Category Archives: Books and other resources

Books and other resources, Catholic_Church, Sexual Orientation

Busting Open the Vatican Closet

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I’m currently reading Martel’s “In the Closet of the Vatican”. I was initially wary, suspicious that it could simply fuel a backlash from the orthotoxic Catholics, and would be too much mere sensationalism. I was wrong. This is much, much more than a mere exposé of Vatican gay clergy. It is absolutely riveting, deserving a careful read by all concerned about the Catholic Church.

Image result for in the closet of the vatican

I was first persuaded to buy it, by reading James Alison’s thoughtful review and commentary at ABC.net.au

So, the other shoe has finally dropped. The veil has been removed from what the French rather gloriously call a secret de Polichinelle ― an open secret: one that “everybody knows” but for which the evidence is both elusive and never really sought. The merely anecdotal is, at last, acquiring the contours of sociological visibility.

The structure of the clerical closet

Frédéric Martel’s book In the Closet of the Vatican: Power, Homosexuality and Hypocrisy is the first attempt of which I am aware at a properly researched answer to the question: “How and why is it that the principal institutional obstacle to LGBT rights at the worldwide level appears itself to be massively staffed by gay men?”

James is a personal friend whom I trust. His assessment, based on his own experience as an interviewee for the book, and on his own extensive knowledge of the subject, convinced him that this is a serious attempt at dispassionate, accurate journalism: note his statement of the question: “How and why is it that the principal institutional obstacle to LGBT rights at the worldwide level appears itself to be massively staffed by gay men?”.

James does not need to be told that the Vatican is massively staffed by gay men: he knows that well. What is more important, is the “how and why”, which has not previously been fully addressed. Numerous previous observers have noted the high proportion of gay men in the priesthood, with some attempts at explanation. What I have not previously found, is why that proportion should apparently be even higher at the upper echelons of the Catholic hierarchy. (Krzystzof Charamsa has written about this specifically for the CDF, from his own insider knowledge, but Oliva goes much beyond that one dicastery).

This not just about outing people. Rather, it’s a solid sociological analysis of why there are so many gay clergy in the priesthood.  it’s also a riveting historical account of how a previously extensive but deeply closeted homophile Vatican culture, morphed into a more  visible homosexual, sometimes even internally gay, environment – but still deeply closeted externally. These contradictions give rise to the prevalence of publicly virulent homophobia, from men whose personal lives are deeply hypocritical.

One of the criticisms that I have seen of the book is its timing, on the eve of the meeting on child abuse, which has nothing to do with homosexuality. I disagree – Martel’s analysis shows how closeted   Vatican homophobia, contributed to the abuse crisis. Indeed, it’s been fascinating reading this book in parallel with reports from the Vatican meeting on the protection of minors. When I first started writing about LGBT Catholics nearly ten years ago, I wrote extensively for a time about the issue of clerical sexual abuse. Later, I wrote a great deal also about gay priests and their particular difficulties.  Ten years on, I am left with a deep sense of how far the Catholic church has moved on matters of sexuality during that period – and how far it has yet to go.

Read also:

 

Gay priests

“Frank and Free” discussion on gay priests.

Msgr Charamsa’s Damning Indictment of the CDF

Celibacy, Gays, Priesthood

The Tyranny of the Clerical Closet

The Myth of Priestly Celibacy

 

Sexual Abuse

Church, Power & Abuse

Clerical Abuse: The Story So Far, Looking Ahead.

What About the Women?

 

Changing Church response to LGBT Catholics 

Cardinal Wuerl: Married Gay Catholics “Not a Great Problem”

“Papabile” Cardinal Tagle: Church Has Wounded Gay People

English Bishop Apologises for Hurt to Gay People.

Caribbean Priest Urges Constitutional Protection for Lesbians, Gays

Books and other resources, Sexuality and gender, Theology

Is Aquinas’ Natural Law Gay-friendly?

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A book in French (“Amours“) by a noted Dominican theologian, an acknowledged expert on the work of Thomas Aquinas, argues that yes, indeed it is.

The only English reports about “Amours” that I’ve seen, have been hostile responses from the right. However, there’s no doubt that a gay friendly reading of Thomas is not only possible, but quite possibly more appropriate than the usual argument that same-sex relationships are contrary to natural law, and Oliva’s book is not the first to point this out – just the first to do so at length, and with such impeccable credentials.

The problem is that the critics cling to a few paragraphs about “sodomy” in the Summa, embracing Thomas’ conclusions, based on the state of knowledge in the 13th century – and totally ignore his method, which emphasises the importance of reason, and respect for the findings of science. If he were living today, with all the knowledge from natural and social science now available, he would surely have reached very different conclusions.

But even in his own time, according to Boswell some of his writing is indeed gay friendly, Even then, Boswell writes,Aquinas recognized that for some individuals, an attraction to the same sex is natural, and so not after all “against nature”.

“Thus it may happen that something which is against human nature, in regard to reason or to preservation of the body, may become natural to a particular man, owing to some defect of nature in him. The “defect” of nature should not be taken as implying some contravention of natural laws. Aquinas compares this sort of innate homosexuality to hot water. Although it is natural for water to be cold, it may be altogether natural in some circumstances, for it to become hot.Although it may not be natural for humans  in general to be homosexual, it is apparently entirely natural.for some particular individuals.”  (CSTH, p326).

In Aquinas’ view, moreover, everything which is in any way “natural” has a purpose, and the purpose is good: “Natural inclinations occur in things because of God, who moves all things…….. Whatever is the end of anything natural cannot be bad in itself, since everything which exists naturally us ordained by divine providence to fill some purpose”.  (CSTH, 327).

There seems to be much more interest these days in more sympathetic serious theology of same-sex relationships. It’s been suggested that one of the reasons the topic was largely ignored at the family synod assembly, was a recognition that the whole subject needs greater study, with due attention to the science, and to hearing the stories of gay people ourselves. I’m convinced that as this study proceeds, this gay friendly Thomism will indeed become “the wave of the future”

 (I’ll be looking for more reports of this, from less hostile sources)

Recommended Books

Boswell, John: Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People In Western Europe From The Beginning Of The Christian Era To The Fourteenth Century: Gay … of the Christian Era to the 14th Century
Moore, Gareth: A Question of Truth: Christianity and Homosexuality
Oliva, Adriano: Amours : L’église, les divorcés remariés, les couples homosexuels (French Edition)

Related Posts

Books and other resources, Catholic_Church, Sexual Orientation, Sexuality and gender

“Queer and Catholic” – NOT a Contradiction

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Mark Dowd’s impressive new book, “Queer and Catholic” is subtitled “a life of contradictions”. However, as the book itself demonstrates, there is no inherent contradiction between being queer and Catholic. Mark’s life has been steeped in Catholicism, from childhood in a deeply Catholic family, through education, to professional life as a broadcaster specialising in religion, to his current activities. At the same time, he has always known he was gay – from the age of eight, before he knew the word or what it meant – and at least from university, he has always been open about his orientation.  This is a life fully gay, fully and deeply Catholic. The title however is not “Gay and Catholic”, but “Queer and Catholic”. This is significant. In its original meaning before it became a pejorative, or was later appropriated by queer theory, the word meant simply “strange”. There is something very strange indeed in the Vatican horror of homosexuality.

