Truth is now considered to be “right-wing” and discriminatory according to dissident Roman Catholic priest Fr. James Martin and New Ways, a progressive organization that he has long supported.
In response to an August 10 decision by the Loudoun County, Virginia school board in suburban Washington to allow and affirm transgender bathroom and sports team policies, Diocese of Arlington Bishop Michael F. Burbidge released a document on gender ideology. Titled, “A Catechesis on the Human Person and Gender Ideology” the document and its corresponding introductory letter offered pastoral observations on the principles of Catholic social teaching as they relate to the transgender issue.
Burbidge’s explanation is grounded in Catholic principles of the unity of body and soul, the complementarity between males and females, and the purpose of the human person (a marital union ordered towards the procreation of children).
One week following the document’s release, it was condemned by Martin.
“The worst kind of marginalization, the worst kind of discrimination, and the worst kind of hatred is to claim that someone doesn’t exist,” Martin tweeted. In the same tweet, Martin linked a New Ways statement on the pastoral document. New Ways, a self-described “gay-positive” Catholic ministry, is not a Catholic organization according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) because it flouts Catholic and Scriptural teachings on human sexuality.
News Ways’ statement on the Arlington Bishop’s document stated that the pastoral document “relies on trans-negative church teachings and right-wing sources.” It “wholeheartedly endorses the gender complementarity theology at the core of LGBTQ oppression in the church…”
What Martin and New Ways describe as “right-wing sources” are Catholic teachings charitably presented in love. Burbidge cites directly from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and papal encyclicals in explaining the Church’s position on gender ideology.
Doctrinally orthodox and progressive Catholics diverge in the transgender debate in a differing belief of human personhood. While Martin claims that Burbidge is discriminatory in his recitation of Catholic theology, Martin actually has an issue with the teachings themselves.
The pastoral document presents a vision of the human person as a dual being with a united body and soul, a fact of reality that can be discerned through divine revelation and natural law. If a body and soul are to be united, then one’s biological sex represented by the body must reflect one’s gender identity represented by the soul and vice versa. The New Ways organization and Martin view the human person as a self-constructed and divided being — one where the manifestations of the body and soul are separate. One side of this debate sees this division of body and soul as something that should be affirmed through the usage of preferred pronouns. Burbidge and the Church see this division as a medical condition called gender dysphoria and as a departure from God’s image of the human person and his purpose for humanity.
The New Ways statement also criticizes Burbidge’s proposed guidance on how the Church faithful should respond to the debate behind gender ideology. While Martin and New Ways claim that the bishop ignores the existence of transgender people, the bishop continually stresses the importance of treating those who identify as transgender with dignity and respect. One can’t treat someone with respect if they don’t acknowledge their existence. Burbidge even notes in the document, “Denigration or bullying of any person, including those struggling with gender dysphoria, is to be rejected as completely incompatible with the Gospel.” However, what Martin and New Ways really have a problem with is that, in addition to treating those suffering from gender dysphoria with kindness, Burbidge also calls upon the faithful to “speak and act with both charity and truth” by medically treating the person’s gender dysphoria.
To Burbidge, acting in truth means not affirming an identity that is at odds with someone’s biological sex or promoting surgical transitions for those suffering from gender dysphoria. Acting in truth also involves presenting information, in love, on the dangers of transitioning. New Ways disapproves of this promulgation and even outrageously suggests that Catholics ignore Burbidge’s proposed response. The “ministry” suggests that truths that the bishop should have promulgated instead were using people’s preferred pronouns and promoting medical interventions as a solution to the tension between one’s biological sex and gender identity.
This dispute between Martin and a traditional Catholic like Burbidge is not shocking but is nonetheless concerning. In true postmodernist fashion, Martin relies on the power of manipulating language and use of hot-button words to characterize Burbidge as discriminatory and “right-wing.” An honest look at Burbidge’s document presents a kind and genuine recitation of Catholic teaching.
