Editing Christianity and homosexuality (section)

===Catholic Church===
{{Main|Catholic Church and homosexuality}}
{{See also|Catholic theology of sexuality}}

The [[Catholic Church]] views as sinful any sexual act not related to procreation by a couple joined in marriage.<ref name="CCC2357">[http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c2a6.htm#2357 Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 2357-9]; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2351, 2391, 2396</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic.com/library/Birth_Control.asp |title=Birth Control &#124; Catholic Answers |publisher=Catholic.com |access-date=12 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213012353/http://www.catholic.com/library/Birth_Control.asp |archive-date=13 December 2009 }}</ref> The Church states that "homosexual tendencies" are "objectively disordered", but does not consider the tendency itself to be sinful but rather a temptation toward sin.<ref name="CCC2357"/><ref name=":1" />

The [[Catechism of the Catholic Church]] states that "men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies{{nbsp}}[...] must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity" and that "every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided."<ref name="CCC2357"/> The Church opposes criminal penalties against homosexuality.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/secretariat_state/2008/documents/rc_seg-st_20081218_statement-sexual-orientation_en.html |title=STATEMENT OF THE HOLY SEE DELEGATION AT THE 63rd SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS ON THE DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY (18 DECEMBER 2008) |publisher=Vatican.va |date=18 December 2008 |access-date=12 November 2011}}</ref> The Catholic Church requires those who are attracted to people of the same (or opposite) sex to practise [[chastity]], because it teaches that sexuality should only be practised within marriage, which includes chaste sex as permanent, [[Procreation|procreative]], heterosexual, and monogamous. The [[Holy See|Vatican]] distinguishes between "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" and the "expression of a transitory problem", in relation to ordination to the [[Priesthood in the Catholic Church|priesthood]]; saying in a [[Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders|2005 document]] that homosexual tendencies "must be clearly overcome at least three years before ordination to the diaconate."<ref name=":1">[https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20051104_istruzione_en.html Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225072042/https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20051104_istruzione_en.html |date=25 February 2008 }}, Congregation for Catholic Education, 4 November 2005</ref>

A 2011 report based on telephone surveys of self-identified American Catholics conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 56% believe that sexual relations between two people of the same sex are not sinful.<ref name="USAtoday">{{Cite news |work=USA Today |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2011/03/gay-marriage-catholic-church-/1 |title=U.S. Catholics break with church on gay relationships |date=23 March 2011 |first=Cathy Lynn |last=Grossman}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher=Public Religion Research Institute |url=http://www.publicreligion.org/research/?id=509 |title=Catholic Attitudes on Gay and Lesbian Issues: A Comprehensive Portrait from Recent Research |date=March 2011}}</ref> Research indicates that the Catholic Church's teachings on sexuality are "a major source of conflict and distress" to LGBTQ Catholics.<ref>{{cite book |author-last=Deguara |author-first=Angele |year=2020 |chapter=The Ambivalent Relationship of LGBT Catholics with the Church |editor1-last=Hood |editor1-first=Ralph W. |editor2-last=Cheruvallil-Contractor |editor2-first=Sariya |title=Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion: A Diversity of Paradigms |volume=31 |pages=487–509 |location=[[Leiden]] and [[Boston]] |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |doi=10.1163/9789004443969_025 |isbn=978-90-04-44348-8 |s2cid=241116008 |issn=1046-8064}}</ref>

In January 2018, German bishop [[Franz-Josef Bode]] of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Osnabrück|Diocese of Osnabrück]], and in February 2018 German Catholic cardinal [[Reinhard Marx]], chairman of the [[German Bishops' Conference]], said in interviews with German journalists that [[blessing of same-sex unions]] is possible in Catholic churches in Germany.<ref>[https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/Bischof-Bode-fuer-Segnung-von-Homo-Paaren,segnung100.html NDR.de: Bischof für Segnung von homosexuellen Paaren (German)], 10 January 2018</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.br.de/nachrichten/kardinal-marx-homosexuelle-100.html| title = Bayrischer Rundfunk.de: "Segnung homosexueller Paare ist möglich"}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/gesellschaft/reinhard-marx-kardinal-stellt-segnung-homosexueller-paare-in-aussicht-a-1191270.html| title = Spiegel.de: Kardinal Marx stellt Segnung homosexueller Paare in Aussicht| newspaper = Der Spiegel| date = 3 February 2018}}</ref> In Austria blessing of same sex unions is performed in two churches<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.kirchenzeitung.at/site/archiv/article/20836.html | title=Segen für Verliebte in Oberösterreichs Pfarren | language=de | date=6 February 2018 | work=KirchenZeitung | first=Paul | last=Stütz | access-date=25 January 2019 }}</ref> located in the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Linz]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queer.de/detail.php?article_id=30651|website=Queer.de|title=Zum Valentinstag: Katholische Diözese segnet auch Homo-Paare|language=de|trans-title=For Valentine's Day: Catholic Diocese also blesses gay couples}}</ref> In 2021, the [[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]] clarified that same-sex civil unions cannot be blessed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Catholic Church 'cannot bless same-sex unions'|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-56402096|work=BBC News|date=15 March 2021}}</ref>

