Elizabeth Sweeny Block Archives

How Are Theologians Evaluating Pope Francis’ LGBTQ+ Impact?

A sampling of different perspectives from a diverse group of theologians. Read More

On 12th Anniversary: Pope Francis’ Impact on Catholic LGBTQ+ Issues

March 13, 2025/0 Comments/in Pope Francis /by Francis DeBernardo, Editor

Happy Anniversary, Pope Francis! Read More

New Investigation Reveals Anti-LGBTQ+ Groups Influence on Diocesan Gender Policies

June 19, 2024/1 Comment/in Dignitas Infinita, Gender Identity, Gender Policies, Parish Life & Pastoral Care, Politics & Human Rights, Schools & Youth /by Angela Howard-McParland

An extensive report by the National Catholic Reporter details how two anti-transgender groups have been building influence and shaping diocesan policies for several years, especially those written for Catholic schools. Read More

“A Painful Lack of Understanding”: Theologians Respond to Vatican’s Latest Declaration

April 11, 2024/10 Comments/in Anti-LGBTQ Criminalization, Dignitas Infinita, Gender Identity, Gender Policies, Healthcare, Marriage & Family, Parish Life & Pastoral Care, Politics & Human Rights, Synod on Synodality, Theology & Church Teaching /by Brian Flanagan

"Fundamentally unserious," "not just insulting, devastating," and "a painful lack of understanding." These are some Catholic theologians' appraisals of Dignitas Infinita, the Vatican document on human dignity released Monday that condemns “gender theory” and “sex change," appraisals featured in today's post. Read More

Two Catholic Theologians Debate Whether “Gender Theory” Is a Threat or Opportunity

March 3, 2023/2 Comments/in Gender Identity, Gender Policies, Parish Life & Pastoral Care, Pope Francis, Schools & Youth, Theology & Church Teaching /by Ariell Watson Simon

America recently invited two Catholic theologians back to continue a conversation about gender identity, which they began in the same publication late last year. Read More

Three Years Later, Theologians Reflect on Vatican’s Trans-Negative Schools Document

December 27, 2022/6 Comments/in Gender Identity, Gender Policies, Healthcare, Hierarchy, Marriage & Family, Parish Life & Pastoral Care, Schools & Youth, Theology & Church Teaching /by Ariell Watson Simon

America recently published a conversation between two theologians who were looking back, three years later, at the Vatican's then-Congregation for Catholic Education’s (CCE) 2019 instruction “‘Male and Female He Created Them’: Towards a Path of Dialogue on the Question of Gender Theory in Education.” Read More

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