Comment by Rev. Dr. Lee D Cary (ret. UM clergy) on August 27, 2021 at 11:09 am
Father Martin would do well to read another article posted on this site entitled “Declining Liberal Methodists Turn to Property as Pews Empty” by James Diddams.
If Martin’s and New Ways beliefs talk hold in the RCC in America, what applies to the UMC could, in time, also impact the RCC.
Comment by Palamas on August 27, 2021 at 4:18 pm
Fr. Martin has been flaunting his heresy for more than two decades. Why he is allowed to do so is anyone’s guess (though it’s obvious he has like-minded colleagues in the episcopacy and in the Vatican), but it does rather undermine the Catholic Church’s claim to be the guardian of Christian truth.
Comment by Grandpa Dino on August 27, 2021 at 5:30 pm
A boy cannot ‘become’ a girl.
A girl cannot ‘become’ a boy.
Not even in Loudoun County Virginia.
Comment by George on August 27, 2021 at 7:36 pm
One’s self-identity, or even entire thought process, can not change the reality of what they are including gender. Scripture relates miracles, even raising the dead but never any change of gender. Gender dysphoria doesn’t change objective reality and ever cell of the human body identifies the gender of the person and so the concept of “trans-gender,” no matter how popular, is a biological absurdity! The Church doesn’t have an option to bend to such anti-scriptural notions and remain the “real” Church. The REAL Church of Jesus Christ is scripturally limited to the aggregate of those who are His DISCIPLES. The greatest problem facing what we CALL the church is the preponderance of those in it that are simply not His disciples and some of them become priests and even bishops! Jesus parable of “Tares & Wheat” addresses this problem in advance. The Apostle Paul also addresses it in Roman’s 9:6ff speaking of both Israel and the Church. But it is what it is, and Jesus’ parable instructs us to let “the angels” sort it out when the time comes.
Comment by Katherine on August 27, 2021 at 8:35 pm
The Arlington Bishop’s name is spelled Burbidge, with only one “r.” It is shown incorrectly throughout this article.
Comment by Joan Sibbald on August 27, 2021 at 8:45 pm
What we are witnessing today is how easy it is for Satan to deceive. Who knew that all he had to do is whisper in his followers ears two words, “inclusive” and “welcoming.”
Comment by Tomás on August 28, 2021 at 9:14 am
For those who don`t know it also should be pointed that New Ways Ministries is pro-abortion too. There is also a ministry, Dignity, who is pro-homosexuality, but at least is pro-life.
Comment by Dale Price on August 28, 2021 at 10:12 am
The Grindr expose really, really shook Martin up. He’s no longer capable of maintaining his old facade. This frantically political defense of the omnipresent T is further proof. Alas that it will end in more children being pumped with chemicals and surgically mutilated, all with his version of a blessing.
Comment by Tom on August 28, 2021 at 11:33 am
The Catholic church has been terminally confused ever since Vatican II.
Comment by Tom Spudic on August 28, 2021 at 3:08 pm
I am not a theological expert but it seems to me this is a modern day form of gnosticism (“a woman trapped in man’s body”). It’s like saying I’m “Babe Ruth” trapped in a 74 year old’s body. Of course I’m free to believe anything I wish, but you do me no favors by affirming it. Again, I’m only a layman, but it sounds like he is peddling theological nonsense, totally unrelated to the Catholic faith. How arrogant.
One wonders where Father Martin gets his authority to pontificate on this matter. As far as I know, he has no special training on the subject but shows no reluctance to move out of his lane and give professional sounding opinions. From what I can see, his background prior to becoming a Jesuit was in business and advertising.
I have worked with a number of people who were dealing with same sex attraction or in the midst of “gender transition”. They were among the nicest, kindest people I’ve ever known. They were suffering greatly. However, feeding into fantasies, such as “I’m a woman trapped in a man’s body” helps no one. It is a form of psychological and theological malpractice. Fr. Martin is a very smart man. I suspect he knows the truth but chooses to ignore it.