Cologne Auxiliary Bishop Drops Out

Cologne Auxiliary Bishop Dominik Schwaderlapp, Germany, stopped participating in the synodal forum "Living in successful relationships” which is part of the German Synodal/Suicidal Way.

The forum, a kind of subcommittee, deliberates about the most virulent obsession of the German Church: sex. It has met twice so far. Schwaderlapp noted a "massive dissent on key issues."

He told Die Tagespost that a majority of the forum wants a "change" in the divinely revealed sexual morals. This path is not his, the bishop observes.

The forum's majority aims at "re-evaluating" contraception, homosexual fornication, masturbation, artificial insemination and divorcees in adultery, i.e. remove them from the catalogue of sins.

But this position is built on “quicksand," Schwaderlapp warns. He will however continue to participate in the synodal plenary assembly.

Schwaderlapp is so far the only synod member who has withdrawn from one of the four synodal forums.

Picture: Harald Oppitz, CC-BY-SA, Pressefoto Erzbistum Köln