media<\/a>\u00a0to make it seem as though the PBC endorses positions whose existence it merely notes. However, in noting the existence of these radical dissenting voices, it positions itself rhetorically between them and the traditional teaching of the Church. Therefore, the document is certainly not without blame in this question, as it is employing a rhetorical strategy to move the perceived teaching of the Church toward the radical gender ideology of our day, without attempting to reverse the whole of that distance in a single bound.<\/p>\nAn informed source in Rome commented on the book\u2019s treatment of homosexuality, saying: \u201cThis book is utter banality, which is evidenced first and foremost in the fact that it can be abused by everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sodom\u2019s inhospitable mob<\/h4>\n
While the Pontifical Biblical Commission cannot straightforwardly be accused of simply endorsing the positions voiced above, it certainly goes a long way in insinuating them, particularly in its treatment of the sin of Sodom.<\/p>\n
The commission in fact examines several Old and New Testament passages (Gen. 19, Judges 19, Lev. 18:22 and 20:13). The analysts preface their examination, noting that \u201cthe Bible does not speak of the erotic inclination towards a person of the same sex, but only of homosexual acts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turning to the \u201csin of Sodom\u201d and the city\u2019s total destruction by divine justice for a \u201cwickedness\u201d beyond remedy (Gen 19:1\u201329), the biblical commission asks: \u201cBut what was Sodom\u2019s sin, that deserved such an exemplary punishment?\u201d<\/p>\n
The authors observe that \u201cin other passages of the Hebrew Bible which refer to Sodom\u2019s guilt, there is no allusion to a sexual transgression practiced against people of the same sex.\u201d Instead, they note, these passages (Isaiah 1:10; Jeremiah 23:14; Ezekiel 16:49) speak of \u201cbetrayal,\u201d of \u201cadultery,\u201d and of \u201cpride.\u201d<\/p>\n
The commission concludes that a \u201csignificant [Old Testament] biblical tradition, attested by the prophets, has labeled Sodom (and Gomorrah) with the emblematic, but generic, title of the evil city.\u201d<\/p>\n
But, they argue, at the dawn of the New Testament (particularly 2 Pt 2:6\u201310 and Jude 7), in the second century, a \u201cdifferent interpretation\u201d of the sin of Sodom began to emerge and became the \u201ccustomary reading\u201d of the biblical account.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe city of Sodom is then blamed for an unseemly sexual practice called \u2018sodomy,\u2019 consisting of the erotic relationship with people of the same sex,\u201d the commission writes.<\/p>\n
The PBC continues: \u201cThis would seem to have, at first sight, a clear support in the biblical narrative. In Genesis 19 it is said, in fact, that two \u2018angels\u2019 (v.1), hosted for the night in Lot\u2019s house, are besieged by the \u2018men of Sodom,\u2019 young and old, the whole population (v.4), with the intention of sexually abusing these strangers (v.5).\u201d<\/p>\n
Turning the traditional understanding of the sin of Sodom on its head, the Pontifical Biblical Commission then makes this claim: \u201cThe story, however, is not intended to present the image of an entire city dominated by irrepressible homosexual cravings; rather, it denounces the conduct of a social and political entity that does not want to welcome the foreigner with respect, and therefore claims to humiliate him, forcing him to undergo an infamous treatment of submission.\u201d<\/p>\n
Confident in their interpretation, the commission members write: \u201cThis way of reading the story of Sodom is confirmed by Wisdom, (19:13\u201317) where the exemplary punishment of sinners (first Sodom and then Egypt) is motivated by the fact that they had shown a deep hatred towards the foreigner.\u201d<\/p>\n
The commission concludes:<\/p>\n
We must therefore say that the story about the city of Sodom (as well as that of Gabaa) illustrates a sin that consists in the lack of hospitality, with hostility and violence towards the stranger, a behavior judged very serious and therefore deserving to be sanctioned with the utmost severity, because the rejection of the different, of the needy and defenseless stranger, is a principle of social disintegration, having in itself a deadly violence that deserves an adequate punishment.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