The only contradiction that exists between being queer and Catholic, as Mark himself states in his introduction, is within the church itself, where he states that the church is so anti-gay, because it is so gay.  This is an internal contradiction that the church will in time be forced to resolve. Indeed, there are encouraging signs that even now, important leaders of the church, from Pope Francis himself, through senior cardinals and professional theologians, to lay Catholics in the pews, know that things must change. Pastoral practice in many dioceses and parishes is already vastly better than it was a few decades ago, even to serious discussions taking place about blessing same-sex unions.  Changes in pastoral practice will eventually and inevitably lead to changes also in underlying theology.




Continue reading “Queer and Catholic” – NOT a Contradiction →

Books and other resources, Sexuality and gender

The Vatican War on “Gender Ideology” – a Journal Resource

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For some useful material on the  Vatican’s attacks on (so-called) “gender ideology”, see the special issue on the topic at the on-line journal Religion and Gender, under the title Habemus Gender! The Catholic Church and ‘Gender Ideology’.

Describing itself as “the first online, peer reviewed, international and open access journal for the systematic study of gender and religion in an interdisciplinary perspective”, this issue lives up to the claim with a range of articles from respected writers with differing backgrounds and geographic perspectives. As a South African, I am particularly concerned that some of the harshest rhetoric has come from African hierarchs – and so delighted to note that one of the articles is a specifically African response by Kapya Kaoma.

There is also an important interview with Msgr Krysztof Charamsa, and additional material by writers I am familiar with are by Tina Beattie, Mary Hunt and Mark Jordan – as well as much by others not yet known to me.

All the material is available on-line, by open access. Follow the links in this list of articles for abstracts, and to download a PDF.

Editorial: Unpacking the Sin of Gender (Sarah Bracke ,David Paternotte)

Articles:

The Role of the Popes in the Invention of Complementarity and the Anathematization of Gender ( Mary Anne Case)

Gender and the Problem of Universals: Catholic Mobilizations and Sexual Democracy in France (Eric Fassin)

Against the Heresy of Immanence: Vatican’s ‘Gender’ as a New Rhetorical Device against the Denaturalisation of the Sexual Order (Sara Garbagnoli)

Sexual Politics and Religious Actors in Argentina ( Mario Pecheny, Daniel Jones, Lucía Ariza)

Interview

The Sin of Turning Away from Reality: An Interview with Father Krzysztof Charamsa (David Paternotte,Mary Anne Case, Sarah Bracke)

Responses

Gender and Meaning in a Postmodern World: An Elusive Quest for Truth ( Tina Beattie)

Moral Panic and Gender Ideology in Latin America (Gloria Careaga-Pérez)

‘Theologies’ and Contexts in a Latin American perspective (Sonia Corrêa)

Unreal: Catholic Ideology as Epistemological War (Elsa Dorlin)

‘Gender Ideology’: Weak Concepts, Powerful Politics (Agnieszka Graff)

Catholic Gender Denial (Mary Hunt)

Vetera novis augere: Notes on the Rhetoric of Response (Mark Jordan)

The Vatican Anti-Gender Theory and Sexual Politics: An African Response (Kapya Kaoma)

The Vatican and the Birth of Anti-Gender Studies (Elżbieta Korolczuk)

How are Anti-Gender Movements Changing Gender Studies as a Profession? (Andrea Pető)

Gender and the Vatican (Joan W. Scott)

Francis and ‘Gender Ideology’: Heritage, Displacement and Continuities (Juan Marco Vaggione)

Book Reviews

Thinking about Goddesses: A Review of Three Recent Books (Carol Christ)

Review of Robin L. Riley, Depicting the veil: Transnational sexism and the war on terror (Linda Duits)

Review of Rebecca Moore, Women in Christian Traditions (Janet Eccles)

Review of Joanna Mishtal, The Politics of Morality. The Church, the State, and Reproductive Rights in Postsocialist Poland (Dominika Gruziel)

Review of Tine Van Osselaer, The Pious Sex. Catholic Constructions of Masculinity and Femininity in Belgium, c. 1800–1940 (Alexander Maurits)

Review of Andrew Kam-Tuck Yip and Sarah-Jane Page, Religious and Sexual Identities: A Multi-Faith Exploration of Young Adults. (Lieke Schrijvers)

Review of Masooda Bano & Hilary Kalmbach (eds.), Women, Leadership, and Mosques. Changes in Contemporary Islamic Authority (Yafa Shanneik)

 

Review of Gina Messina-Dysert & Rosemary Radford Ruether (eds.), Feminism and Religion in the 21st Century: Technology, Dialogue, and Expanding Borders (Nicola Slee)

 

Review of Tine Van Osselaer, Patrick Pasture (eds.) Christian Homes. Religion, Family and Domesticity in the 19th and 20th Centuries (Marguerite Van Die)

 

Books and other resources

Book List

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(All links are to Amazon, UK).

A

Aldrich Robert Colonialism and Homosexuality Routledge, 2002

Alexander, Marilyn Bennett, and James Preston. We Were Baptized Too: Claiming God’s Grace for Lesbians and Gays (Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press).

Alison, James: Faith Beyond Resentment: Fragments Catholic and Gay(Darton Longman Todd, 2001) 239 pages*

Alison, James: On Being Liked (Darton Longman Todd, 2003) 168 pages*

Alison, James:  Undergoing God: Dispatches from the Scene of a Break-in (Darton Longman Todd, 2005)*

Alison, James: Broken Hearts New Creations: Intimations of a Great Reversal(Darton Longman Todd)*

Althaus – Reid, Marcella: Liberation Theology and Sexuality (Reclaiming Liberation Theology) ( Ashgate Publishing Limited)

Althaus – Reid, Marcella: Indecent Theology (Routledge)

Althaus – Reid, Marcella: The Queer God (God the Homosexual) (Routledge)

Althaus-Reid, Marcella From Feminist Theology to Indecent Theology SCM 2004

Althaus-Reid, Marcella and Isherwood, Lisa The Sexual Theologian: A Primer in Radical Sex and Queer Theology T&T Clark, 2005

Althaus-Reid, Marcella  Controversies in Body Theology (Controversies in Contextual Theology) 

Althaus-Reid, Marcella, and Lisa Isherwood (eds). 2009. Trans/formations  (Controversies in Contextual Theology) London: SCM Press. (Review by Sarah Jane Jones)*

B

Beattie, Tina, The New Catholic Feminisim Theology, Gender Theory and Dialogue  (Review by Grahan Ward)

Beattie, Tina, God’s Mother, Eve’s Advocate:a gynocentric refiguration of Marian symbolism in engagement with Luce Irigaray, CCSRG Monograph Series 3, Dept of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Bristol, 1999.

