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Sin, Sex, and Democracy: Politics and the Catholic Church
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Sin, Sex, and Democracy: Politics and the Catholic Church

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 4920

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ana Lourdes Suarez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Scientific and Technological Council (CONICET), University of San Martín (UNSAM) B1650 San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Interests: Catholic field in Latin America; ecclesiastical abuse; women's religious congregations; religion; poverty; abuse
Dr. Veronique Lecaros

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Theology, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, San Miguel 15088, Peru
Interests: Catholic church; evangelical churches; social projects of the churches

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Public debates on sexuality, reproduction, and the beginning and end of life, among other topics, make it clear the complex relationship between religion, politics, and society in contemporary democracies. These debates challenge the independence between the State and the Catholic Church as it has been endorsed and consolidated after the Second Vatican Council.

Public debate promoted in several countries in order to legislate on abortion, equal marriage, transgender recognition, and euthanasia, is deeply confronting the Catholic Church, which keeps on maintaining a single official position based on Humanae Vitae Document and the neothomist conception of Natural Law in all its pronouncements from the Holy See. However, increasing tensions are arising between universal uniformity and the diverse reality of the "People of God". Likewise, various currents of thoughts and actions develop whose amplitude and composition vary with the legal and social specificities of the local contexts.

In recent decades, conservative Catholic activism has tended to consolidate by alluding to concepts such as moral panic and gender ideology, while other currents, under the pressure of societal changes and the scandals of the abuses, try to change or "update" (“aggiornarsi”), according to the formula of Pope John XIII, the ecclesial proposals. Various strategies to influence and even pressure the political sphere have been deployed. They encompass the forging of alliances, according to affinities, with churches of various denominations, the organization of massive demonstrations, and a more discreet lobbying in the political arena, among others. On the other hand, politicians, in search of visibility and legitimacy, endorse and promote conspicuously some of the controversial issues, contributing to the polarization of society.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • The conceptual use by diverse “conservative” Catholic groups of concepts such as gender ideology; the moral agenda, natural law, etc., on their struggle against legislation on abortion, equal marriage, euthanasia, in vitro fertilization, etc. Their strategies to make their voices heard in the public sphere.
  • Alliances between denominations at a national and international level
  • Transnationalization of religious reds of influence
  • Alliances between politicians and religious leaders
  • Nationalism and Christianity
  • Catholic groups lobbying to influence the type of sex education taught in schools
  • Negotiations, resignifications and new understanding among catholics in order to support challenging issues for the Catholic Church.
  • The impact of the Humanae Vitae document.

Dr. Ana Lourdes Suarez
Dr. Veronique Lecaros
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gender ideology
  • Humanae Vitae
  • conservative Catholic gropus
  • public debate
  • Catholic discourse reconfiguration
  • Catholic church
 

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 229 KiB  
Editorial
Sin, Sex and Democracy: Politics and the Catholic Church
by Véronique Lecaros and Ana Lourdes Suárez
Religions 2023, 14(12), 1541; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14121541 - 15 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 840
Abstract
At first glance, the five terms chosen for the title of this Special Issue do not seem to fit together [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sin, Sex, and Democracy: Politics and the Catholic Church)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

