A level religion and ethics research task - equality in the modern world - homosexuality

HOMOSEXUALITY RESEARCH TASK

Law

·         Legalised in ‘67

·         Completely equal

·         Sexual acts - over 16 and private - legal

·         2004 – Civil Partenerships – same rights as married couples

·         2013 – Same sex marriage laws passed through house of commons

Causes

·         Freud – repressed issues of sexuality and relationship with paerents 

·         Elizabeth Moberly – ‘difficulties in parent-child relationship’ 

·         Imbalance of hormones or genetic disposition

·         Anthony Storr – ‘homosexuals have a vested interest in affirming inborn abnormaily in odred to avoid criticism’ 

Christianity

Catholicism

·         Catechism of Catholic Church

·         Against Natural Moral Law - contrary to Gods will

·         Sex for reproduction – homosexual sex essentially masturbation – expression of love and commitment

·         Homosexuals should be treated with compassion and respect

·         Discrimination must be avoided

·         Homosexual feelings not wrong – acting on them wrong

·         Encouraged to pray – seek support of church – live in chastity

·         Declaration of Sexual Ethics – ‘in scripture homosexual acts condemned as a serious depravity and a sad consequence of rejecting God – ancient dynamics of homosexual relations different – then dominance and sometimes punishment – now mutual consent/love – relationship of David and Jonathan more similar to modern homosexual relationships

·         Catholics and sex – some teachings of the Catholic church discriminatory – e.g. view on adoption

·         Arcigay – Catholic teaching a factor in homophobic violence – 150 gay men killed a year in Italy

·         Burton Leister – If marriage is for reproduction marriage between elderly or infertile couples must also be wrong

Other denominations

·         Quakers – welcome homosexual relationships

·         Natural and God given

Church of England

·         Doesn’t  recommend physical expression of homosexuality

·         However acknowledges church must respect those who ‘are convinced that they have more hope of growing in love for God and neighbour with the help of a loving and faithful homophile relationship, in intention life long, where mutual self-giving includes the expression of their attachment’ – Similar to virtue ethics which states that moral choices should be made individually as to what will make each individual more virtuous

·         Many openly gay high-ranking clergy

·         1988 Lambeth Conference – four possible approaches given

o   A disorder from which one can seek help

o   Homosexual relationships should be celibate – Bob Fyall - Homosexuality and the bible – ‘Warm, non-sexual,  companionship should not be regarded as odd’

o   Commited homosexual relationships preferable to promiscuous ones

o   Church should fully accept homosexual partnershipsnad welcome homosexuals into the preisthood

Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement

·         ‘huamn sexuality in all it’s richness is a gift from God gladly to be accepted, enjoyed and honoured’

Controversies

·         July 2003 – Jeffrey Cannon – openly homosexual but celibate priest – reluctantly withdrew…