Young Australian Benjamin Gresham tells his story at SX: I wonder if you’ve ever thought about trying to change your sexual orientation. Is it even possible? Well, many religions seem to think so and still present this as one of…
Monthly Archives: October 2010
DIY Catholicism: Swiss Church’s Condom Campaign
There have been many illustrations of ordinary Catholics open defiance of Vatican doctrine, especially on contraception, but this is one of the most remarkable I have seen: a Swiss Catholic church openly distributing condoms as part of an AIDS awareness…
UK Queer Christians Support Marriage Equality Campaign.
The UK Civil Partnership legislation was widely described at the time of launch as being virtually equivalent to marriage, with almost equal treatment in the law: marriage in everything but the name - and a prohibition of any religious content…
In Memoriam Doreen Weldon (21.08.1928 – 24.10.10), True Catholic
When I first reported that I was on my way to my mother’s funeral, I had many helpful words of condolence and support, for which I thank everyone. One message in particular has stayed in my thoughts as I have…
Australians Support Marriage Equality, Opposition Waning.
In common with other countries, support for legal recognition of same sex marriage in Australia is increasing. Support is now at 62%, up from 60% a year ago. The only age group which does not yet show majority support is…
Closed for bereavement: Doreen Weldon, RIP
I am preparing to fly home to South Africa for the funeral of my mother, Doreen Weldon, who died peacefully last night. Do not expect regular posting over the next 10 days.
Religious Leaders Argue “Religious Freedom” Requires that Prop 8 Must Go.
Catholic Bishops are fond of arguing that “religious freedom” should require that they be granted exemptions from complying with laws on inclusion and equality with which they (but not most lay Catholics) disagree. However, some bishops conveniently ignore this principle…
Catholic Sexual Ethics, Social Ethics, and Reality-Based Theology
One of the key points in Salzman & Lawler’s exposition of Catholic sexual ethics (“The Sexual Person”) is the importance of considering theology in the context of history. Explaining this idea, they describe two approaches to theology,a “classical” view, which…
Texas Baptist Church Takes a Stand FOR Gay Members.
As an ever-increasing number of denominations advance towards full LGBT inclusion as a Biblical and theological imperative, we have become accustomed to seeing some backlash, with some congregations voting to withdraw from their national bodies, to re-align with other groupings.…
“The Sexual Person”: Bishops, Theologians Clash on Sexual Ethics
In 2008 two Catholic academic theologians at a reputable Jesuit university published a book, “The Sexual Person: Toward a Renewed Catholic Anthropology (Moral Traditions)“, on the Church’s sexual theology which represented a fundamental critique of its entire foundations. The United…
