Madonna University Cancels Lecture by LGBT-Positive Theologian

Over the next few days, New Ways Ministry will be launching a new website which will have a new connection to Bondings 2.o, our blog.  For those who subscribe to the blog by email, you may be receiving duplicate emails over the next few days. We apologize for the inconvenience. 

A Catholic university in Michigan has cancelled a lecture by a notable theologian due to right-wing attacks over that theologian’s LGBT-positive stances.

M. Shawn Copeland

The Center for Catholic Studies and Interfaith Dialogue at Madonna University, Livonia, planned to host Dr. M. Shawn Copeland of Boston College this month. She was set to speak on ““A New Vision for the Church: Pope Francis’ Agenda for Social Justice.” But on September 18th, the Center posted a message on its Facebook page that it had cancelled Copeland’s lecture. The post quoted the Center’s director, Sr. Nancy Marie Jamroz, C.S.S.F.:

“We are sorry for this lost educational opportunity for Madonna students, and for the heavy blow it strikes to academic freedom and to Pope Francis’ vision for the Church.”

Global Sisters Report clarified that Copeland was not uninvited from speaking at the University, but that a mutual decision had been reached to cancel this specific lecture.

The cancellation was prompted by attacks from the right-wing group, Church Militant, which criticized Copeland for being a “pro-LGBT speaker.” This group is the same group which recently attacked Fr. James Martin, SJ, over his new book on LGBT issues in the church. Those attacks led Theological College, the seminary affiliated with The Catholic University of America, to cancel a lecture by Martin on encountering Jesus.

Copeland has declined to comment, but the chair of her Theology Department at Boston College, Dr. Richard Gaillardetz, criticized such groups sharply:

“‘The practice of pressuring both bishops and leaders of Catholic institutions to rescind speaking offers has, sadly, been going on for over three decades now. . .What has changed is the sophisticated employment of social media to ramp up digitally manufactured rage against important voices in the church like Fr. Martin, and most recently, my esteemed colleague, Professor M. Shawn Copeland.’ . . .

“‘Until bishops and leaders of Catholic institutions repudiate these tactics and stop following the path of least resistance simply to avoid conflict and bad press, militant church groups will continue to feel emboldened to further their character assassinations, oblivious to the extent to which they are undermining the very credibility and effectiveness of the church they claim to love.'”

Gaillardetz said the attacks not only harm those involved, but threaten church unity. He added:

“‘A church which does not know how to handle conflict and disagreement with charity and a determination to impute only the best of intentions on those with whom we disagree, is a church deeply compromised in its ability to witness to the liberating power of the gospel.'”

Dr. Copeland has indeed affirmed LGBT people’s goodness within the larger context of her theological writings. Sadly, it only took few quotes on LGBT issues from that work, quotes cited out of context by Church Militant, for the Felician Sisters at Madonna University to cancel the lecture.

Writing in response to the cancellation of Martin’s lectures, Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego wrote that the right-wing attacks should be a “wake-up call” for U.S. Catholics to not concede to fringe groups. Beyond concern for parish and school functions, it is even more worrying that such groups have been able to curtail academic freedom so successfully.

As the U.S. institutional church grapples with how it can repel these right wing groups generally, the cancellation of Dr. Copeland is a poignant reminder that too often LGBT issues have been an excuse to harm Catholic higher education, too.

Robert Shine, New Ways Ministry, September 29, 2017

Related Article:

The Heights, “BC Theology Prof. Did Not Speak at Madonna University After Conservative Criticism

5 replies
  1. John Hilgeman
    John Hilgeman says:

    A couple instances of universities/theological schools cancelling talks because right wing critics don’t like people who speak kindly of LGBT people. It is unfortunate that the powers that be are caving to these small groups of bullies.

    Reply
    • Hudson Bailey
      Hudson Bailey says:

      I know that violence begets violence and peaceful yet firm negotiations are first, even second courses of actions. Desperation creates frustration and rage. Jesus’ message, commandment of love isn’t relevant to these bullies as they mount their persecution and repression. Somewhere in “MacBeth” is quoted “Time is tyranny.” Fear like rage, might spark a revolution to topple a tyrant rather than waiting for the clock to crumble them. These bullies need to wise-up.
      I’m recalling correctly that somewhere in “Richard II” is quoted “Naught but death do we own. This fragile model of a barren earth serves as paste to cover bones. By God, we make seats round the ground for sad the lyrics that we sing, the tragic tales on the death of kings.”

      Reply
  2. Barbara J. Karamon
    Barbara J. Karamon says:

    Whew!! I am an alum. of Madonna University in Livonia, MI, where I reside. I walk on the campus, right around the corner from my home. Bummer!!! Madonna is run by Felician nuns, in whom I have deep respect, but they need to address the needs of people today, not 50 years ago. Who can you possibly harm, Father Martin. The avg. student age is 28 years. …. not exactly impressionable children. …. and fully able to listen, assess, learn with wise decisions. Leave the decision making up to the student; after all isn’t that why we all seek higher education. I am a proud Madonna alum., and disagree totally with their backward stand.

    Reply
    • Kris
      Kris says:

      Why are these clerics and religious so frightened of Church Militant? How can it harm them?

      Where is the spirit of strength Paul alludes to?

      By crumbling under this degree of pressure, these clerics and religious are displaying the timidity one cannot associate with the early Christians. Why would anyone want to embrace Roman Catholicism when they see such weakness publicly displayed.

      Jesus was tougher than this. Wasn’t he?

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *