Homosexuality In The Catholic Church

The topic of homosexuality has stirred up an abundant amount of social controversy throughout history. Within the Catholic Church, it is hard to say how this issue should be dealt with. Many believe that reforms within the Church will become necessary, however the current pope, Pope Francis, does not believe this to be so. This has stirred up a debate among members of the Church. Traditionally, homosexuality in itself is viewed within the Catholic Church as morally evil and it has never been accepted. Pastoral counseling has been offered to allow members of the Church who identify themselves as homosexual to assist them to remain good members of the Church. A reflection on the Church’s history and influences in terms of the development of prejudices against homosexuality may be necessary in order to determine the real root of the issue. Some individuals believe that a change in doctrine is necessary in order to fix the problems regarding homosexuality within the Church, while others stand by Pope Francis and believe that progress can be made without having to undergo such a drastic change. As gay rights continue to become a more apparent issue in today’s global society, the Catholic Church does not need to consider a change in doctrine, however the members if the Church do need to consider following the suggestions of Pope Francis by becoming more open to and tolerant of the idea of homosexuals within the Catholic community.

The Christian views on sexuality were not developed based on Christian beliefs alone. The Hellenistic perspective became one of the greatest influences on the development of Christian theology because of its opposing views to what the Catholic people believed to be morally correct. Homosexuality was not cons...

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...conformed to a life of heterosexuality in order to remain a member of the Church. Others believe that as long as the individuals in question lead a life of complete abstinence, they should be allowed to follow their faith freely. Since becoming pope, Pope Francis has instilled a more accepting atmosphere within the Church. He believes that as long as an individual puts their faith first and understands that the Church does not permit them to have any sexual relations with their partner he has no right to judge their personal views. Shifting the focus of the people onto God has been Pope Francis’ main goal since beginning his papacy. If this idea were to be more widely accepted the Church as a whole would be able to focus more on the basis of their faith rather than on social issues, allowing the Church to be seen as a welcoming community of people worshiping God.