French Bishops: "Respect Gay Experience".

Of the many important elements in the French bishops’ document on the Church and proposals for equal marriage, is a strong emphasis on mutual respect for both sides of the debate – and that includes respect for homosexuals, and their experience.

This is stated early on in the document, where they set out what they see as prerequisites for constructive debate. After setting out their understanding of the three major lines of discoursem they note:

Between these three schools of discourse, there is in French society at present no political debate. In order for this debate to get underway, it is important in the first place to recognize the conflict that exists between the understanding of the definition of marriage as heterosexual and the contemporary homosexual experience.

(English translation at Bilgrimage. my emphasis added)

Entre ces trois discours, il n’y a dans la société française, actuellement, pas de débat politique argumenté. Pour que ce débat puisse s’instaurer, il importe tout d’abord de reconnaître le conflit qui existe entre la signification du mariage hétérosexuel et l’expérience homosexuelle contemporaine.

(conférence des évêques de France)

Similarly, while repeating the often heard insistence that church objections should not be brushed aside as “homophobia”, they also insist that the concerns of homosexuals themselves should not be simply rejected out of hand.

It is also necessary to respect all the participants in this debate and to allow each to reflect more profoundly and to express freely his or her convictions. If all reticence or questions about this reform of family law are characterized a priori as “homophobia,” it is not possible to engage in this debate in any probing way. The same must be said insofar as the requests of homosexual persons are ruled out of bounds a priori. Respect for all the participants in this debate implies a shared willingness to listen, an openness to understand the arguments set forth, and careful consideration of the terms used..

Il s’agit aussi de respecter tous les acteurs de ce débat et de permettre à chacun de réfléchir plus profondément et d’exprimer librement ses convictions. Si toute réticence ou interrogation devant cette réforme du droit de la famille est qualifiée a priori d’ « homophobe », il ne peut y avoir de débat au fond. Il en va de même lorsque la requête des personnes homosexuelles est disqualifiée a priori. Le respect de tous les acteurs du débat implique une écoute commune, une aptitude à comprendre les arguments exposés et une recherche de langage partagé.

The document continues with a clear statement of the Catholic Church’s position on marriage. This is followed by an expression of regret that opposition to equal marriage is often met by a reflexive dismissal as homophobia. But, unusually, for Catholic bishops, there follows immediately a recognition and explanation of the factors that give rise to this suspicion on our part:

There are reasons for this situation. For a long time, homosexuals were condemned and rejected. They have been made the object all kinds of discrimination and 4 ridicule. Today, this is no longer tolerated, the law prohibits discrimination and any incitement to hatred, especially because of sexual orientation, and this evolution is to be welcomed.

Cette situation a ses raisons d’être. Pendant longtemps, les personnes homosexuelles ont été condamnées et rejetées. Elles ont fait l’objet de toutes sortes de discriminations et de 4 railleries. Aujourd’hui, cela n’est plus toléré, le droit proscrit toute discrimination et toute incitation à la haine, notamment en raison de l’orientation sexuelle, et il faut se féliciter de cette évolution.

It is not only the law and society that has come to reject outright homophobia and discrimination. Vatican documents make the same assertions, as the French bishops point out, referring to a 1976 call by the CDF for respect understanding and compassion for the homosexual persons at the heart of our society, and ten years later, for all forms of violence and malice to be condemned. And yet, they admit, homophobia remains.

Although such respect for each person is in this way clearly affirmed, it must indeed be admitted that homophobia has hardly disappeared from our society. For homosexual persons, the discovery and acceptance of their sexual orientation often entails a complex process. It is not always easy to affirm one’s homosexuality in one’s professional life or family circle. Prejudices perdure and social attitudes change only slowly, including in our communities and our Catholic families. Both are, however, called to welcome each and every person, regardless of his or her circumstances, as a child of God. Since, for Christians, what grounds our identities and the equality of all persons is the fact that we are all sons and daughters of God.

Si le respect de la personne est donc clairement affirmé, il faut bien admettre que l’homophobie n’a pas pour autant disparu de notre société. Pour les personnes homosexuelles, la découverte et l’acceptation de leur homosexualité relèvent souvent d’un processus complexe. Il n’est pas toujours facile d’assumer son homosexualité dans son milieu professionnel ou son entourage familial. Les préjugés ont la vie dure et les mentalités ne changent que lentement, y compris dans nos communautés et familles catholiques. Elles sont pourtant appelées à être à la pointe de l’accueil de toute personne, quel que soit son parcours, comme enfant de Dieu. Car ce qui, pour les chrétiens, fonde notre identité et l’égalité entre les personnes, c’est le fait que nous sommes tous fils et filles de Dieu

and

The repudiation of homophobia and the welcome of homosexual persons just as they are, are among the necessary preconditions for entering into a composed and non-superficial debate about the demands of homosexual persons.

