The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate has expressed its gratitude to the people’s representatives for reaching an agreement on essential values for Bulgarian society, including the upbringing, education, and protection of Bulgarian children.
Moreover, on Wednesday, August 7, Bulgaria’s parliament passed significant changes to its education law, expanding its scope to ban what it terms as LGBTQ+ “propaganda” in schools. This move, which has been criticized by rights groups as discriminatory, saw the bill approved with a substantial majority of 159-22 votes, despite vocal opposition from human rights NGOs.
The new legislation prohibits the ‘incitement’ of ‘non-traditional sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity other than the biological one.’ Specifically, it bans the “propaganda, promotion, or incitement in any way, directly or indirectly, in the education system of ideas and views related to non-traditional sexual orientation and/or gender identity other than the biological one.”
The Church is pleased with the legal prohibition in the pre-school and school education system of actions related to promoting or inciting, directly or indirectly, ideas and views associated with non-traditional sexual orientation and/or gender identity differing from biological sex.
The Holy Synod consistently upholds its stance on the concepts of “gender,” “marriage,” and “family,” emphasizing the need for spiritual and moral education rooted in the teachings of Christ’s Church, which regard humanity as God’s greatest creation.
The Church has reiterated its position numerous times in recent years, affirming that Christianity recognizes only one concept of gender based on biological structure. It maintains that marriage and family, defined as a blessed union between a man and a woman, are inviolable values cherished for centuries by Christianity. The Synod underscores that every positive legal right must be grounded in natural human rights, which are based on divine laws embedded in creation by the Creator.
The Holy Synod believes that issues concerning gender, family, and the upbringing and education of children are of strategic importance, not only for Bulgaria’s national and constitutional identity as a European Union member but also for the preservation and future of the Bulgarian people and humanity as a whole. Studies in Bulgaria reflect that these views align with the majority of Bulgarian citizens’ attitudes and understandings.
As a compassionate guardian of the Bulgarian people, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church shares the concerns of many parents and educators regarding modern challenges in child education. The Church is hopeful that the unity achieved among political forces concerning the restriction of ideologies contrary to Christian morality and common sense in preschool and school education will lead to further legislative initiatives beneficial for the upbringing and education of children – the future of Bulgaria.
Source: Patriarchate of Bulgaria
