Information for minister & those taking pastoral care
Ministers and those taking pastoral care may consider it a sign of great trust when members of the Church ask them for support and forplease. For a person that senses their own homo-, bi, intersexuality or trans* or principally about this topic turns to chaplains, often find it difficult to talk about fears, doubts and questions.It may well be that you, as a chaplain, are the first one this person trusts enough to talk about it.
Considering this background, it is important to put pastoral care at the centre of your actions irrespective of your personal attitude to the subject.
The statement of the New Apostolic Church about the topic of homosexuality is subject to change. Since in 1986 the then-president of the New Apostolic Church, Chief Apostle Hans Urwyler, changed the permission for Holy Communion, the Church has been trying to integrate homo-, bi, intersexuality or trans* rather than ignoring them.
The statement that had been on the website since 2005 was removed from there in 2017 without being replaced by a new one. Yet we adhere to the following sentence still to be valid:
The sexual orientation has no implication on pastoral care of brothers and sisters in faith.
The New Apostolic Church
- declares that homosexuality is neither a sin nor an affliction
- declares that sexual orientation has no effect on salvation
- attributes stable same-sex relationships a higher virtue than promiscuity
- does not impose a recommendation of abstinence
- does not impose a recommendation of therapy to attempt to change someone’s sexual orientation
 | A Guide for Ministers of the New Apostolic Church A Guide for Ministers of the New Apostolic Church.pdf (457.65KB) |
| A Guide for Ministers of the New Apostolic Church.pdf (457.65KB) |