Le refus de l’homophobie et l’accueil des personnes homosexuelles, telles qu’elles sont, font partie des conditions nécessaires pour pouvoir sortir des réactions épidermiques et entrer dans un débat serein autour de la demande des personnes homosexuelles.

Such clear stated recognition of the importance of “homosexual experience”, together with the admission of the reality of prejudice and discrimination in that experience are often missing from Catholic documents, and is refreshing, here. Even more important, is the impact of this reflection on gay experience, in the conclusions reached by the bishops – conclusions which, unusually, take account of the findings from empirical, scientific observation and research:

…. several studies show that homosexual practices have evolved and that today the desire to live in a stable loving relationship is more common than was the case 20 years ago.

…. plusieurs études montrent que les pratiques homosexuelles ont évolué et que l’aspiration à vivre une relation affective stable se rencontre plus fréquemment aujourd’hui qu’il y a 20 ans.

The bishops note that this increased appreciation for relationships is not uniform, and is not always manifested in monogamous fidelity or cohabitation in a single home (as, presumably, they would prefer). But nevertheless

The diversity of homosexual practices should not prevent us from taking seriously the ambitions of those who wish to form stable unions. Respect for and recognition of each person now have overarching significance for our society. Discussions about multiculturalism, racism, feminism, and homophobia take place today against a backdrop of the demand for personal recognition expressed in egalitarian terms. The refusal to recognize the demands of various marginalized groups is often characterized as oppression or discrimination.

La diversité des pratiques homosexuelles ne doit pas empêcher de prendre au sérieux les aspirations de celles et ceux qui souhaitent s’engager dans un lien stable. Le respect et la reconnaissance de toute personne revêtent désormais une importance primordiale dans notre société. Les discussions sur le multiculturalisme, le racisme, le féminisme et l’homophobie sont sous-tendues par cette demande de reconnaissance qui s’exprime aujourd’hui sur le mode égalitariste. La non-reconnaissance est expérimentée comme oppression ou discrimination.

By acknowledging that the accusations of homophobia against opponents of equal marriage are understandable, and rooted in widespread, real experience of prejudice and discrimination, the bishops have made it easier for both sides to move closer together. The LGBT community should welcome this attempt to demonstrate and grow in understanding of our concerns, and take seriously the Church insistence that their opposition to equal marriage is not based merely in homophobia.

Conversely, other Catholics should accept that our desire for equal marriage springs from more than a simple insistence on human rights and its rhetoric, but from a shared appreciation for the value of publicly recognized, accountable and committed relationships.

In grappling with the reality that homosexuals are demonstrating an increased desire for these relationships, the bishops then come to appreciate the limitations of the existing legal provisions in the PACS system (the French version of civil unions), and to recommend improving the existing legislation, without granting full marriage. What the document does not do, is consider the crucially important matter of just why the last 20 years have seen this increased interest in relationships, reported by the research they note.

Both of these, I will take up in my next post on this important document.

(UPDATE, Sunday 27th:

The full text of the bishops’ document is now available in a reliable translation at Bilgrimage. I offer grateful thanks to Bill Lindsey, for offering this invaluable service.)

Books

(All links are to Amazon, UK).

Boswell, John: Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe (Harper-Collins, 1994)412 pages

Heyward, Carter: Touching Our Strength: The Erotic as Power and the Love of God

Hunt, Mary: Fierce Tenderness: Feminist Theology of Friendship (Crossroad, 1991)

Jennings, Theodore W. The Man Jesus Loved (Pilgrim Press)

Jordan, Mark: Blessing Same-sex Unions: The Perils of Queer Romance and the Confusions of Christian Marriage(Univ of Chicago Press)

Jordan, Mark D., Meghan T. Sweeney, and David M. Mellott, editors.Authorizing Marriage?: Canon, Tradition, and Critique in the Blessing of Same-Sex Unions Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.

Kamitsuka, Margaret D: The Embrace of Eros: Bodies, Desires, and Sexuality in Christianityy Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

Lamp, Walter: Biblical Sex, What the Bible Says and Doesn’t Say About Sex and Marriage

McNaught, Brian: On Being Gay: Thoughts on Family, Faith, and Love (St Martin’s Press, 1988)

McNeill, John: Sex As God Intended Lethe Press, 2008