Scandal in Germany: Public Television Airs Queer Church Service
In the spirit of inclusion and sensitisation, under the motto "Who am I – to you?", public broadcaster ZDF aired a queer Catholic service for the first time on Sunday. Many were outraged by the broadcast, while others hailed it as yet another sign of change within the Church. Germany now ranks first among the “most queer-friendly Catholic churches” in the world.
The “Queer Community of Munster” (Queer-Gemeinde Munster) celebrated its television debut on Sunday, as its service from St Anna’s Church in Munster-Mecklenbeck was broadcast nationwide on ZDF for the first time.
„For the queer community of Munster, this is a historic moment: for the first time, a queer service is being broadcast on television,”
the group wrote on Instagram, adding:
„For more than 25 years, we have created space for queer faith, acceptance, and community – and now we can share this message with all of Germany.”
A bejegyzés megtekintése az Instagramon
Az istentisztelet középpontjában a Lukács evangéliumában szereplő példabeszéd állt a farizeusról és a vámszedőről (18: 9–14), amelyet a közvetítés során Karsten Weidisch lelkész így magyarázott:
The service focused on the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector from the Gospel of Luke (18:9–14). Pastor Karsten Weidisch explained the passage during the broadcast, saying:
„Be yourself, stand up for yourself! Walk your own path as you are.”
In the parable, a Pharisee praises himself for his piety, while a tax collector, considered a sinner, humbly asks for God’s mercy. In the end, Jesus declares the tax collector righteous, for the humble find grace before God.
At the queer service, however, this passage was interpreted as a call for self-acceptance—an approach which critics say distorts the fundamental meaning of Scripture.
The event took place under heightened security measures, Apollo News reported.
Alice Martens, a member of the congregation, emphasized: „Queer means that I can be who I am – with my love, my identity, and my faith.”
A bejegyzés megtekintése az Instagramon
Public Outrage over the Broadcast
While many believers welcomed the mass as a sign of openness, critics accused the congregation of excessive conformity to social trends. For a large portion of the public, the broadcast was nothing short of scandalous.
The queer congregation describes itself as „a church and home for the LGBTQ community”—that is, for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and diverse individuals. Since 1999, it has offered a spiritual home for these groups.
The term „queer” is seen by the community as a positive self-identification, and it considers gender-based classification to be discriminatory.
According to Apollo News, Germany has now reached first place in the ranking of the “most queer-friendly Catholic churches.” Just five years ago, it took 10th place. Austria has also become significantly more open, according to the Rainbow Index of Churches in Europe: with a 53.98 per cent approval rating, it now stands above the EU average.