https://www.ncregister.com/cna/german-catholic-bishops-call-for-change-to-catechism-on-homosexuality German Catholic Bishops Call for Change to Catechism on Homosexuality I dare not post more about this development, lest I offend pious ears...
Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz also suggested that Catholics with homosexual inclinations cannot all be expected to live chastely and the Church should adopt a pastoral approach that acknowledges this. “Quite a few people who have homosexual attractions belong to the Church and are truly pious in the best sense of the word,” Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz wrote in a column for his diocesan newspaper that was also published on the diocese’s website, with the headline “Don’t ignore science,” on Feb. 3. “As to the demand for chastity: what does it mean from the perspective of people who experience same-sex attraction? I think that few of them would consider this demand as tactful and respectful, because — as the Catechism also knows — this inclination is not self-selected.” Well then, what about RCs with heterosexual inclinations? Are they no longer expected to refrain from fornication, or even adultery? After all, the inclination to fornicate "is not self-selected." I guess the bishop thinks that it wouldn't be fair to expect people to refrain from sin when their hormonal urge to sin is really strong.
Whenever the topic of Christian teaching on homosexual practice comes up, I usually direct people to Robert Gagnon's "The Bible and Homosexual Practice" (Abingdon, 2001). It is an exhaustive and magisterial treatment of the subject, and it is pretty much the final word about whether the Bible allows homosexual practice or not. (Spoiler: not.) Too many Christians accept the homosexual-activist's framing of the issue. Christianity forbids homosexual practice; homosexual feelings are a separate issue. We can say with authority that homosexual practice is forbidden in our faith. This is unambiguous and would not even be a serious point of contention except in this stupid age we live in.
Packer nails it. I can’t vouch for his younger years but by old age he really mellowed into a good old classical Anglican. I pray that the man at his death got to meet his maker and enter into eternal rest. We can’t know, but I hope he made it.