Posted on 04/13/2015 8:26:45 AM PDT by marshmallow
Bishop tells TCD conference that gay rights is ‘the justice issue of our time’
A conference discussing the religious case for marriage equality has heard there will be “a price to be paid” by the Catholic Church for its stance in relation to the upcoming referendum.
Marriage Equality: The Religious Case for a Yes Vote took place on Saturday and was hosted by Faith in Marriage Equality at the school of ecumenics, Trinity College, Dublin.
Sociologist Dr Richard O’Leary told the conference there was a danger of a “smaller, more anti-gay” church emerging from the public debate in relation to the referendum.
“I predict there will be a price to be paid by the Catholic Church after this referendum,” he said. “Because of the negative stance taken by the bishops, the church as an institution could emerge as a smaller, more anti-gay, more conservative denomination. Some of the bishops might be satisfied with that outcome, but many people might feel that it would be a regrettable and avoidable outcome.”
Church of Ireland bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory Michael Burrows said he was supporting a yes vote in the referendum and referred to gay rights as “the great justice issue of our time”.
(Excerpt) Read more at irishtimes.com ...
This Bishop is NOT in the Catholic Church, from the way I read it, he’s in the Church of Ireland....like the Church of England.
LISTEN UP> It’s NOT a CATHOLIC BISHOP SAYING THIS!!!! It’s a Protestant Bishop saying that unless the Catholic Church changes like the Church of England has, it will be a smaller Church.
The bishop obviously doesn’t spend enough time reading his bible (if he has one).
the snakes are back.......
Same here!
A sociologist wants to set policy for the church?
I’ll bet he doesn’t even have kids.
Truth, it sets you free!
The Church of Ireland has no adherents but all the best real estate (ecclesiastical, that is) in the country.
Yes, funny indeed, but wouldn’t it be Sodom and Erin-Go-Morra?
Is that a potato? St Patrick chased the snakes and brought the potato?
What is he going to do? Is that a threat?
So what? Smaller isn’t actually bad if the smaller means a greater percentage of faithful, right?
And most of those who do attend are the Poles who have moved to Ireland.
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