This article is adapted from an essay originally published in German.
On Jan. 20, 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated as president of the United States for the second time. His inaugural speech evoked for me gloomy forebodings, especially for all those who are not white, male, rich and heterosexual. His first “executive orders” confirm these fears, especially the one claiming there are only two biological sexes, the exclusion of trans people from the military and sport or the shutting down of diversity programs.
As a German bishop, I could say the United States and its president are far away; but it makes my heart heavy, because the tone and contempt for humanity are spreading not only in the United States, but also here in Germany.
Right-wing parties in Germany are inspired by Trump’s nationalist rhetoric and are adopting his narratives about an alleged “transgender mania.” These deliberately stoked fears are part of a larger culture war, and the rising number of hate crimes in Germany show that words are turning into deeds.
Every attack on the rights of queer people threatens the rights of all those who do not conform to narrow ideas of how to look and behave.
The shift to the right in Western societies is essentially taking place along gender debates. The fact that some parts of the Catholic Church find themselves—once again—in the same boat as the reactionaries is a worrying observation. I think that we, as the Catholic Church, need a dialogue between theology and ethics and gender theories. It is high time for this discussion, because the topic contributes massively to general polarization.
On Feb. 23, 2025, members of the Bundestag were elected in Germany. And the outcome of the election has strengthened the populist fringes. I am very concerned that parts of the new government do not want to retain the Self-Determination Act in its current form, which makes it simpler for transgender, intersex and non-binary people to have their gender and names altered in official records. I can only hope that the coalition partner can mitigate these changes and avoid further polarization.
Back to President Trump’s first days.
There was a ray of hope there. During the inauguration celebrations, a service took place in the Washington Cathedral, in which Bishop Marianne Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Church found clear words. She spoke about people’s fears and the responsibility that we as Christians have for everyone. She called on Trump to live up to this responsibility. Even though it probably didn’t make a difference to him or Vice President Vance, as evidenced by their dismissal of her in the days after.
She showed what we stand for as Christians: that every person has the right to live well.
In times like these, our faith is there to give each other courage and hope and to refuse to accept inhumanity as “normal.” Pope Francis repeatedly emphasizes that we must never exclude. In a speech in November 2015, he said: “Jesus asks us to include all people. As Christians, we do not have the right to exclude or judge others.”
In May 2022 Pope Francis said:
The most important thing to know about God is that he is a father and does not deny any of his children. God’s style is closeness, mercy and tenderness. In this way, God is found. The Church must become aware of the barriers it has erected itself and tear down the walls of indifference. No one in the church should be considered ‘different’—no matter who he or she is.
Every attack on the rights of queer people threatens the rights of all those who do not conform to narrow ideas of how to look and behave. When it comes to human dignity, charity and the support of the socially disadvantaged, we as a church must get involved.
I want to work in a society where injuries are healed, trust is built and discrimination is combated. Only by sensitizing each other, listening to each other, by breaking down fears and prejudices can we achieve a culture and attitude in which we all really feel seen and welcome. I am glad that so many parishes are currently ensuring that this attitude is visible.
