The Roman Catholic Church and Homosexuality

Passages in the Catechism of the
Catholic Church related to homosexuality

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The Catechism is a collection of teachings prepared by the Church's teaching authority -- the Magisterium -- and intended for the guidance of individual Roman Catholics. It aims

"... at presenting an organic synthesis of the essential and fundamental contents of Catholic doctrine, as regards both faith and morals, in the light of the Second Vatican Council and the whole of the Church's Tradition. Its principal sources are the Sacred Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, the liturgy, and the Church's Magisterium. It is intended to serve 'as a point of reference for the catechisms or compendia that are composed in the various countries'." ₁

In articles 2351, 2357, 2358, and 2359, it covers the beliefs of the church that refer to homosexual orientation and behavior. These articles are listed below, along with an analysis by the main author of this website:

Offenses against chastity:

2351: "Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes."

Interpretation: This article implies that people may have a combination of up up to three reasons for engaging in sexual behavior: seeking pleasure, attempting to initiate a pregnancy, and/or increasing the closeness and intimacy of the relationship.

The article condemns any sexual activity which is sought only for pleasure.

The church regards such activity as an offense against chastity, and as a morally disordered behavior. This article is sometimes applied to homosexual behavior because sexual activity between persons of the same sex cannot be procreative.

Article 2351 appears to be ambiguous:

If the latter is correct, then there are two schools of thought:

Chastity and homosexuality:

2357: "Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, [140] tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."[141] They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved." ₂

Interpretation:

Here, the Catholic church agrees with two beliefs of conservative Protestant denominations and many other religious conservatives:

Clearly, sincere, intelligent, and devout people can interpret the Bible in different ways; the meaning of the Bible is clearly ambiguous.

However, the Catholic church acknowledges that such same-sex behavior caused by a person's homosexual or bisexual orientation. Conservative Protestant denominations frequently do not stress this point; the latter imply that it is a choice and/or an addiction.

Re: "The gift of life:" The Catechism also condemns same-sex behavior because it cannot initiate a pregnancy. In the same way, opposite-sex sexual behavior using NFP (Natural Family Planning) or artificial birth control could also be condemned because either approach is claimed to be 98% effective in preventing pregnancy. Yet the Church allows NFP and condemns condoms and "the pill"  -- even if the former is needed to prevent the transmission of HIV or other sexually transmitted disease.

Re: affective and sexual complementarity: Finally, the article points out that same-sex sexual activity, by definition, cannot be grounded in a real emotional and sexual interaction as it is between two persons of different genders.

This exposes a controversy over the biblical interpretation of Genesis 2:18. God is quoted as saying that It is not good that the man [Adam] should be alone. This implies that it would be good for Adam to have a partner that he could join with physically and emotionally. Adam was apparently heterosexual, because he and Eve are said to have had at least three children: Cain, Abel, and one or more daughters to continue the procreation process.

If Adam had a homosexual orientation, then he could only have physically and emotionally joined with another male. The verse is unclear whether God would have considered such a relationship to be "good." One might argue that a same-sex loving committed relationship is good for homosexuals and some bisexuals as an opposite-sex loving committed relationship is good for homosexuals and some bisexuals. Apparently, the Catholic Church believes that God would not have considered the former to be good.

The nature of homosexuality:

2358: "The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition." ₂

Interpretation: The Church recognizes the findings of numerous human sexuality studies that homosexual orientation is not a choice. The implication is that a homosexual orientation is unchangeable. These are beliefs that the Church does not share with the vast majority of fundamentalist and other evangelical Christians and religious conservatives generally.

The church opposes "unjust discrimination" against gays and lesbians. This implies that there are just forms of discrimination that can be used to oppress homosexuals that are moral and acceptable -- like denying loving committed same-sex couples and their children the status and protection of same-sex marriage, or denying lesbian couples access to assisted fertility services.

Homosexuals are called to celibacy:

2359: "Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection." ₂

Interpretation: The Church teaches that only married heterosexuals and those bisexuals who are married to a person of the opposite sex can legitimately express their love physically to each other. The Church expects homosexuals to remain celibate and thus to remain lonely without a life partner forever.

This raises an interesting point: if sexual orientation is not chosen, then most Catholics would assume that it is determined up by God. Thus, God creates about 5% of humans as homosexuals and then tells them -- through the church -- that they must remain single for the rest of their life without the joy of being in a committed, loving relationship. Yet God does not create a mechanism by which people can change their sexual orientation. This suggests a degree of meanness and lack of caring that is not normally considered an attribute of God.

References:

1. Extraordinary Synod of Bishops 1985, Final Report II B a, 4.
2. "Article 6: The Sixth Commandment," Catechism of the Catholic Church, at: http://www.christusrex.org/

Copyright © 1997 to 2010 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2010-JAN-29
Author: B.A. Robinson

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