Summary
The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales have released a pastoral reflection on gender, emphasizing Church teachings while acknowledging the challenging yet essential task of supporting those with gender dysphoria. The document, titled “Intricately woven by the Lord: A pastoral reflection on gender by the bishops of England and Wales,” underscores that everyone is welcome in the Church. However, it states that an individual’s sexual identity is not merely a “cultural or social construction.” The document disputes Gender Identity Theory, which suggests that people possess an ‘inner’ gender identity that may not align with their biological sex. It affirms the significance of the body and sexual differentiation.
The bishops maintain that all individuals are created in God’s image, endowed with inherent dignity by the Creator, and emphasize that guiding people to a fulfilling life in Christ involves both truth and compassion.
“We issued this document because pastoral workers often find this issue complex and in need of sensitive handling. Accompaniment is vital in the faith journey, and we want to stress that the Church welcomes everyone. As followers of Christ, we must reflect God’s infinite mercy and compassion in addressing the complexities of others’ lives. Yet, this must be done with a clear understanding of the Catholic perspective on the human person and a comprehensive view of human sexuality.” Bishop David Oakley
Response
Ian Paul has written an excellent response and notes the beauty and stength of the use of Psalm 139 which states “For you formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb, I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” In this dignity is insisted on not due to personal identity but as our status as created by God and in his image. It rejects ideas of an inner identity.
- There is a commitment to truth as central to pastoral care and a response to people. We cannot help by lying about reality and this truth is integral to an actual loving response.
- The statement is rooted in Biblical theology including the sex binary of creation and the reality of sin and redemption
In the journey of discipleship, which constantly unfolds, primacy always lies with the grace of Christ. It is, then, the face of Christ which sets in motion each person’s salvation history wherever that face may be glimpsed. Certainly, our task of pastoral accompaniment is expressed ‘in an endless desire to show mercy, the fruit of our own experience of the power of the Father’s infinite mercy
Yet care should be taken to resist the temptation to adopt the language of gender ideology in our institutions. In the heat and confusion surrounding the ‘gender issue’, the Church is called to proclaim an authentic understanding of the human person with clarity, simplicity, love and respect… Medical intervention for children should not be supported. It should also be recognised that social ‘transition’ (living in the opposite gender role) can have a formative impact on a child’s development and can set a child on a path towards later medical interventions. Care should be taken to avoid this especially with young children.
