The Synodal Path will not resurrect German Catholicism

Source: The Catholic Herald

A left-turn by the German Catholic Church is unlikely to resurrect Catholicism in the country, as Germany’s progressive Synodal Path seemingly draws the wrong conclusions about why Catholics are abandoning the faith. The Synodal Path comprises a series of conferences of the German Catholic Church to discuss many questions. A majority at a conference in February endorsed women’s ordination, same-sex partnerships getting a public blessing, reforming teachings on sexual ethics, and allowing married priests. 

The Synodal Path seemingly got another boost this week after it was revealed that most German Catholics back abortion. A survey conducted by INSA Consulere on behalf of Die Tagespost asked responders if it is good that the Pope and Church speak against abortion. Just 17 per cent agreed, compared to 58 per cent who opposed it. This can be contrasted in Poland where data from one Kantar poll found 62 per cent of Poles support abortion only in certain circumstances. 

The INSA Consulere poll is hardly shocking, however. German Catholics have been trending liberal for some time, much like Catholics in the rest of western Europe. Indeed, what the Pew Research Center discovered with regards to a divide on social values across Europe – which is effectively split now between a progressive west and a conservative  east – is also mirrored among the Continent’s Catholics, with US Catholics basically trending along with western European Catholics.

According to Pew: “In Western Europe, large majorities of Catholics said in 2017 that they support legal same-sex marriage. That was the case in the Netherlands (92%), the United Kingdom (78%), France (74%) and Germany (70%). Same-sex marriage is legal in most of the Western European countries surveyed.” Pew found, however, that “in almost all of the Central and Eastern European countries surveyed by the Center in 2015 and 2016, most Catholics oppose same-sex marriage”. This included “Nine-in-ten Catholics in Ukraine” who “said same-sex marriage should be illegal, as did 66% of Catholics in Hungary and 62% of Catholics in Poland.” Moreover, the majority of “nations in Central and Eastern Europe do not allow legal same-sex unions”.

The data for general acceptance of same-sex partnerships is more ambiguous, but the trend lines are also clear. In Germany, for instance, 93 per cent of Catholics are supportive. Figures for the UK and US were 86 per cent and 76 per cent, respectively. This drops to 48 per cent in Hungary, 46 per cent in the Czech Republic, and 45 per cent in Poland. Given such numbers, one could see why the Synodal Path assumes a progressive turn by the Church in Germany will save Catholicism. 

Read further

Suggested Reading by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times for Personal Religion in 21st century as opposed to Organized religion:

A Slight Twist Makes David Attenborough a Great Teacher for God of the Abrahamic Faiths

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times Sir David Frederick Attenborough is an agnostic, for he focuses on the question of suffering.  If that question […]

Richard Dawkins admits a world with no God would be immoral

Source: Premier By Heather Preston Noted atheist Richard Dawkins has admitted a world without God would lead to moral decline. Speaking to The Times, Dawkins said he fears the removal […]

God of Abrahamic Faiths saves us from sin and crime?

Epigraph:For those who do not believe in the Hereafter are negative metaphors, while all the best attributes and metaphors are for Allah alone. He is the Mighty, the Wise. (Al […]

All of David Attenborough’s Work as a Proof for the Hereafter according to the Holy Quran

Epigraph Do they not see that God brings life into being and reproduces it? Truly this is easy for God. Say, ‘Travel throughout the earth and see how He brings […]

Seeking the Truth and Not A Champion for Our Prejudices: Craig Versus Hitchens

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times The libraries have been opened up for you. Scholars of all dimensions are presenting all the world books […]

If the Atheists and the Christians Debate, Islam Wins!

Epigraph: And you (Muhammad) shall assuredly find those who say, ‘We are Christians,’ to be the nearest of them in love to the believers. That is because amongst them are […]

William Lane Craig’s Debates and Presentations for Objective Morality

I endorse here his presentation of objectivity of human morality, but not his beliefs of divinity of Jesus or his positions about the Bible. Epigraph: Do they seek a religion […]

Objective Morality: Ukrainian suffering, African and Middle Eastern Suffering?

Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times We feel the pain of each and every victim of the Ukrainian war. The wall to wall, 24/7 […]

Dr. Zia H Shah’s interview by Voice of Islam: Is Morality Objective or Subjective?

Epigraph Every human life is precious and sacred and killing an innocent is like triggering a genocide. (Al Quran 5:32/33) For the sake of reference I have included the transcript […]

Atheists’ reply to objective morality by the Theists

By Barry Goldberg, Born Jewish, Raised Mormon, Discovered Philosophy and Became Atheist Theists often like to use the idea of objective morality to prove the existence of the particular god they […]

Suggested Reading for the best understanding of personal religion in the 21st century

Americans Trust Clergy Less Than Ever, Gallup Poll Finds Pope Francis: Satan Is Stalking The Catholic Church A Message of Compassion and Love from the Holy Bible Deciding to Leave: The Last Straw […]

Refuting William Lane Craig’s: ‘The Birth of God’

To Know more how you can benefit from the Muslim Times, go to our Homepage or About Us page Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times William Lane Craig (born […]

The Best Collection to Introduce Islam to the Fellow Christians

Suggested reading Pulitzer Prize Winner, Garry Wills Talks About the Quran for 50 Minutes Video: Cat Stevens’ Path to Islam Ted Talk: A message of peace, hope and inclusion | Yusuf Islam […]

Kripkean Dogmatism: The Best Metaphor to Understand Religious and Political Debates

By Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times By the Grace of Allah, I joined Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, from a Sunni family, in 1984, while I was […]

Is Christianity dying; Seventy percent don’t believe in Eucharist?

Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ Source: Pew Research Center By Gregory A. Smith  is an associate director of research at […]