Germany’s Marxist Synod

A German professor of theology is hitting back against Marxist views on gender.

On Tuesday, dogmatist and Mariologist Manfred Hauke called the German bishops' conference non-Catholic for its attempts to overthrow Catholic teaching.

The German bishops are resorting to a method known as the "Synodal Way": having a synod where they vote up or down on the validity of Church teaching.

"Anyone who advocates women's priesthood with theological manifestos, pseudo-synodal voting mechanisms and liturgy strikes expresses a spiritual stance that does not correspond to the Church's doctrine of the Blessed Mother," Hauke said.

Hauke believes Mary is the archetype of the Church, playing the role of Mother and Virgin — citing Pope St. John Paul II's 1988 apostolic exhortation Mulieris Dignitatem, calling motherhood and virginity "central dimensions for the vocation of women."

Hauke is also accusing the German bishops, led by Bp. Georg Bätzing of Limburg's diocese, of openly advocating a Marxist goal to include women in male roles.

The bishops have allies in the Maria 2.0 movement, a group whose co-founder, Lisa Kötter, accuses the Church of presenting Our Lady as subservient.

"[Mary] was a strong, courageous woman. She certainly didn't sing the Magnificat with her mouth closed," Kötter said.

Hauke doesn't question the participation of women in management tasks, but does believe the traditional roles of men and women are complementary to one another — this, while maintaining the Church's need to be seen as "bride" and "female" in its "receiving readiness," fully maintaining there is no excuse for the Church to abandon its traditional understanding of the sexes for a Marxist one.