Beattie, Tina, Rediscovering Mary: Insights from the Gospels Burns & Oates, 1995.

Beattie, Tina, Eve’s Pilgrimage: a Woman’s Quest for the City of God. Burns & Oates/Continuum 2002

Beattie, Tina The Last Supper According to Martha and Mary Continuum/ Burns & Oates 2001

Beattie Jung, Patricia (ed): Sexual Diversity and Catholicism: Toward the Development of Moral Theology  (The Liturgical Press, 2002)

Bohache, Thomas: Christology from the Margins(SCM Press, 2009)*

Boisvert, Donald: Sanctity And Male Desire: A Gay Reading Of Saints

Boisvert, Donald: Out on Holy Ground: Meditations on Gay Men’s Spirituality (Pilgrim Press, 2001) 148 pages

Boisvert, Donald L., and Jay Emerson Johnson: Queer Religion (Praeger).

Boswell, John: Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century  (University of Chicago Press, 1980) 424 pages

Boswell, John: The Marriage of Likeness: Same-sex Unions in Pre-modern Europe (Harper-Collins, 1994) 412 pages

Bouhdiba, Abdelwahab:  Sexuality in Islam, Saqi Books, 1998.

Bouldrey, Brian: Wrestling with the Angel: Faith and Religion in the Lives of Gay Men(Riverhead Books)

Brawley, Robert (ed), Biblical Ethics and Homosexuality: Listening to Scripture, John Knox Press, 1996.

Browne, Kath:  Queer Spiritual Spaces

Burrus, Virginia: Sex Lives of Saints: An Erotics of Ancient Hagiography U of Pennsylvania 200

C

Carden, Michael. Sodomy: A History of a Christian Biblical Myth  (Bibleworld) (Equinox)

Chellew-Hodge, Candace: Bulletproof Faith: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians 192 pages

Cheng, Patrick S. Radical Love: An Introduction to Queer Theology (Seabury Books)

Cherry, Kittredge: Jesus in Love

Cherry, Kittredge:  Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More (AndroGyne Press, 2007) 100 pages

Cherry, Kittredge, and Zalmon O. Sherwood: Equal Rites: Lesbian and Gay Worship, Ceremonies and Celebrations(Westminster/John Knox Press).

Clark, J. Michael: A Defiant Celebration: Theological Ethics and Gay Sexuality (Tangelwüld Press).

Clark, J. Michael: Defying the Darkness: Gay Theology in the Shadows (Resource Publications)

Clark, J. Michael. Beyond Our Ghettos: Gay Theology in Ecological Perspective (Pilgrim Press)

Clark, J. Michael. A Place to Start: Toward and Unapologetic Gay Liberation Theology (Monument Press)

Cleaver, Richard: Know My Name: Gay Liberation Theology (Westminster John Knox Press, 1995) 161 pages

Coleman, Gerald: Homosexuality: Catholic Teaching and Pastoral Practice(Paulist Press, 1995) 207 pages

Collins, Raymond F: Sexual Ethics and the New Testament: Behaviour and Belie  (Crossroads, 2000 )

Comstock, Gary David, &Henking, Susan E. Que(e)rying Religious Studies: A Critical Anthology (Continuum, 1999) 552 pages 

Comstock, Gary David: Unrepentant, Self-affirming, Practicing: Lesbian/Bisexual/Gay People within Organised Religion

Comstock, Gary David: Gay Theology Without Apology

Comstock, Gary David: Whosever Church: Welcoming Gays and Lesbians Into African American Congregations

Gary D Comstock: The Work of a Gay College Chaplain: Becoming Ourselves in the Company of Others

Cornwall, Susannah. Controversies in Queer Theology (SCM)

Cornwall, Susannah: Sex and Uncertainty in the Body of Christ: Intersex Conditions and Christian Theology

Cotter, Jim: Pleasure, Pain & Passion: Some Perspectives on Sexuality and Spirituality (Cairns Publications, 1988), 1993

Coulton, Nicholas, (ed) The Bible, the Church and Homosexuality(Darton Longman Todd, 2005)

Countryman, L.William: Dirt, Greed, and Sex: Sexual Ethics in the New Testament and Their Implications for Today (Fortress Press 2007 (revised edition) 290 pages)

Countryman, William and Ritter, Kathleen:  Gifted by Otherness: Gay and Lesbian Christians in the Church

Curoe, Carol: Are There Closets in Heaven?; A Catholic Father and Lesbian Daughter Share their Story

Crompton, Louis: Homosexuality and Civilization

D

De La Torre, Miguel A. (ed): Out of the Shadows, into the Light: Christianity and Homosexuality (Chalice Press)

Drinkwater, Gregg, Joshua Lesser, and David Shneer. Torah Queeries Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible (New York University Press)

Duffy, Eamonn: Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes

Duncan, Geoffrey: Courage to Love: Liturgies for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community (Pilgrim Press)

Dzmura, Noach: Balancing on the Mechitza: Transgender in Jewish Community (North Atlantic Books)

E

Edwards, George R. Gay/Lesbian Liberation: A Biblical Perspective (Pilgrim Press).

Ellison, Marvin Mahan, and Kelly Brown Douglas, editors. Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection 2nd ed. (Westminster John Knox Press)

F

Farley, Margaret: Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics

Fletcher,  Lynne Y: The First Gay Pope and Other Records

Ford, Michael: Disclosures: Conversations Gay and Spiritual (Darton Longman Todd, 2004, 216 pages)

Fortunato, John E. Embracing the Exile: Healing Journeys of Gay Christians (Harper & Row) G

Gearhart, Sally Miller, and William Reagan Johnson. Loving women/loving men;: Gay liberation and the church (Glide Publications)

Gentilini, Joseph:  Hounded by God: A Gay Man’s Journey to Self-Acceptance, Love, and Relationship

Glaser, Chris: As My Own Soul: The Blessing of Same-Gender Marriage (Seabury Books)

Glaser, Chris: Coming Out to God: Prayers for Lesbians and Gay Men, Their Families and Friends (John Knox Press, 1991) 168 pages

Glaser, Chris:  Coming out As Sacrament

Glaser, Chris:  Come Home!: Reclaiming Spirituality and Community As Gay Men and Lesbians (Chi Rho Press).

