Franklin Graham, Evangelicals Condemn Pope Francis’ Support for Gay Civil Unions

I find these comments from the Pope unthinkable in light of the Word of God,’ said Franklin Graham.

October 27, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis’ pronouncement seemingly supporting the legalization of homosexual civil unions has not only caused confusion and recoil among many Catholics. It also invited criticism from Protestant leaders who see him departing from Bible truths.

“The news has reported that Pope Francis said in a new documentary that ‘homosexuals have a right to be part of the family’ and is calling for civil union laws for same-sex couples,” noted Evangelist Franklin Graham, son of the late Rev. Billy Graham. “I find these comments from the Pope unthinkable in light of the Word of God.”

“For Pope Francis to attempt to normalize homosexuality is to say that Holy Scriptures are false, that our sins really don’t matter, and that we can continue living in them,” said Graham in a Facebook post. “If that were true, then Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection wouldn’t have been needed. The cross would have been for nothing. No one has the right or the authority to trivialize Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf.”

Yes, God makes it clear that He loves us and does want us to be part of His family, but He also tells us how that can happen. The Bible says, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

I want everyone to know the truth and to find the peace that comes only from fully surrendering our lives to Him and His commands. The consequence of an unrepentant, unbelieving heart is also clear in the Word of God — eternal death. Unless we repent......

Reverend Graham is exactly right and, as can be seen from the following, is in perfect agreement with the perennial orthodox Catholic teaching on this:

Catechism of the Catholic Church:
CCC 2357: Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity (Cf. Gen 191-29; Rom 124-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10), tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

CCC 2358: The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

CCC 2359: Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

In 2003, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under the leadership of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and at the direction of Pope John Paul II made it clear that same-sex civil unions cannot be supported by the Catholic Church:

“The Church teaches that respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions. The common good requires that laws recognize, promote and protect marriage as the basis of the family, the primary unit of society,” the document said.

“Legal recognition of homosexual unions or placing them on the same level as marriage would mean not only the approval of deviant behavior, with the consequence of making it a model in present-day society, but would also obscure basic values which belong to the common inheritance of humanity. The Church cannot fail to defend these values, for the good of men and women and for the good of society itself,” it concluded."

Pope Francis has expressed on this (and, sadly, on many other occasions) an erroneous theological opinion given in a secular interview and not as magisterial teaching. It is in no way binding on any Catholic and does not change Catholic teaching in any way. The biggest damage done is to his own soul and to the faith of weak and uninformed Catholics who think this is an actual change. It also misinforms non-Catholics who might think the Church is changing it's teachings, which is not possible. This is the sin of scandal, and Jesus had some severe things to say about this related to millstones.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.