The German bishop Schepers: "Attacks on LGBTQ people should arouse a Christian response!"

Article adapted by a wise by Msgr. Ludger Schepers*, Auxiliary Bishop of Essen (Germany), published on the website Outreach (USA) on March 14, 2025, freely translated by Luigi and Valeria De La Tenda di Gionata.

On January 20, 2025 Donald Trump took office for the second time as president of the United States. His inaugural speech has evoked in me dark presentations, especially for all those who are not white, male, rich and heterosexual. His first "executive provisions" confirm these fears, especially the one that says they exist Only two biological sexes, L 'Exclusion of trans people from the armed forces and from sport or the Closing of the programs for the protection of diversity.

As a German bishop, I could say that the United States and their president are far away; But my heart is tightened, because the aggressive tone and contempt for humanity are spreading not only in the United States, but also here in Germany.

The right parties in Germany are inspired by Trump's nationalist rhetoric and adopt his narratives on an alleged "transgender mania". These fears fed in bad faith are part of a wider cultural clash and the Growing number of hatred crimes In Germany it shows that words are turning into facts.

The movement to the right in western societies is substantially occurring about the debates on the genre. The fact that some parts of the Catholic Church are - once again - in the same boat as the reactionaries is a worrying observation. I think that we, as a Catholic Church, we need to establish a constructive dialogue between theology, ethics and gender theories. The time has come to discuss it, because the theme contributes massively to general polarization.

On February 23, 2025, in Germany, the members of the Bundestag were elected. The outcome of the elections has strengthened populist fringes. I am very concerned with the fact that some members of the new government do not want to keep the self -determination law in its current form, which makes it easier for transgender people, intersex and not binary the modification of their genre and their name in official documents. I can only hope that the coalition partner will be able to mitigate these changes and avoid a further polarization.

Let's go back to the first days of President Trump's mandate. In reality, there has been a radius of hope. During the celebrations for the settlement, a function took place in the Cathedral of Washington in which Bishop Marianne Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Church had the courage to use clear words. He spoke of the fears of people and the responsibility that we Christians have towards everyone. He asked Trump to live up to this responsibility. It is also true that, probably, all this has not made any difference for him or for vice -president Vance, as shown by the refusal reactions they have had against him against him.

He showed what we support as Christians: that every person has the right to live well.

In times like these, our faith is there to give us courage and hope and to refuse to accept inhumanity as "normal". Pope Francis repeatedly underlines that we must never exclude anyone. In a Speech of November 2015, he said that "Jesus asks us to include all people. As Christians, we do not have the right to exclude or judge others ».

In May 2022 Pope Francis said: «The most important thing to know about God is that he is a father and does not deny any of his children. God's style is closeness, mercy and tenderness. In this way we can find God. The Church must become aware of the barriers it has built towards the world and reduce the walls of indifference. Nobody in the Church must be considered "different", regardless of who it is ».

Each attack on the rights of queer people threatens the rights of all those who do not conform to rigid and limited ideas on how to appear and behave. When it comes to human dignity, charity and support for socially disadvantaged people, we as a church must be at the forefront.

I want to work in a society where the wounds are cured, the trust is built and the discrimination is fought. Only by sensitizing each other, listening to us, breaking down fears and prejudices, can we help build a culture and an attitude in which we all feel really recognized and welcomed. I am pleased that many parishes are making sure that this attitude is perceptible in the world.

* Ludger Schepers is auxiliary bishop of Essen, Germany. He directs the queer pastoral care on behalf of the German Episcopal Conference.

Original text: Bishop Schepers: Attacks On Lgbtq People Should Prompt in Christian Response