Religion

News

Russian Orthodox Church okays use of condoms

Moscow, November 23, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church has said the use of condoms is acceptable following a similar statement made by Pope Benedict XVI of the Catholic Church last week.

"The Foundations of the Social Policy of the Russian Orthodox Church distinguishes between abortive and non-abortive contraception. Priests can allow people to use the latter," head of the synodal Department for Church and Society Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin said in an interview with Interfax-Religion.

However, Father Vsevolod added that it does not mean that the Church approves of "any egoistical decisions made by spouses not to have children."

Speaking about the use of condoms by people who are HIV-positive, Fr. Vsevolod called on these people to "seriously think whether they should have sex because infection can spread not only by direct sexual contact."

The British daily The Guardian reported on Monday, citing a statement by the Holy See, that Pope Benedict XVI intends to consider condom use by observant Catholics in certain situations. Excerpts from a collection the Pope's interviews were published earlier, and in one of those interviews the pope said condom use is justified in some situations.

The statement issued by the Vatican states that the pope agrees that condom use reduces the risk of contracting AIDS.

At the same time, the pope's treatment of the topic considers exceptional situations "in which a sexual act presents a true risk for another's life," Vatican Press Office Director Rev. Federico Lombardi said in a statement. "In such a case, the Pope does not morally justify the disordered exercise of sexuality," rather, the use of the condom to lessen the danger of contagion may be "a first act of responsibility" and "a first step on the path toward a more human sexuality" rather than acting to put another's life at risk, Rev. Lombardi said in his statement.

Nevertheless, he said in his statement that the pope's comment neither "reforms nor changes" church teachings, which prohibits observant Catholics from using condoms.

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• Future of Abkhaz Orthodox faith should be based on church canons with regard for Abkhaz people's opinion - Russian Orthodox Church 24 May 2013, 19:27
• Abkhaz president asks Moscow Patriarchate to ordain Abkhaz bishop 24 May 2013, 19:24
• Putin congratulates Patriarch Kirill on his Name Day 24 May 2013, 11:33
• Russian Foreign Ministry says U.S. State Department's religious freedom report politicized 24 May 2013, 10:00
• Court bans gay pride parades in Kiev on May 25 (updated) 23 May 2013, 21:09
• Georgian, Ecumenical Patriarchs not expected in Abkhazia 23 May 2013, 18:11
• Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia says plans to visit Abkhazia with Ecumenical Patriarch (updated) 23 May 2013, 17:46
• CoE commissioner urges Georgian authorities to protect gays from homophobes 22 May 2013, 15:42
• Radical Islamism is the most real threat to Russia - General Kulikov 22 May 2013, 14:53
• Belarus dismisses U.S. report's criticism of religious freedom restrictions 22 May 2013, 14:39
• U.S. ambassador invited to State Duma to discuss NGO, religious organizations 22 May 2013, 12:18
• CoE secretary general urges Russia to protect gay rights to demonstrations, freedom of speech (updated) 22 May 2013, 11:28
• Discussions of interfaith problems must be intensified in UN, intl organizations - Lavrov 21 May 2013, 17:04
• Russian patriarch concerned about violence against Christians in Africa 21 May 2013, 17:01
• Tajik president calls on Islamic Development Bank to invest in regional infrastructure 21 May 2013, 15:53
• Patriarch Kirill tells CoE's secretary general same-sex marriage sinful 21 May 2013, 13:38
• Most Russians support non-intervention of church in state affairs - poll 21 May 2013, 10:12
• Suspected militants killed near Moscow may have belonged to Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - source 21 May 2013, 10:00
• Hizb ut-Tahrir activist from Kyrgyzstan detained in Alma-Ata 20 May 2013, 11:43
• Anti-homophobia demo held in Kiev 20 May 2013, 10:05
• Georgian patriarch calls on supporters, opponents of gay movement to pray for each other 20 May 2013, 10:04
• 28 injured in Tbilisi in attack on rally in defense of gays 20 May 2013, 10:03
• Head of Consumer Right Protection Society fined 100,000 rubles for slandering Cathedral of Christ the Savior Fund 17 May 2013, 16:58
• LGBT rally in St. Petersburg draws 60 supporters, 200 opponents 17 May 2013, 16:55
• Georgian ombudsman fails to protect gay parade in Tbilisi 17 May 2013, 16:16
• Seventeen people injured amid gay parade in Tbilisi 17 May 2013, 16:08
• Orthodox Church, NGO of Moldova ask Chisinau mayor to cancel gay parade 17 May 2013, 15:06
• Police, special task forces save gay parade participants from outraged citizens in Tbilisi 17 May 2013, 14:23
• Three-fourths of Russians insist govt. should ban public display of homosexuality 17 May 2013, 13:14
• Suspected leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir Sakhalin unit detained 17 May 2013, 11:54

Other news