Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Gay Christian Living Addressed

The gay community’s role in Christian faith communities, particularly the Catholic Church, was the centerpiece of an event Wednesday evening held in Copley Formal Lounge.

Students, faculty and alumni gathered for the second installment of the ongoing “Sacred & the Sexual: Deepening the Conversation” lecture series.

According to Fr. Philip Boroughs, S.J., vice president of Mission and Ministry, the purpose of the lecture series is to provide an opportunity for discussion in light of a document published by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, which states that “the Jesuit college must be a place of intellectual honesty, pluralism and mutual respect.” The event was presented by the Office of Mission and Ministry, the Division of Student Affairs and the LGBTQ Resource Center.

Fr. James Alison, a Catholic theologian and author, gave a lecture titled “From Impossibility to Responsibility: Developing New Narratives for Gay Catholic Living.” Alison spoke of the challenges that he faced while living in Sao Paolo, Brazil, but also said that the experience gave him the opportunity to pursue a Catholic pastoral project.

“[The] seediness of the underworld [could be found] alongside the burgeoning gay life,” Alison said.

He also emphasized the importance of the fact that same-sex orientation is no longer regarded as pathological, which is a great “anthropological discovery,” according to Alison.

Diane Yeager, associate professor in the department of theology, gave a reflection on the perspective of the Lutheran church. Yeager, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, shared her experiences as an active member of a church body that has struggled over the past year to develop an official policy on the prohibition of clergy who are gay.

“Why are the churches creating barriers? And who even is it that speaks for the church?” Yeager said.

Yeager worked on a task force appointed by the ELCA responsible for producing a set of recommendations regarding gay clergy.

“[The Lutheran church] has never taught that there is anything intrinsically wrong about same-sex orientation,” Yeager said.

She explained that from the time that this branch of the Lutheran church was established in 1988, up until recently, the church has rested on the doctrine that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, whereas fulfilling attraction to others of the same sex through intimacy is not accepted.

Yeager told the audience that when she first became involved in an issue that was so divisive for her spiritual community, she was not certain of her own view on the topic.

As the church was rethinking its moral theology, Yeager was also rethinking her own. She told of her interactions with gay church members, through which she was able to build strong convictions on the issue.

“I saw people who were standing in the place of shame, and detoxifying it through patience and forgiveness . I saw in them an absence of resentment,” Yeager said. She concluded her speech with the news that the ELCA task force is currently rewriting the official policy with a statement on sexuality that eliminates any mention of gay clergy whatsoever in order to maintain equality.

Fr. William McFadden S.J., associate professor in the department of theology who teaches a course titled “Theology and Sexuality,” followed Yeager’s presentation. He spoke on the importance of the development and maturing of every individual.

“[We do] not think so much of the nature of marriage, but of the nature of the individual person,” McFadden said.

A Q-and-A session followed the three lectures, which addressed questions such as whether they foresee the Catholic Church offering the sacrament of marriage to homosexuals, and how those who are gay can live within the community to fulfill a Catholic life.

embers of the audience enjoyed the open and candid conversation on a topic that has stirred up debate in religious communities. Christian denominations across the country vary in their position on homosexuality, ranging from some that believe it is “objectively disordered,” to others, such as Episcopalians, who declared in July that gays are eligible for clergy positions.

“[I was] very impressed, because sometimes these arguments can get emotional. This was a strong, intellectual argument, not emotionally charged,” Rob Zochowski (COL ’12) said.

“[The lecture was a] very thoughtful reflection about how the Catholic Church serves a hurting population, framed in a respectful manner,” Elizabeth Hatch, program coordinator of the Protestant Chaplaincy, said.

The next lecture in the series is titled “The Joy of Sex: A Christian Perspective,” and is scheduled for Feb. 25.”

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