Glaser, Chris:  The Word is Out: Daily Reflections on the Bible for Lesbians and Gay Men

Glaser, Chris: Uncommon Calling: Gay Christian’s Struggle to Serve the Church

Godfrey, Donal: Gays and Grays: The Story of the Gay Community at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish (Lexington Books, 2007, 195 pages)

Goss, Robert:  Jesus Acted Up: A Gay and Lesbian Manifesto (Harper & Row, 1993) 240 pages

Goss, Robert: Queering Christ: Beyond JESUS ACTED UP

Goss, Robert: Take Back the Word – A Queer Reading of the Bible

Gramick, Jeannine & Furey, Pat (eds):The Vatican and Homosexuality : Reactions to the Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the pastoral care of Homosexual PersonsCrossroad, 1988

Gramick, Jeannine &Nugent, Robert: Building Bridges: Gay and Lesbian Reality and the Catholic Church  Twenty Third Publications, 1992

Gramick, Jeannine: Voices of Hope: A Collection of Positive Catholic Writings on Gay & Lesbian Issues Centre for Homophobia Education, 1995

Guest, Deryn, Mona West, Robert E. Goss, and Thomas Bohache,(eds). The Queer Bible Commentary . London: SCM.

H

Haldeman, S. “A Queer Fidelity: Reinventing Christian Marriage.” Theology and Sexuality 13.2: 137–52.

Hanigan, James: Homosexuality: Test Case for Christian Sexual Ethics  (Theological Inquiries) (Paulist Press, 1988)

Hanks, Tom: The Subversive Gospel: A New Testament Commentary of Liberation (Pilgrim Press)

Hanvey, John Michael: Prayed Out: God in Dark Places

Hasbany, Richard: Homosexuality and Religion (Haworth Press, 1990) 231 pages

Heacock, Anthony:  Jonathan Loved David: Manly Love in the Bible and the Hermeneutics of Sex (Sheffield Phoenix Press)

Helminiak,Daniel: What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality
(Alamo Square Press, 1994 ) 149 pages

Helminiak,Daniel:  Sex and the Sacred: Gay Identity and Spiritual Growth
(Harrington Park Press, 2006) 235 pages

Henson, John: The Gay Disciple: Jesus’ Friend Tells It His Own Way (O Books, 2007)

Heyward, Carter:  Speaking of Christ: A Lesbian Feminist Voice Edited by Ellen C. Davis. (Pilgrim Press)

Heyward, Carter:    Saving Jesus From Those Who Are Right

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

Horner, Tom: Jonathan Loved David: Homosexuality in Biblical Times

Hubble, Christopher: Lord Given Lovers:the Holy Union of David & Jonathan (Hubble Books, 2003).

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

I

Isherwood, Lisa & Stuart, Elisabeth Introducing Body Theology (Sheffield academic Press, 1998)

Isherwood, Lisa, and Mark D. Jordan, editors. Dancing Theology in Fetish Boots: Essays in Honour of Marcella Althaus-Reid (SCM Press)

Isherwood, Lisa, and Marcella Althaus-Reid. Trans/Formations  (SCM Press)

Isherwood, Lisa: The Power of Erotic Celibacy: Queering Heterosexuality  (T & T Clark

Isherwood, Lisa. The Sexual Theologian: A Primer in Radical Sex and Queer Theology

J

Jennings, Theodore W. Jacob’s Wound: Homoerotic Narrative in the Literature of Ancient Israel (Continuum)

Jennings, Theodore W. Plato or Paul?: The Origins of Western Homophobia

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

Jennings, Theodore W. Transforming Atonement: A Political Theology of the Cross

Jonson, Toby: Gay Perspective: Things Our Homosexuality Tells Us About the Nature of God and the Universe

Jonson, Toby: Gay Spirituality: The Role of Gay Identity in the Transformation of Human Consciousness (White Crane )

Jordan, Mark: The Invention of Sodomy in Christian Theology  (University of Chicago Press, 1997)

Jordan, Mark:  The Silence of Sodom: Homosexuality in Modern Catholicism (University of Chicago Press, 2000)

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

Jordan, Mark: Recruiting Young Love: How Christians Talk About Homosexuality . Chicago: University 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.

Jordan, Mark D: Telling Truths in Church: Scandal, Flesh, and Christian Speech

K

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

Karslake, Daniel, Helen Mendoza, and Nancy Kennedy. For The Bible Tells Me So [DVD]  New York: First Run Features. (film)

Keenan, James(ed): Catholic Ethicists on HIV/AIDS Prevention (Continuum, 2000)

Keenan, James:  History of Catholic Moral Theology in the Twentieth Century: From Confessing Sins to Liberating Consciences

Kelly, Kevin: New Directions in Sexual Ethics: Moral Theology and the Challenge of AIDS (Geoffrey Chapman, 1998)

Kelly, Kevin: From a Parish Base: Essays in Moral and Pastoral Theology (DLT, 1999)

Kelly, Michael B: Seduced by Grace: Contemporary spirituality, Gay experience and Christian faith

Knust, Jennifer Wright. Unprotected Texts: The Bible’s Surprising Contradictions about Sex and DesireNew York: HarperOne.

Kuefler, Mathew (ed.) The Boswell Thesis: Essays on Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality ‘ University of Chicago Press, 2006 

Kundtz, David, and Bernard Sloan Schlager: Ministry Among God’s Queer Folk: LGBT Pastoral Care (Pilgrim Press)

L

L’Empereur, James: Spiritual Direction & The Gay Person (Geoffrey Chapman, 1998)

Lamp, Walter: Biblical Sex, What the Bible Says and Doesn’t Say About Sex and MarriageLings, K. Renato: Love Lost in Translation: Homosexuality and the Bible

Lopata, Mary Ellen:  Fortunate Families: Catholic families with lesbian daughters and gay sons (Trafford Publishin, 2006) 180 pages

Loughlin, Gerard, (ed). Queer Theology: Rethinking the Western Body
.  Malden, Mass: Blackwell Pub

 Lynch, Bernard: A Priest on Trial Bloomsbury, 1993

Lynch, Bernard: If it Wasn’t Love: Sex, Death and God

M

Macourt, Malcolm. Towards a Theology of Gay Liberation. London: SCM.

