I have commented that the Orthodox Churches are going through one of the greatest crises in their history right now with what can be correctly described as the “Great Schism 2.0” by way of the Russian isolation from the rest of the Orthodox world. This must be understood in the full context of events happening throughout Europe, where religion, nationalism, politics, and paganism are forming a deadly concoction that is sounding the trumpet of war once again.
The crisis in the Western world is also very grave, and has been discussed by many. As it has been in the past, Germany has once against made herself central to the current problems in the Church in modern times as in what one might call a “Protestant Revolution 2.0”, the German bishops have stated that sodomite behavior is a “normal form of sexual predisposition”, thus in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Catholic Faith on those whose sin cries out to Heaven for vengeance and brought down the wrath of God on the lands of Middle Ghor.
he Commission for Marriage and Family of the German Bishops’ Conference has come to a consensus that homosexuality is a “normal form of sexual predisposition.”
Two German prelates have also claimed that Amoris Laetitia teaches that sexual relationships formed after a divorce are neither gravely sinful nor a bar to the reception of Holy Communion.
On December 5, the German Bishops’ Conference published a press release detailing the results of an “expert consultation on the topic ‘The sexuality of man: how to discuss it scientifically-theologically, and how to assess it ecclesiastically?’”
The consultation, which included a panel of bishops, sexologists, moral theologians, dogmatic theologians, and canon lawyers, took place in Berlin and concluded on December 4. The timing of the event coincided with the German bishops’ departure along their own “synodal path.”
According to the press release, the experts agreed that “human sexuality encompasses a dimension of lust, of procreation, and of relationships.”
They also agreed that homosexuality is as “normal” as heterosexuality and that neither sexual attraction should be changed.
“There was also agreement that the sexual preference of man expresses itself in puberty and assumes a hetero- or homosexual orientation. Both belong to the normal forms of sexual predisposition, which cannot or should be be changed with the help of a specific socialization,” the press release stated. (source)
The saving grace of incidents such as these, is that it is in such dark times that the Catholic Faithful is called to disobedience.
The Catholic Faith makes clear that divinely revealed truth in accordance with the Magesterium does not change. However, human beings can make false proclamations, even persons in power or with authority. This is the importance of Papal Infallability, which states that the Pope cannot err when speaking ex cathedra in the presence of the bishops gathered together as a whole Church on matters of faith and morals alone. In other words, Pope Francis can say whatever he wants, but because the Church is founded by Christ and the gates of hell will not prevail over her, he cannot formally teach heresy. Thus there will never be formal teaching of error, but it certainly can come from individuals or factions in the Church speaking informally or pretending formal authority when they lack it.
The current state of heresy in the Church that has spread globally is correctly attributed to the sins of the laity, as what takes place among the average people is reflected many times in the hierarchy just as how sins of a nation are reflected often in their taste in political leaders. However, there is also the poisonous influence of the various “intel” agencies, both of the West and the East, representing the right wing and left wing ideologies of National Socialism and International Socialism that have attempted to manipulate the Church to serve their ends.
The good news is, as the Bible states, God is in control. His Church is not going to go anywhere.
Likewise, it is in hard times like this that the doctrines of the Church are made for.
The German bishops can decree whatever they want. Guess what? Unless it conforms to divinely revealed truth, then it is absolutely meaningless.
Pope Francis himself could come out with an entire cadre of bishops and say that everything is invalid, nothing matters, and truth is wholly subjective. However, that would be like the US Congress passing a bill saying that gravity no longer exists. The Magesterium does not change with the spirit of the age, and the laws of physics certainly do not, and all that is going to happen if one tries to test this will be a very nasty check with reality, the gravity one resulting in physical death, and the one concerning faith, morals, and divinely revealed teaching with spiritual death.
This is the reason why I am not worried in the least about the crisis in the Church or what is happening. Rather, I say my prayers, continue to improve my own life, help others as I can, and realisitically, either ignore the shenanagans or, if I am forced to watch and there is nothing I can do, just grab something to eat and drink and sit back for the mess. What else is there to do?
The current times are not for people to be afraid of. Rather, this time, these ages of chaos, are the times for greatness that the saints of old could only dream for. We are incredibly blessed to live through them, for the more chaos that there is, the more grace that there is, and the more hope for those who feel their situation is completely hopeless and lost.
When an airplane is crashing, the flight attendants always say to strap in and put one’s head down. One does not go jumping out of the plane because that is a sure recipe for instant death. Likewise, if the Church seems as though it is crashing, then just buckle up for the ride. I guarantee, that there will be a crash, but it is after the crash that God, by a miracle, will see that She has a resurrection, for Her path to follow is in the Passion of Christ that lead to His eventual death and then resurrection.