Vatican cardinal breaks ranks with Ghana’s bishops on criminalization of homosexual acts
December 01, 2023
» Continue to this story on Daily Graphic (Accra)
CWN Editor's Note: Cardinal Peter Turkson, the Ghana-born Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, has broken ranks with the bishops of Ghana, who have praised Parliament for passing legislation that criminalizes homosexual acts.
“My position is contrary to what has just been passed, to criminalize anybody, if you are able to identify the crime, LGBT cases are not to be criminalized,” he told the BBC.
“What I think the move should be is to be a lot of education about certainly cultural attitudes in some of these regards are very deeply rooted and all of that, and we need a lot of education to get people to separate, make a distinction between what is crime and what is not crime, what is the personal habit and not a personal habit,” he added.
In a September 2021 statement that was echoed in a submission to a parliamentary committee, the nation’s bishops deplored homosexual acts and lent support the legislation, stating that “as a Church, we want this abominable practice made illegal in our country.”
In a January 2023 interview, Pope Francis criticized laws criminalizing homosexuality as “unjust,” while noting the sinful nature of homosexual acts.
The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Dec. 01, 2023 5:16 PM ET USA
So sinful acts should not be illegal? "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's" [Mark 12]. "For rulers are not a cause of fear to good conduct, but to evil...for [government] is a servant of God for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword without purpose; it is the servant of God to inflict wrath on the evildoer" [Romans 13]. Anybody think that Turkson will be given the Strickland treatment for breaking communion? (1) Not American. (2) Friend of Francis.