Macwilliam, Stuart. Queer Theory and the Prophetic Marriage Metaphor in the Hebrew Bible (BibleWorld) . Sheffield, U.K.: Equinox.

Marshall, Paul Victor. Same-Sex Unions: Stories and Rites Church Pub.

Martin, Dale B. Sex and the Single Saviour: Gender and Sexuality in Biblical Interpretation annotated Edition by Martin, Dale B. published by Westminster/John Knox Press,U.S. (2006)
Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

McGinley, Dugan: Acts of Faith, Acts of Love: Gay Catholic Autobiographies as Sacred Texts
(Continuum, 2004)

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

McNaught, Brian: ““Sex Camp”
”

McNeill, John: The Church and the Homosexual
(new ed) Beacon Press, 1996

McNeill, John: Freedom, Glorious Freedom: The Spiritual Journey to the Fullness of Life For Gays, Lesbians, and Everybody Else
 (Beacon Press, 1995)

McNeill, John: Both Feet Firmly Planted in Midair: My Spiritual Journey

McNeill, John: Taking a Chance on God: Liberating Theology for Gays, Lesbians and Their Lovers, Families and Friends Beacon Press, 1988, 1996

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

Michaelson, Jay. God vs. Gay?: The Religious Case for Equalityy Beacon Press.

Miner, Jeff, and John Tyler Connoley. The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-Sex Relationships (LifeJourney Press)

Mollenknott, Virginia Ramey Omnigender: A Trans-Religious Approach

Monette, Maurice: Confessions of a Gay Married Priest: A Spiritual Journey

Moore, Gareth OP:  The Body in Context: Sex and Catholicism
(Continuum Books, 2001)

Moore, Gareth OP: A Question of Truth : Christianity & Homosexuality
(Continuum Books, 2003) (Scripture, Theology, Sexuality)

Moore, Stephen D.  God’s Beauty Parlor: And Other Queer Spaces in and Around the Bible  Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

N

Naphy, William G: Born to Be Gay: A History of Homosexuality

Nelson, James B:  Crossing Over: Liberating the Transgendered Christian Pilgrim Press.

Nelson, James B., and Sandra P. Longfellow, editors. Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection

Nissenen, Marti Homoeroticism in the Biblical World: An Historical Perspective

Noort, Edward, and Eibert J. C. Tigchelaar. Sodom’s Sin: Genesis 18-19 and Its Interpretations  Brill.

Nyland, Ann. Study New Testament For Lesbians, Gays, Bi, And Transgender (Smith and Stirling).

O

O’Brien, Glen:Praying from the Margins: Biblical Reflections of a Gay Man
(The Columbia Press, Dublin. 2001)

O’Neill, Craig, and Kathleen Ritter. Coming Out within: Stages of Spiritual Awakening for Lesbians and Gay Men San Francisco, CA: Harper SanFrancisco.

O’Neill, Dennis Passionate Holiness: Marginalized Christian Devotions for Distinctive Peoples

P

Patterson, Linda J. Hate Thy Neighbor: How the Bible is Misused to Condemn Homosexuality

Peddicord, Richard: Gay and Lesbian Rights: A Question–Sexual Ethics or Social Justice? (Sheed & Ward, 1996)

Perry, Troy, with Charles L. Lucas.The Lord Is My Shepherd and He Knows I’m Gay: The Autobiography of the Reverend Troy D. Perry Nash Publishing.

Pomfrett, Scott:  Since My Last Confession: A Gay Catholic Memoir
(Arcade Publishing, 2008)

Q

Quattrocchi, Angelo:  The Pope is Not Gay!

R Ramer, Andrew. Queering the Text: Biblical, Medieval, and Modern Jewish Stories. Lethe Press.

Ramer, Andrew: Gay Soul: Finding the heart of gay spirit and nature

Ramer, Andrew: Two Flutes Playing: A Spiritual Journeybook for Gay Men (White Crane )

Robinson, Geoffrey: Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church: Reclaiming the Spirit of Jesus (The Columba Press, 2007)

Rogers, Eugene F. Sexuality and the Christian Body: Their Way into the Triune God. Oxford: Blackwell

Rogers, Jack Bartlett. Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church
Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press.

Rudy, Kathy: Sex and the Church: Gender, Homosexuality and the Transformation of Christian Ethics

S

Scanzoni, Letha, and Virginia R. Mollenkott. Is the Homosexual My Neighbor?? Revised and Updated: Positive Christian Response, A (Updated and revised in 1994.)

Schinnick, Maurice: This Remarkable Gift: Being Gay and Catholic
(Allen & Unwin, 1998)

Scroggs, Robin: The New Testament and Homosexuality (Augsburg Fortress, 1984)

Sharpe, Keith.  The Gay Gospels: Good News for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered People O-Books. 

Shelton,David W.  The Rainbow Kingdom: Christianity & The Homosexual Reconciled: Christianity & the Homosexual Reconciled  

Siker, Jeffrey L: Homosexuality and Religion: An Encyclopedia Smith, Richard: AIDS, Gays, And the American Catholic Church The Pilgrim Press, 1994

Sphero, M.W. The Gay Faith: Christ, Scripture, and Sexuality Herms Press.

Spong, John Shelby. Living in Sin?: A Bishop Rethinks Human Sexuality Harper & Row.

Stevenson, Thomas B:  Sons of the Church: The Witnessing of Gay Catholic Men

Stone, Ken, editor. Queer Commentary and the Hebrew Bible (Library Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies) Pilgrim Press.

Stone, Ken: Practicing Safer Texts: Food, Sex, and Bible in Queer Perspective   T & T Clark International.

Stone, Ken. Sex, Honor and Power in the Deuteronomistic History JSOT Press.

Storey, William: A Book of Prayer: for Gay and Lesbian Christians (Crossroads, 2002 )

Stuart, Elisabeth: Daring to Speak Love’s Name: Celebration of Friendship Hamish Hamilton, 1992

Stuart, Elisabeth:Just Good Friends: Towards a Lesbian and Gay Theology of Relationships (Mowbray, 1995)

Stuart, Elisabeth: Christian Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender (Gracewing, 1995 )

Stuart, Elisabeth: People of Passion: What the Churches Teach About SexCo-authored with Thatcher, Adrian] (Mowbray, 1997)

Stuart, Elisabeth:Religion is a Queer Thing: Guide to the Christian Faith for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People (Cassell, 1997)

Stuart, Elisabeth:Gay and Lesbian Theologies: Repetitions with Critical Difference

Sullivan, Andrew: Virtually Normal: An Argument About Homosexuality (Picador, 1995)

Sullivan, Andrew: Love Undetectable: Notes on Friendship, Sex, and Survival(Chatto & Windus, 1998)

Sullivan, Andrew: Same-Sex Marriage: Pro and Con

P. Sweasey: From Queer to Eternity: Spirituality in the Lives of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People 

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Tanis, Justin Edward.  Trans-Gendered: Theology, Ministry, and Communities of Faith . Cleveland, Ohio: Pilgrim Press.

