Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana Urges Greater Understanding of Homosexuality

A prominent cardinal from Ghana, Cardinal Peter Turkson, has expressed the view that homosexuality should not be a criminal offense and that people should be educated to better understand the issue. These comments come as Ghana's parliament debates a bill that seeks to impose severe penalties on LGBT individuals. Cardinal Turkson's stance contrasts with that of Roman Catholic bishops in Ghana, who have described homosexuality as "despicable." Last month, Pope Francis hinted at the possibility of the Catholic Church blessing same-sex unions. However, he also affirmed that the church still considers same-sex relationships as objectively sinful and does not recognize same-sex marriage. In July, Ghanaian lawmakers backed measures in a proposed bill that, if passed, would criminalize identifying as LGBT and could result in a three-year prison sentence. Those advocating for LGBT rights could face up to 10 years in jail. The country already prohibits gay sex, which carries a three-year prison term. In August, Ghanaian bishops, along with other prominent Christian groups, stated that Western nations should cease attempting to impose foreign cultural values on them. Cardinal Turkson, who has been considered a potential candidate for the papacy, emphasized on the BBC's HARDtalk program that being LGBT should not be criminalized because it is not a crime. He stressed the importance of education in helping people comprehend the reality and nature of homosexuality. The cardinal also highlighted the existence of expressions related to gender roles in Ghanaian language, Akan, suggesting that homosexuality is not a foreign imposition but rather a part of Ghanaian society. However, Cardinal Turkson attributed the strict anti-gay measures seen in various African countries to attempts to link foreign donations and grants to certain positions. He believed these measures were presented as promoting freedom and respect for rights. In May, Uganda passed a law that proposes life imprisonment and even the death penalty for homosexuality. The World Bank suspended new loans to Uganda in response, and President Joe Biden announced that the US would remove the country from preferential trading arrangements due to "gross violations of internationally recognized human rights." Cardinal Turkson, who became the first-ever Ghanaian cardinal in 2003, currently serves as the chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences.