Berlin Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki has rejected criticism of talks between the Vatican and the traditionalist Pius Brotherhood by Volker Beck, parliamentary director of the Green Party's parliamentary group in the Bundestag.
Pope Benedict XVI. Will speak to Jews and Muslims during visit to Berlin next week, Woelki said Thursday in Berlin. Moreover, the reconciliation between Christians and Jews is a constant theme of his theological writings. At no point he degrades homosexuals and emancipated women to second-class people.
After almost two years of negotiations, the Vatican had handed over a "doctrinal declaration" on fundamental teachings of the faith of the church to the Pius Brotherhood on Wednesday. The signing of this document is a condition for further negotiations on the return of the community, which has been split from the Church since 1988. Beck had said the same day that by tolerating the Pius brothers, the pope was also tolerating an "ideology of inequality within the Catholic Church that degrades Jews, Muslims, homosexuals and emancipated women to second-class human beings". Beck said it was a "scandal that a German pope so oblivious to history should seek to close ranks with a hardcore anti-Semitic and anti-democratic sect".
Pius brothers want to take action against Beck
Woelki went on to say that talks with the Pius brothers were important because the unity of the church was a high priority. It does not mean that the pope therefore identifies with all the statements of individual members of this group. Beck would be free to criticize the pope. "A little more differentiation and less polemic would be appropriate, however," the archbishop says.
Meanwhile, the Pius Brotherhood is considering legal action against Beck. Whose statements are to be submitted to a lawyer. The association also said Thursday in Stuttgart that the "Green ideologue" proves once again that he has not yet reached "the maturity for a pluralistic society" like Germany. Beck would have to retract his statement and apologize.