Tigert, Leanne McCall, and Maren C. Tirabassi.  All Whom God Has Joined: Resources for Clergy and Same-Gender Loving Couples  Pilgrim Press.

Tigert, Leanne McCall, and Maren C. Tirabassi. Transgendering Faith: Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality  Pilgrim Press.

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Vasey, M: Strangers and Friends: New Exploration of Homosexuality and the Bible

Via, Dan Otto, and Robert A. J. Gagnon. Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views Fortress Press.

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White, Mel. Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America New York: Plume.

Wilson, Nancy L. Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus, and the Bible (Updated and revised in 2000.)

Wink, Walter, editor. Homosexuality and Christian Faith: Questions of Conscience for Churches Augsburg Fortress.

Woods, Richard: Another Kind of Love: Homosexuality and Spirituality  (St Thomas More Press, 1988)   (Page updated July 2012)

 

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Books and other resources, Sexuality and gender, Theology

“Amours”: A Supportive Reading of Aquinas

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This book by an eminent theologian and expert on Aquinas caught my attention last year. Aquinas’ presentation of natural law theory is widely used as one of the cornerstones of traditional Catholic opposition to homosexuality, but in this book, Oliva finds a supportive reading. He notes that while Aquinas is clearly against same-sex genital acts in general, he does accept that for some people, an attraction to others of the same sex is entirely natural. Being a natural part of who they are, concludes Oliva, it is also natural, and acceptable, that they should express this in sexual love. This is not the first time the point has been made: John Boswell drew attention to it in his own discussion of Aquinas in “Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality”, and Gareth Moore also touched on it in “A Question of Truth”. However, this is the first extended presentation, and the first by such a distinguished specialist on Thomas.
Oliva Amours





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Books and other resources, Sexual Orientation, Theology

Aquinas: Homosexuality “Naturally Against Nature”

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At the heart of the disordered Catholic teaching on homosexuality, is the claim that the inclination is disordered, because it is “against nature”, and idea that has its roots in Saint Thomas Aquinas’ teaching on natural law.  This understanding of the orientation is contrary to modern findings from science, and also in conflict with much of the current trends in theological and exegetical research.

In “Amours : L’Eglise, les divorcés remariés, les couples homosexuels” , the Dominican theologian Adriano Oliva shows that the traditional understanding of Thomas’ thinking may be part of that distorted tradition against which Joseph Ratzinger once warned we should be for ever on our guard.

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In the very first paragraph of the book’s section on homosexuality, Oliva sets out the core of his case:

Christian communities and the faithful manifest today diverse understandings of homosexuality, which can move away – sometimes quite radically – from the current teaching of the Magisterium. St Thomas did not develop a theory of homosexuality and, like all his contemporaries, when he discusses the various forms of lust, it includes the sin of sodomy. However, we find in his work, in a reflection not primarily of a moral order but of metaphysics, a brilliant intuition, of naturally “against nature”, that can explain the origin of homosexuality.

From the general principles of his doctrine, we will develop this intuition of Thomas to its logical conclusion, to develop new perspectives of understanding of homosexuality and integration of people and homosexual couples within the Christian community. We want to offer new answers to the questions posed today by the pastoral care of homosexual persons.  The present study, which may appear anachronistic in style, is intended to show that a welcome change from the Magisterium concerning homosexuality and the exercise of sexuality by homosexual couples not only corresponds to current anthropological, theological and exegetical research, but also to the development of an especially Thomistic theological tradition.

 By “naturally against nature”, is meant that while for humanity in general, it is against nature to have sexual relations with the same sex, Saint Thomas recognizes that for some individuals, an inclination (which we would call an orientation) to the same sex is entirely natural.  Oliva is not the first to spot what he calls this “brilliant intuition” in Thomistic teaching: Boswell pointed it out years ago, in Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality (pp 326 and 327, in my edition). However, he goes much further than Boswell, in reconciling this natural same-sex orientation with Aquinas’ unequivocal rejection of “sodomy”, and thinks through the implications.

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Adriano Oliva OP

Oliva shows how Aquinas distinguishes between impulses which are purely of the body, and those of the soul. The sins of sodomy (which in his thinking include much more than just same-sex intercourse), are rejected because they are purely physical, and spring from mere lust. However for people with a natural same-sex orientation, same-sex relationships are come from the soul, not from the body. As such, they are inherently good. The really important distinction in sexual ethics then, is not that between same-sex and opposite-sex activities, but between those of lust, simple physical self-gratification, and those of mutual self-giving in love.

From these observations of Aquinas, Oliva goes on to spell out the theological implications for the modern world, with our vastly expanded understanding of the nature of human sexuality, and taking account of theological developments  since the Middle Ages in which Aquinas was working. His conclusion is that for homosexual people, the Church should approve of loving same-sex  relationships (including their sexual expression), and while not equating them with heterosexual marriage, these relationships are sacramental, and should be offered Church blessings.

Recommended Books

Boswell, John: Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People In Western Europe From The Beginning Of The Christian Era To The Fourteenth Century: Gay … of the Christian Era to the 14th Century
Moore, Gareth: A Question of Truth: Christianity and Homosexuality
Oliva, Adriano: Amours : L’église, les divorcés remariés, les couples homosexuels (French Edition)

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Books and other resources, Theology

“Sacramental” Same-Sex Unions?

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In recent years, it’s been notable how Christian responses to committed same-sex relationships have evolved, from universal hostility half a century ago, to a diversity of responses that range from  full-blooded acceptance of same-sex marriage, in church, and openly gay church leaders, to a more cautious “hate the sin, love the sinner”.

Even in the Catholic church, there have been signs of some acceptance that committed same-sex unions may be sacramental, and deserving of formal blessings by the church, just as they were once done many centuries ago. This has been seriously proposed by many individual priests and theologians, and has even been formally discussed by the German bishops. (It’s entirely possible that with Pope Francis’ new emphasis on a more decentralized church, that such blessings in Germany will now continue, with at least tacit approval from the bishops, as long as they are “private”).

A recent book by Adriano Oliva OP, a distinguished theologian and specialist on Aquinas, a specialist in the work of Saint Thomas Aquinas, has provided sound theological support for the principle. In  Amours : L’église, les divorcés remariés, les couples homosexuels  he argues that contrary to the popular presentations, the great Thomas’ celebrated theory of Natural Law in fact supports committed relationships between same-sex couples with a natural orientation to the same sex.

The main thrust of his argument is that based on Aquinas’ teaching, we should accept that:

  • for some people, homosexual orientation is entirely natural
  • that for such people, loving same-sex relationships are good, and in accordance with divine plan
  • that their relationships should include sexual expression
  • that although being non-procreative, their unions can not be equated with marriage, they have intrinsic sacramental value of their own
  • and so, they deserve church blessings.

Among other delights, he quotes Aquinas using both Adam and Eve and the Holy Family to show that marriage is not all about procreation – and then uses Humanae Vitae, of all things, to make the same point himself.

Watch this space. Even with my limited French, with the help of the Google ebook edition and  Google translate, I’m finding a huge amount to treasure. As I work my way through it, I’ll have much more to share from this valuable new insight.

Recommended Books

Boswell, John: Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People In Western Europe From The Beginning Of The Christian Era To The Fourteenth Century: Gay … of the Christian Era to the 14th Century
Moore, Gareth: A Question of Truth: Christianity and Homosexuality
Oliva, Adriano: Amours : L’église, les divorcés remariés, les couples homosexuels 

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Books and other resources, Pastoral Ministry, Sexuality and gender

Book Review: “Covenant and Calling”.

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I really would have liked to be able to recommend this book, but sadly, I simply cannot. In fact, When I was offered a review copy for Quest, I accepted gladly, looking forward to what seemed to be a worthwhile endeavour. Song’s aims are laudable, he’s a reputable academic in a good university with good credentials in both religion and queer studies (including queer theology). The reading list he provides as an appendix is good, with reliable texts by a balanced range of authors, and the book comes with warm endorsements from people I respect. Unfortunately, on first reading I was so repulsed that I could not even finish it, resulting in constant nagging from the Quest Bulletin editor, waiting for the promised review. On eventually picking it up again, my view had softened a little (I did at least complete a full, careful reading), but my core objections remain.

Covenant and calling

Song’s intention is to steer a calm, thoughtful middle course between the two hostile positions in the polemical struggles over gay marriage, and to come up with a proposal that will be acceptable to all but the extremists on both sides. The solution he comes up with has some merit, and is worth serious consideration: to restrict “marriage” to its traditional use with opposite – sex couples “for the purpose of procreation”, but to accept that same – sex couples also deserve recognition, albeit under a different name. This has been tried before, for example as “civil partnerships / civil unions” in secular law, but has been found wanting. Separate can never be equal, is the objection, and opposite – sex couples who cannot or do not want to procreate, are not excluded from marriage.

What makes this suggestion novel and not inherently discriminatory, is that unusually, he wants to restrict marriage, reserving it exclusively for those couples who do intend to have children. The important distinction, he argues, should not be based on the sex of the partners, but on their willingness and ability to bear children. It’s not a solution that I find particularly viable, but it is certainly one worth serious discussion.

What I found disappointing was not his proposal, but his reasoning, which is completely unconvincing. I was constantly left with the impression that he had reached a conclusion, and then looked for arguments to back it up. For instance, his central proposition is that in Christian tradition, marriage has “always” been between one man and one woman, for the purposes of procreation, depending heavily on Aquinas, who was clear that this is one of three goods of marriage. Yet he also acknowledges that there is nothing in the New Testament to suggest that marriage is about babies. It’s a little strange, to say the least, that procreation is central to the Christian tradition, when there is no evidence at all that it mattered one iota to the key figure in that tradition, after whom it is named.

Far more serious, is the total absence of any consideration of the real history of marriage. The “Christian tradition” as he describes it, dates back to Augustine. That’s a major part of the full Christian history – but what he overlooks, is the distinction between theological theory, and actual marriage in practice. It was not until late in the first millenium, five centuries after Augustine, that the Church placed any importance on marriage in church – except for priests. For long after that, marriage was still not to have babies, but to protect the legal status and inheritance rights of those that resulted. The result was, that for ordinary people with no property to bequeath to their children, most simply did not bother with marriage, at all. That was reserved for the rich and powerful.

It is also disturbing that while claiming that tradition that doesn’t really exist, he ignores the fact that tradition and practice can change. An absolute prohibition on divorce for example, was a firm part of that tradition, with much stronger scriptural support, but his own Anglican church has been able to accommodate a change there. For same – sex couples, the traditional objection to same – sex relationships was not simply to marriage, but that they should not exist at all. Yet, he is able to accept a change in that tradition too, acknowledging that for people with a natural homosexual orientation, a committed, faithful sexual partnership with another may well be a valid calling, equal in value to either marriage or celibacy. If long – standing Christian tradition is able to adapt on those counts, why not on his core argument (resting on unsound foundations) that Christian tradition has “always” been between one man and one woman, for life – for the purposes of procreation?

Most damningly, for someone proposing what he thinks is a novel solution of “covenanted partnership”, there is not even a single word about a similar practice that was a fixture of Christian rites for many centuries in the early church. John Boswell has produced extensive evidence for the existence of formal liturgical rites in the Eastern church for blessing same – sex couples, and Alan Bray has found similar evidence in the Western church, where they were known as “sworn brothers” – or even, “wedded brothers”. Scholars disagree about the exact significance of these partnerships, and there are undoubtedly significant differences between this practice and the solution proposed by Spong. It is however, remarkable that he does not even attempt to acknowledge their existence, let alone discuss their relevance (or otherwise).

Among gay and lesbian Catholics, there is significant divergence of opinion concerning church response to same – sex couples. Even among those who support full legal equality in marriage, there are some gay Catholics who do not want their own unions called marriage, and certainly not in church. There are strong arguments from those quarters, for a revival of this tradition of blessing same – sex couples, without conferring the word “marriage”. On the other side of the debate, there are others who hold to the traditional teaching demanding celibacy for gay people, who also see value in reviving this tradition, on the basis that these unions were not necessarily sexual, but made provision for mutual companionship and support.

This is a discussion deserving serious attention. It is tragic that a writer proposing a “solution” along similar lines, has simply ignored the historical evidence, blithely accepting and basing his argument instead on the falsehood that Christian marriage has “always” between one man and one woman.

Bible, Books and other resources

“Catamites and Sodomites” (Again).

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A reader has alerted me to the inclusion in today’s Mass readings of some superficially nasty lines from Corinthians. She writes:

Thank God I’ve been pre-warned in a homily that Tuesday’s readings apparently condemn catamites and sodomites, so will miss Mass for once, as this terrible translation needs explanation by a competent priest.

I’m no priest, but based on my extensive reading of several eminent bible scholars, I’ll do my best.

Let’s begin with final paragraph of the text, as it appears in “Universalis, Mass readings for today” , and taken from the Jerusalem bible.

 You know perfectly well that people who do wrong will not inherit the kingdom of God: people of immoral lives, idolaters, adulterers, catamites, sodomites, thieves, usurers, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers will never inherit the kingdom of God. These are the sort of people some of you were once, but now you have been washed clean, and sanctified, and justified through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God.

Other translations vary. These are the relevant lines from the lectionary at the USCCB site:

neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites nor thieves

There’s “sodomites” again, but catamites has become “boy prostitutes”. (That reference to commercial sex is important, to which I’ll return later).

The details vary between translations, but the general sense appears to be clear – men who have sex with men are included in this list of reprobates. We must remember though, that none of these are the words that Paul actually wrote: he was writing in Greek, and we are looking at translations through a filter of 2000 years. The New International Version attempts to explain, with this translation and its footnote:

Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlerswill inherit the kingdom of God.

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Corinthians 6:9 The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.

That seems to settle it. The attempt however, is deceptive, because it is not at all clear that the “two Greek words” referred to, “malakoi” and “arsenekotoi” really should be translated in the way described. That may well be the most common translation in modern bibles, but it has not always been so, and is not the onlly reading, as many professional biblical scholars are beginning to acknowledge.

Dr Renato Lings is not only a biblical scholar, but also a linguist, In “Love Lost in Translation”, he examines minutely the various translations, and how they came about. Modern translations have been heavily influenced by earlier English versions,such as the King James and Geneva Bibles.

The King James Version (1611) has

neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

In the Geneva Bible (1599), we find

neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantons, nor buggerers,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.

These in turn were initially based on Jerome’s fourth century Vulgate, translated from the original Greek into Latin. Every translation risks some loss of accuracy of meaning, and that applies as much to the Vulgate as to the earliest English translations, more than a thousand years later. The further back we go, it seems, the less clear is the connection that is so widely taken for granted today – that “malakoi” and “arsenekotoi” refer to men who have sex with men.

“Malakoi” is the easier to deal with, translated in the Vulgate by the Latin adjective “mollis“, usually translated as “soft”, which also seems to be a reasonable view of the Greek “malakoi“. But how did this come to be written as “catamites”, or “boy prostitutes” in the English and American lectionaries, or even with Wycliffe’s 1388 translation as “lechers against kind”? As Lings notes, this is surprising, and we need to look for alternative translations for “mollis”. In Latin (but not in the Greek counterpart, which Paul used), these alternatives include “effeminate”, “womanish”, “unmanly” and “weak”. From a modern perspective, conscious of twentieth century stereotypes of homosexual men as “pansies”, we can see how the connection of “effeminate” and “passive homosexual” was made, but that was not the view of the Romans, and still less of the Greeks.

John Boswell, Dale B Martin and others have noted that for the Romans, “effeminate” could apply more readily to men with an excessive lust for women, as to passive homosexuals, for whom there was an alternative, much more widely used word – “cinaedus“. In addition to the sense of “effeminate”, there were also other senses for “mollis”, including an excessive devotion to luxury, indolence and sensual indulgence in general (calling to mind the description in Ezekiel of the nature of the real sin of Sodom). Lings also notes that 1 Corinthians 6 is not the only text in which “malakos / malakoi” occurs. It also crops up in Matthew 11.8.where it refers unambiguously to clothing, and so is translated as fine, delicate, or soft.

Yet another important further translation of “malakoi” is “weakling” – which is the word used by the first English translators (Tyndale, 1526, followed by Coverdale, 1535 and the Bishops’ Bible of 1568) before the Geneva and King James versions introduced the sexual connotations that later came to be taken for granted. Paul wrote “malakoi” in Corinthians in the mid first century, but it took a millenium and a half for that term to be construed as referring to male homosexuality, in any form.

If the link from “malakoi” to the standard modern translations is tenuous, that for “arsenekotoi” is even more so, because nobody knows just what the word meant. Paul’ usage here is the earliest recorded use, anywhere. It could be that he coined the word deliberately for his purpose, but we are unable to ask him what he meant. The modern interpretation as “sodomite” or “active homosexual”, rests on two based. One, is that it is paired with malakoi – so that if malakoi refers to passive homosexuals, then its counterpart as active partners is reasonable. But if, as shown above, that interpretation for malakoi is incorrect, then that for arsenekotoi will be, too. The other is based on a linguistic analysis which argues that as the two parts of the Greek word refer to “men”, and to “bed”, then the sense must be men who like to bed other men. That conclusion is shaky: it could equally refer simply to men who are too fond of sleeping, or if bed is accepted as euphemism for sex, to men who are too fond of sex, in any form.

An alternative modern interpretation, accepting “malakoi” as applying to boy prostitutes, rests on the pairing of the two terms, and irs proximity in this list and also in 1 Timothy 1:10, to assorted forms of pecuniary sin – frauds, swindlers and usurers. That reading suggests that just as “malakoi” refers to boys who are exploited sexually for commercial gain, then its counterpart “arsenekotoi” applies to those who exploit them, either as pimps, or as slave traders dealing in male slaves for sexual use.

The simple truth is that we just don’t know with any certainty just what these troubling words in 1 Corinthians 6 really refer to – but we can be fairly sure that they do not refer to equality – based, mutually loving and non- exploitative same – sex relationships as we know them today, because these simply did not exist in Paul’s day. Gay Christians and their allies are often accused of twisting the bible to suit our own ends, but the reality is the reverse. As Dale B Martin has argued, it’s the late translations that have read the words from a heterosexist perspective, imposing their own hostile reading on two Greek words which may have had nothing whatever to do with male sexual relationships.

I end with an extract from Gay Christian 101

The Remarkable Semantic Shift

The remarkable semantic shift in the meaning of malakoi, which by 1958, came to equate malakoi with homosexuality instead of softness, moral weakness or effeminacy, was not prompted by new linguistic evidence. Instead, cultural factors influenced modern translators to inject anti-homosexual bias into their translation.

In ancient times, the malakos word group never referred exclusively to homosexuals and lesbians. The malakos stem rarely, if ever, referred to homosexual behavior. In ancient times, it was sometimes used to refer to heterosexual men who followed the Greek custom of shaving the face daily.

For example: “Until Scipio Aemilianus (185-129 BC) made it fashionable, daily shaving was considered an affectation of the effeminate Greeks.” (The Immense Majesty, A History of Rome and the Roman Empire, Thomas W. Africa, 1991, Harlan Davidson, Inc, p. 148). How times have changed. Few these days regard daily shaving of facial hair as effeminate.

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