Lisa McClain, professor of history and gender studies, published an article in The Conversation titled “A Thousand Years Ago, the Catholic Church Paid Little Attention to Homosexuality.”
An excerpt from her article reads: “Pope Francis has spoken openly about homosexuality. In a recent interview, the pope said that homosexual tendencies ‘are not a sin.’ And a few years ago, in comments made during an in-flight interview, he said, ‘If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?’
However, the pope has also discouraged homosexual men from entering the priesthood. He categorically stated in another interview that for one with homosexual tendencies, the ‘ministry or the consecrated life is not his place.’
As a scholar specializing in the history of the Catholic Church and gender studies, I can attest that 1,000 years ago, gay priests were not so restricted. In earlier centuries, the Catholic Church paid little attention to homosexual activity among priests or laypeople.”
To read the article in its entirety, visit: https://theconversation.com/a-thousand-years-ago-the-catholic-church-paid-little-attention-to-homosexuality-112830