On 11 March 2023, the [[Synodal Path]] with support of over 80 percentage of German Roman Catholic bishops allowed liturgical blessing ceremonies for same-sex unions in all 27 German Roman Catholic diocese.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/german-catholic-bishops-back-blessings-for-same-sex-couples/a-64950775 Deutsche Welle: German Catholic bishops back blessings for same-sex couples], 11 March 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2023/03/10/german-church-synod-same-sex-blessings-244883 American Magazine: German bishops vote in favor of blessing same-sex unions in the Catholic Church]</ref><ref>[https://www.pillarcatholic.com/german-synodal-way-backs-same-sex-blessings/ The pillar: German synodal way backs same-sex blessings], 11 March 2023</ref> A similar decision had been taken a few months earlier by the Flemish bishops of the [[Episcopal Conference of Belgium]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-20 |title=Belgian bishops agree to bless same-sex unions, defying Vatican |url=https://www.euronews.com/2022/09/20/belgian-bishops-agree-to-bless-same-sex-unions-defying-vatican |access-date= |website=[[Euronews]] |language=en}}</ref> Both decisions received strong condemnation by the [[Holy See]] and by conservative Catholic clergy: Cardinal [[Pietro Parolin]] stated that the German bishops had no authority over the issue and Cardinal [[Wim Eijk]] urged Flemish bishops to withdraw their decision.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=30 September 2022 |title=Cardinal Eijk: Same-sex blessings undermine Church teaching on marriage |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252428/cardinal-eijk-same-sex-blessings-undermine-church-teaching-on-marriage-sexual-ethics |access-date= |website=[[Catholic News Agency]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Elise Ann |date=2023-03-14 |title=Pope's top aide says Germany can't go it alone on blessing same-sex unions |url=https://cruxnow.com/10th-anniversary-pope-francis-election/2023/03/popes-top-aide-says-germany-cant-go-it-alone-on-blessing-same-sex-unions/ |access-date= |website=[[Crux (online newspaper)|Crux]] |language=en}}</ref>

On 18 December 2023, non-liturgical blessings of same-sex couples in the document ''[[Fiducia supplicans]]'' were approved by [[Pope Francis]] and published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.<ref>[https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/12/18/0901/01963.html#en Vatican: Dichiarazione, Fiducia supplicans sul senso pastorale delle benedizioni], 18 December 2023</ref><ref>[https://katholisch.de/artikel/49651-katholische-kirche-erlaubt-segnung-fuer-homosexuelle-paare Katholisch.de: Katholische Kirche erlaubt Segnung für homosexuelle Paare], 18 December 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.n-tv.de/panorama/Papst-ebnet-Weg-fuer-Segnung-homosexueller-Paare-article24609030.html n-tv.de: Papst ebnet Weg für Segnung homosexueller Paare], 18 December 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/katholische-kirche-papst-franziskus-erlaubt-segnung-unverheirateter-und-homosexueller-paare-a-43a26761-31c0-42ed-8bb2-2504aef7575e Spiegel.de: Papst erlaubt Segnung unverheirateter und homosexueller Paare], 18 December 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-12/fiducia-supplicans-doctrine-faith-blessing-irregular-couples.html Vaticannews.va: Doctrinal declaration opens possibility to bless couples in irregular situations ], 18 December 2023</ref> However, "it is not a formal liturgical blessing and does not give the impression that the Catholic Church is blessing the union as if it were a marriage".<ref>United States Conference of Catholic Bishops https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/doctrinal-dicastery-explains-how-when-gay-couples-can-be-blessed</ref>