Homosexuality

• Until the end of the 1950s…?

  Churches of all denominations regarded homosexuality as a sin and homosexual acts were illegal
• the gradual process of social and legal change in the uk started with what?

  the Wolfenden report in 1957
• what did the wolfenden report suggest?

  decriminalising homosexual acts carried out in private between consenting adults
• 10 years later…?

  this became English and welsh law through the sexual offences act of 1967
• particularly within catholic tradition, what do some argue?

  that distinction between ‘tendencies’ and ‘acts’ should be made - one may experience themselves as gay buy not choose to act on it
• what do some argue that homosexuals should do?

  remain celibate rather than be allowed to perform homosexual acts
• within catholic theology, homosexual tendencies aren’t in themselves sinful but…?

  homosexual acts go against the principle of natural moral law - so are regarded as sins
• what does the Old Testament say?

  ‘do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, that is detestable’
• what does the view of the Old Testament reflect?

  traditionalist e.g. catholic views
• what else does the Old Testament say about men who have ‘sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman’?

  ‘both of them have done what is detestable. they are to be put to death’
• what does the 1968 catholic encyclical teach catholics?

  that ‘every sex act must remain open to the transmission of life’ God-given purpose of sex - procreation
• what should marriage be?

  heterosexual and procreative, to become ‘one flesh’ requires one man and one woman
• the catechism of the Catholic Church acknowledges that some people are attracted to people of the same sex but…?

  says they are ‘called to chastity’
• HOWEVER, what did pope Francis say?

  ‘who am i to judge?’
• what do liberal Christian’s believe (e.g. quakers/Methodists)?

  that homosexual acts and same sex marriages that are loving in nature are allowed
• what do the quakers say?

  ‘it is the nature and the quality of the relationship that matters’
• when was homosexuality decriminalised?

  in 1968
• liberal Christian’s judge the morality of a relationship based on what?

  whether it is loving, rather than the gender of those involved, if the relationship is loving and legal, it is allowed
• it could be said that Paul wasnt condemning loving same sex relationships (because they didnt exist), rather…?

  he was condemning pedeastry e.g. abusive, harmful practices that were taking place - not loving
• what did jesus emphasise?

  the importance of love, he was celibate and never explicitly condemned homosexuality