In 2023, Canadian powerlifter Avi Silverberg set national records in the women’s division. Obviously a man, he did so to make a point: Canada’s powerlifting rules state that if a man says he’s a woman, he’s a woman, but this isn’t logical or scientific, and it isn’t just towards the women who lose. Last March, the International Olympics Committee ruled that, from now on, only biological females can compete in women’s events. And, as mentioned three years ago, the UK, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, France, New Zealand, and the U.S. are all moving towards more restrictive transgender policies, because of the evidence. Yet Canada, a very secular nation, continues to act in an unscientific way. When religious Canadians object to supposedly changing one’s gender, some tell us to keep religion out of politics.
S: We mentioned two weeks ago that today we’re talking about the separation of church and state—they’re distinct, as we’ll see in the Gospel, but they’re connected because they both serve the human person. Jesus always made moral judgments, and that affects politics, and the Church does the same. The Church doesn’t believe in the complete separation of Church and state but the distinction and interrelation of Church and state (Gaudium et Spes, 76,3).
In the Gospel, the Pharisees try to trick Jesus, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth… Tell us then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not” (Mt 22:16-17). If Jesus says it’s lawful, then it looks like He’s putting the Roman emperor above God, and looks like He’s supporting the Romans, who invaded Jewish land. But if He says it’s not lawful, then He’ll be going against Roman law.
His solution is to recognize two distinct spheres: “‘Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius [A silver coin with an image of Emperor Augustus on it]. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s’” (22:19-21). There are certain things that belong to government, like taxes, but certain things that belong to God. When Jesus says ‘Give… to God the things that are God’s’ what bears His image? It’s not a coin. It’s the human person, made in God’s image. Only God deserves our whole selves, so, if there’s a conflict between what God says is just and what the government says is just, then we follow God (CCC 2242).
Now the Church should not control the government, and the government should not control the Church. They should cooperate because they both pursue justice. Politics aims at creating a just society. But, how do politicians know what is just? They have to use reason, i.e., philosophy and ethics. Yet Pope Benedict XVI said: “If reason is to be exercised properly, it must undergo constant purification, since it can never be completely free of the danger of a certain ethical blindness caused by the dazzling effect of power and special interests” (Deus Caritas Est, 28,3). Sometimes, when we say we’re being reasonable, we’re still blinded by our preferences. Many Canadian doctors and the government say that it’s okay for young girls to have their breasts removed or young boys to have their genitals cut off because these young people want to identify as the opposite sex. How are they blind to the fact that children often regret their decisions, and aren’t mature enough to make such life-altering decisions? How are they blind to the fact that these children will never be able to procreate?
Everyone, both religious and nonreligious, has biases. Those who have no religion and say that they just follow the science also have biases. E.g. Even if someone is completely pro-choice, it’s only honest to admit that 34% of women globally suffer postabortion depression, according to a 2023 meta study.
We’re not advocating Canadians have to go to Mass or Confession because Jesus wants us to love Him freely in return. We’re saying that “it is a part of the Church’s mission ‘to pass moral judgments even in matters related to politics’” (CCC 2246), and that Catholics can provide moral guidance to society.
Yesterday, we had the general municipal elections, and this Saturday we have the provincial elections. Don’t be fooled by Catholics who say, e.g., ‘I’m personally against abortion, but I would never impose my religious views on others.’ This is illogical. No one would say, ‘‘I’m personally against the death penalty, but I would never impose my religious views on others.’ If we believe something is wrong, then we believe it’s best for society. Also, we’re not only against abortion, euthanasia, etc., because we’re religious; we’re against them also because it’s rational, based on philosophy and scientific facts.
In 2020, two people put up this sign on East Hastings, supporting J.K. Rowling’s protection of women, who famously tweeted, “If [biological] sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If [biological] sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth”.
It’s the civic right of the two people who put up this sign to advocate for their view, which we believe is true; and it’s the right of those who disagree to be able to fight it, which is why the sign was taken down the next day. And it’s our right and duty to advocate for the truth in the public square.
Let’s go back to Jesus’ teaching. Bishop Robert Barron recently spoke about the term ‘suicidal empathy,’ coined by a Canadian professor. Empathy is good, where we feel with other people and try not to hurt their feelings. But Barron points out that empathy is not the most important virtue. When it is, it becomes suicidal: We start doing what is unjust and start hurting many people (such as allowing transgender surgeries for children), so that feelings aren’t hurt. The most important virtue is charity, which means to do what is good and true, with love, even if it hurts feelings.
Jesus says that we give our whole selves only to God because He is truth and love Itself, and that means we bring His truth and love to the public square. The Church and state are distinct but interrelated.