(LifeSiteNews) — Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers of the Diocese of Dresden-Meissen has recently challenged traditional Church doctrine by questioning its stance on “gender identity.”

In a recent interview covered by Katholisch.de, taken from the new issue of the “Herder Thema” series, titled “Visibly Recognized: Diversity of Sexual Identities,” Timmerevers claimed that new philosophies must be considered in the development of Church doctrine.

“This requires a new way of thinking, which is expressed in Church doctrine and the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” he said.

Timmerevers expressed disappointment that “gender identity” is often dismissed as mere ideology, preventing open discussion within Church doctrine.

“We should face this process of struggle. I find it difficult when, concerning the gender issue, the immediate response is: That’s ideology.”

“How can Church doctrine be further developed in a way that incorporates new human scientific insights and does not ignore the cultural horizon?” the bishop questioned.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church outlines a clear position on “gender identity.”

Catechism 2333 recognizes that “[e]veryone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.” Additionally, it states that the purpose of that identity is the good of the family, saying, “Physical, moral, and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life.”

Catechism 2393 elaborates on this idea, stating, “By creating the human being man and woman, God gives personal dignity equally to the one and the other. Each of them, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.”

Timmerevers has a history of advocating for changes to traditional Church teachings.

In 2023, the bishop expressed his desire for Church-run schools in Germany to recognize “sexual diversity.”

“In the future, church-run schools should be recognizable by the fact that they provide space for students to address their own sexuality,” the bishop stated.

Timmerevers went on to say that the goal of the Church should be to “make church spaces, spaces of recognition for people of all sexual identities.”

Timmerevers is not alone in his position. Marianne Heimbach-Steins, a Catholic academic based in Münster, recently accused the Church of ignoring its own ethical standards.

“The defensive struggle waged by the Magisterium against ‘gender’ and the recognition of sexual diversity counteracts its commitment to the unconditional recognition of human dignity,” she said in the same “Herder Thema” issue.