The Two Sexes and "Sexual Orientations" -- "Same-sex Marriage" and "Adoption" (Two Short Pastoral Essays by Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

 The Two Sexes and "Sexual Orientations"

November 29, 2023

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

The Church is in conversation with the world, the people, near and far, with their concerns and their problems, yet within its theology, which is the consensus patrum (that is, the agreement of the Fathers, which was formulated in Synod) it also considers the data of today's science. Therefore, everyone should not have arbitrary and individual interpretations.

One of the topical issues that is discussed especially in our days is the topic of homosexuality and it is often sought, by those who ask us, to express the Church's teaching on this.

However, this topic is both simple and complex. It is simple, because when we refer to the creation of humans there are two sexes, male and female. And it is complex, because there are many and varied "sexual orientations", due to the passions and the differentiation of the movements of the psychic and somatic energies.

Sexuality and the Orthodox Church

 By Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, Philadelphia, Heraklion and Chalkidona

There is a lot of talk about new forms of family and new definitions of human relationships, about people's sexual choices and directions. The prevailing reason is for the personal rights of all people, for the absolute freedom to choose partners, but there is also the shallow sexuality that leads to brief pleasures.

We easily place labels on everything that we find difficult for us, on everything that does not agree with us, such as e.g. "racist", "liberal", "immoral", "conservative", "homophobic", etc. Nowhere, however, is the label "human"!

In Orthodox theology, things are absolutely clear. "Male and female did God create them" (Gen. 1:27). In Cana of Galilee, Christ blessing the marriage (Jn. 2:1-11) we come across a family relationship between man and woman, with the aim of uniting the two in one body and their common path to heaven, without of course the condition of childbearing, as many mistakenly believe.

Statement of the Church of Cyprus on the Criminalization of Sexual Orientation and Gender Conversion Therapies

Over a year ago, the activist group Accept-LGBTI Cyprus surveyed around 100 people and revealed that conversion therapies for sexual orientation or gender identity are still being carried out in Cyprus. According to this report, it found that

1. A victim was forced by a priest to kneel in front of a statue of Jesus Christ and apologize for having sinned.

2. Another was forced by an endocrinologist to take a course of testosterone (male sex hormones) because the doctor said he was too effeminate.

3. Another was exorcised by a priest.

4. Some people had attempted suicide following the so-called therapies.

This prompted lawmakers to propose a ban on all forms of conversion therapies for sexual orientation and gender identity, and make it a crime if any attempt is made at such conversion therapies.