时代周刊:美国主教会与拜登共进圣餐吗?(2)（在线收听）

The bishops want to clarify Communion's purpose for priests and laypeople, and call for "consistency" when worshippers present themselves for the rite,

印第安纳州韦恩堡南本德的凯文·罗德斯主教是该文件的负责人，他在接受罗马天主教刊物《我们的星期日访客》的采访时表示，

said Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne–South Bend, Ind., who is leading the writing of the document, in an interview with Our Sunday Visitor, a Roman Catholic publication.

主教们希望为牧师和普通民众阐明圣餐仪式的目的，并呼吁礼拜者在参加仪式时“保持一致”。

The vote is another example of the conservative American bishops moving in a more political direction, says Massimo Faggioli, a theology professor at Villanova University and author of Joe Biden and Catholicism in the United States.

维拉诺瓦大学神学教授马西莫·法焦利著有《拜登和美国天主教》一书，他表示，这次投票是美国保守派主教转向更政治化方向的又一个例子。

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has become "beholden to the political agenda of the Republican Party," Faggioli says.

法焦利表示，美国天主教主教会议已经“对共和党的政治议程负有责任”。

But the fact that half of American Catholic voters backed Biden shows that many are seemingly open to policies that embrace gay rights and access to abortion, even if they go against church doctrine or their own personal beliefs.

但是，半数美国天主教徒选民支持拜登的事实表明，许多人似乎对支持同性恋权利和堕胎权的政策持开放态度，即使这些政策违反了教会教义或他们自己的个人信仰。

Biden also campaigned on several issues the church embraces, such as aiding refugees, advancing racial justice, ending the death penalty and addressing climate change.

拜登还在竞选活动中谈到了教会支持的几个问题，比如帮助难民、推进种族公正、结束死刑和解决气候变化问题。

And some church observers are concerned that the bishops' hard-line approach to Biden is a symptom of an attitude toward the faith that could further alienate American Catholics at a time when congregations are shrinking.

一些教会观察人士担心主教们对拜登的强硬态度反映了他们对宗教信仰的态度，这可能会进一步疏远美国天主教徒，而目前教会人数正在减少。

The move also cuts against a welcoming tone set by Pope Francis when he became Pontiff eight years ago, allowing more perspectives to be aired within the church.

此举还违背了教宗方济各8年前就任教皇时定下的欢迎基调，让更多观点得以在教会内部传播。

Francis, who clashed with former President Donald Trump over racism and immigration, has repeatedly shown his openness to Biden in closely choreographed moves seen as signaling a desire for dialogue and engagement.

方济各曾在种族主义和移民问题上与前总统唐纳德·特朗普起过冲突，但他也曾多次向拜登表示了自己的开放态度，这些精心设计的举动被视为希望进行对话和接触的信号。

In May, a papal adviser, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, sent the U.S. bishops a letter warning them that moving forward with a teaching document on Communion could sow "discord" and that efforts should be made to "preserve unity" in the church.

今年5月，教皇顾问、红衣主教路易斯·拉达里亚给美国主教们写了一封信警告他们说，继续推行关于圣公会的教义文件可能会引发“不和”，应该努力在教会内“保持团结”。

This isn't the first clash between Biden's faith and politics: in 2019, while he was campaigning in South Carolina, a Catholic priest released a statement saying he had denied Biden Communion because of his stance on abortion.

这不是拜登的信仰和政治之间的第一次冲突：2019年，当拜登在南卡罗来纳州竞选时，一名天主教牧师发表声明称，由于拜登在堕胎问题上的立场，他拒绝向拜登施与圣餐。

But asked on June 18 at the White House whether he thought the bishops' decision could lead to his being denied the sacrament, Biden said, "It's a private matter, and I don't think that's going to happen."

而6月18日当拜登在白宫被问及是否认为主教的决定会导致他被拒绝接受圣餐时，拜登说：“这属于私事，我觉得不会发生。”