Any "Christian perspective" of family and marriage is informed by universal human conditions, i.e. the social coexistence of human beings as corporeal persons, as is already stated by the biblical evidence. This contribution unfolds five basic aspects of this view: a) The continuity of humanity is based on sexually different (heterosexual) humans becoming "one flesh" in their children. b) This fundamental process is constitutive of the family as a life-long community of mutual respect and care. All surrogate forms of family necessitated by contingent circumstances remain connected to this original form. c) Due to its fragility, the family needs the legal institution of marriage to protect it. Equal protection is to be granted to any surrogate forms. d) Besides the family, there are other long-term mutual care communities that need governmental protection by specific legal institutions. e) The practice of the churches as well as of states regarding long-term mutual care communities needs to respect this difference. Both the character and dignity of homosexual life partnerships are disrespected if their specific difference to heterosexual partnerships in general and to families in particular is not taken into account.

Enthalten in:
Evangelische Theologie; 2015/2 Zweimonatsschrift (2015)

---

Serie / Reihe: Evangelische Theologie

Personen: Herms, Eilert

Schlagwörter: Ehe Familie Christentum Kirchen