LifeSite consulted a theologian, who, speaking on condition of anonymity, offered these thoughts:<\/p>\n
The idea that the Sodomites attacked Lot\u2019s house not because they were consumed by perverted lust but because they were so hostile to immigration that they could not bear the thought of Lot entertaining two guests is obviously ridiculous. Were they concerned that these were just the beginning of a huge influx of Angels who were going to flood into Sodom, completely changing the character of the city until a rational animal hardly felt at home there anymore with the bars and restaurants overflowing with immaterial beings? It is obvious that voracious perversion and not a lack of tolerance for the \u2018other\u2019 is the source of the Sodomites\u2019 crimes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Spinning the abomination<\/h4>\n
In its book-length study, the Pontifical Biblical Commission then examines Leviticus, which says: \u201cYou shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination,\u201d punishable by death (18:22; 20:13).<\/p>\n
Noting that this sin is counted among \u201cincest and other sexual deviations,\u201d the commission observes that \u201cthe legislator gives no reasons, neither for the prohibition nor for the severe penalty imposed. We may, however, consider that the Leviticus law intended to protect and promote the exercise of sexuality open to procreation, in accordance with the Creator\u2019s command to human beings (Gen 1:28).\u201d<\/p>\n
Subject to discernment?<\/h4>\n
Moving to the New Testament, the commission affirms that the \u201creason for homosexuality\u201d does not appear in the Gospels but is presented in three of St. Paul\u2019s letters (Rm. 1:26\u201327; 1 Cor. 6:9; and 1 Tim. 1:10). The authors consider what they call the \u201clists of sins\u201d offered by St. Paul and note that, in 1 Cor. 6:9\u201310, male sodomy is preceded by adultery and effeminate behavior and is \u201csanctioned by exclusion from the Kingdom.\u201d They note that other sins (like avarice and calumny) are subject to discernment, as their gravity may be more or less from case to case. The New Testament, they argue, enables us to see that \u201cfor Christians the practice of homosexuality is considered a grave sin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Commenting on Paul\u2019s Letter to the Romans (1:18\u201327), the Pontifical Biblical Commission stresses the connection between idolatry (1:20\u201325) and sexual deviation (1:26\u201327). The Pauline text reveals that \u201cman ought to see in a sexuality that no longer recognizes \u2018natural\u2019 differences the symptom of his distorted notion of truth.\u201d Man\u2019s failure to acknowledge the true God, the commission notes, leads to \u201csocietal disorder and violence\u201d (1:29\u201331).<\/p>\n
The Pontifical Biblical Commission thus ends its treatment on homosexuality saying:<\/p>\n
The exacting examination conducted on the texts of the Old and New Testaments has revealed elements that must be considered for an evaluation of homosexuality, in its ethical implications. Certain formulations of biblical authors, as well as the disciplinary directives of Leviticus, require an intelligent interpretation that safeguards the values that the sacred text intends to promote, thus avoiding repeating to the letter what it carries with it, even cultural traits of that time. The contribution provided by the human sciences, together with the reflection of theologians and moral theologians, will be indispensable for an adequate exposition of the issue, which has only been sketched out in this document.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cFurthermore,\u201d they conclude, \u201cpastoral attention will be required, particularly with regard to individuals, in order to carry out that service of good which the Church has to assume in its mission for people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pope Paul VI removed the magisterial role of the Pontifical Biblical Commission in 1971, and since then it has functioned as a consultative body or think-tank. The difficulty of reconciling its documents with the teaching of the Church on the inerrancy of Scripture has been evident for some time.<\/p>\n
___
\nhttps:\/\/www.lifesitenews.com\/news\/vatican-publishes-new-book-reducing-sin-of-sodom-to-lack-of-hospitality<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2056\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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