Pope Francis is being politically pressured by the European Union, the United Nations and other political forces in his moves toward removing sodomy from the official list of sins in the RCC.
To what degree is this different or the same as Clement VII decision not to get on the bad side of Spain and the Holy Roman Emperor, in his decision to deny Henry VIII his annulment?
To what degree do political considerations affect the official dogmatic decisions of the RCC?
Of course the papacy is politically pressured! Where have you been? The papacy was politically pressured from 33AD when Jesus ascended and Peter and the apostles began preaching!
Church and state have always been at odds and will be at odds until Christ comes again!
What else is new?
To what degree do political considerations affect the official dogmatic decisions of the RCC? If you mean the official teachings----not much. If you mean the pastoral practice of the Church? Greatly.
Pastorally, for example, the bishops today will issue soft, nebulous, convoluted, circuitous statements about Catholic Moral Teaching, but when it comes to Catholic Social Teaching, the same bishops are not at all afraid to speak clearly and unequivocally. That is becasue they know they have a sympathetic audience on Catholic Social Teaching, but not Catholic Moral Teaching.
Thus, when it comes to official teaching, politics cannot affect it--since the Church is protected by the Holy Spirit. When it comes to pastoral practice on the other hand--politics greatly affects things. Look at Pope Francis removing Bishop Strickland for not being woke enough--while allowing the German bishops to flout the authority of the pope over gay blessings.
