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC Action senior writers.
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