Customer Reviews

Sexual Diversity and Catholicism: Toward the Development of Moral Theology

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Few topics are more controversial in the Catholic Church today--and indeed, in many other churches--than homosexuality. Unfortunately, the usual response to such controversy is to avoid discussing the topic in question, either by simply and nervously refusing to address it, or by using authority to squelch presentation of anything other than the "official" position (which all too often is the product of simplification or misunderstanding).

Jung and Coray are doing the Catholic Church, and wider society, a great service by attempting to open up theological discussion on the Church's teachings of homosexuality and human sexuality in general. The authors make the argument that Catholic teachings must not rely only on one particular reading of Scripture and tradition. Instead, the teachings must also take into account historical context of the times in which Scripture was written, current knowledge of the biological and social sciences, and life experiences that witness to the way God's Spirit is present in people's sexuality today. Jung and Coray and the other contributors to this book--most of whom are theologians associated with Chicago's Loyola University--thus provide a wide range of perspectives and much food for thought around the challenging topics addressed.

As a gay man raised in the Catholic tradition, this reviewer has had cause to question the Church's current teachings on human sexuality--for example, that marital sexual intercourse must always be open to the possibility of procreation, or that while a homosexual sexual orientation is not sinful, for two persons of the same sex to express love through sexual intimacy is sinful. Many of the authors in this collection raise similar questions about these teachings. The conclusion drawn by most of the essayists is that while there is certainly much truth and beauty to be found in the Church's sexual teachings, those teachings are at present based on an incomplete and sometimes inaccurate understanding of the full range of human experience.

One sincerely hopes that "Sexual Diversity and Catholicism" will be widely read and discussed among not just Catholics but anyone hoping to gain a better understanding of the many and diverse ways God's love is expressed through the beautiful gift of human sexuality.

Be warned that this is a scholarly book with multiple theologians and individuals contributing. It is thus not for those without pre-existing knowledge of the official Catholic doctrines regarding sexuality. That being said, it is probably one of the best critiques of the official doctrine that I've ever read. The Vatican may not be in any hurry to embrace a change or development in its official teachings, but that doesn't mean that Catholics on the ground aren't taking a second look at the rationales behind the prohibitions on masturbation, homosexuality, contraception, etc. While younger priests are probably getting more conservative and thus not as receptive to this kind of critique, young lay Catholics with a scholarly eye like myself who question the Church's stance on these issues will find very good arguments against the Church's stance and a case for re-examining the traditional positions. Examples of what can be found in this book include a critique of the ban on birth control by a married Catholic woman, a thorough examination of the Biblical passages which supposedly refer to homosexuality (the book puts these "clobber passages" into context) and more. There will undoubtedly be Catholics who will froth at the mouth at the thought of any kind of argument that would put Catholic sexual ethics into question, but if you have an open mind (or perhaps, more importantly, an open heart) this book is well worth your time.

OK how about a 3! Five for clarity and one for content. An average of 3. It is equally clear that the position presented will NEVER be embraced by the Church's magisterium. With the election of Josef Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, the final curtain has fallen on the "Spirit of Vatican II" fictional drama. Most of the actors in this drama are now toddling about the nursing home garden basking in the memory of times when it looked like they would shape the Church in their image. The real future of the Church is in: The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy (Paperback)

To the authors: IF YOU THINK IT IS IMOPORTANT THAT HOMOSEXUALITY BE EMBRACED AS NORMAL, FIND ANOTHER CHURCH! It will not happen in this one.