16 pages, 321 KiB  
Article
Democracy and the Christian Right in Brazil: Family, Sexualities and Religious Freedom
by Brenda Carranza and Maria José F. Rosado-Nunes
Religions 2024, 15(6), 634; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15060634 - 22 May 2024
Viewed by 277
Abstract
Based on data publicly available on various online platforms and in academic literature, this article analyzes the prominent role that the Christian Right has taken in the government of Jair Messias Bolsonaro (2019–2022), including the pandemic period) to strengthen its political–religious project. To [...] Read more.
Based on data publicly available on various online platforms and in academic literature, this article analyzes the prominent role that the Christian Right has taken in the government of Jair Messias Bolsonaro (2019–2022), including the pandemic period) to strengthen its political–religious project. To this end, we present the ideological mechanisms that align neoconservative Catholics and Evangelicals with both the government’s neoliberal premises and Bolsonaro’s moral communities. We focus on the rhetorical updating of religious freedom to intensify the nationalist narrative of a Christian Brazil, highlighting the judicial expertise that the Christian Right has accumulated in its reactive activism against the pro-rights agenda of LGBTQI+ communities and the advancement of the Pro-Life, Pro-Family agenda. We discuss the anti-gender crusade and “gender ideology” as political instruments of the Evangelical leadership in the process of juridifying public policies related to sexuality, gender, and family, and as a defense of the Christian nation, which it also leads. However, we identify a reconfiguration of the balance in the correlation of forces within Brazilian Christianity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sin, Sex, and Democracy: Politics and the Catholic Church)
13 pages, 265 KiB  
Article
Citizenship of the Conservative Movements in Mexico and Defense of the Formation of the Family: The Case of Frente Nacional por la Familia
by María Eugenia Patiño
Religions 2024, 15(4), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040410 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 645
Abstract
The presence of the conservatives in Mexico, and their main characters, is long-standing. In Mexican history, some of the conservative movements have been present in religious thinking, especially in Catholicism, e.g., the quick departure from socio-cultural and political Mexican spaces as a consequence [...] Read more.
The presence of the conservatives in Mexico, and their main characters, is long-standing. In Mexican history, some of the conservative movements have been present in religious thinking, especially in Catholicism, e.g., the quick departure from socio-cultural and political Mexican spaces as a consequence of the evangelical Spanish process, whose roots come from the XVI century Of the population in contemporary Mexico (7.7% belong to Catholicism, 2.5% to Evangelical Christians and Protestants, and 2.5% to non-Christian groups, while 8.1% do not follow a religion. Catholicism has a significant presence and influence on different forms of belief and practice in daily life in Mexico. This paper aims to highlight the role of the conservative movement called Frente Nacional por la Familia. It presents its history as the heritage of other conservative movements in Mexico, the stages of its formation, and the agenda and intervention in public life. The methodological approach is qualitative, using multi-situated ethnography. The results allow us to visualize the construction of the public agenda with legislative strategies that have operated with relative success and national presence, obstructing the progress of the proposals of feminist groups and sexual diversity and the defense of a national and cultural project that has as one of the symbols the traditional family. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sin, Sex, and Democracy: Politics and the Catholic Church)
19 pages, 346 KiB  
Article
The Catholic Church in Fragile Democracies: An Influencer, a Moral Guide, or a Judge? A Case Study from the Peruvian Catholic Church
by Carlos Piccone-Camere and Véronique Lecaros
Religions 2024, 15(3), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15030323 - 7 Mar 2024
Viewed by 908
Abstract
This paper navigates the complex roles that the Catholic Church assumes in fragile democracies, exploring whether it functions as an influencer, a moral guide, or a judge in shaping public policies and societal values using the Peruvian context as a focal reference. The [...] Read more.
This paper navigates the complex roles that the Catholic Church assumes in fragile democracies, exploring whether it functions as an influencer, a moral guide, or a judge in shaping public policies and societal values using the Peruvian context as a focal reference. The authors begin by providing an overview of the global religious landscape, highlighting the diverse and polarized trends within the ecclesial institution. In the second part of this paper, this study delves into the homilies of two influential Peruvian prelates, Mgr. Cipriani and Mgr. Castillo, representing opposing theological currents within the Catholic Church, offering a pertinent exploration of how religious institutions engage with evolving international and local trends in the context of democracy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sin, Sex, and Democracy: Politics and the Catholic Church)
13 pages, 291 KiB  
Article
What Do We Do with the Works of Scandalous Founders in the Catholic Church?
by Juan Bautista Duhau
Religions 2023, 14(12), 1447; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14121447 - 22 Nov 2023
Viewed by 947
Abstract
Throughout the 20th century, new religious movements (NRMs) emerged within established religions. Within Catholicism, these NRMs are known as new ecclesial movements and communities. A significant number of founders of these Catholic NRMs have been reported and found guilty of various types of [...] Read more.
Throughout the 20th century, new religious movements (NRMs) emerged within established religions. Within Catholicism, these NRMs are known as new ecclesial movements and communities. A significant number of founders of these Catholic NRMs have been reported and found guilty of various types of abuses, including sexual abuse, abuse of power, abuse of conscience, and spiritual abuses. This article examines the repercussions of these scandalous behaviors on the foundations and institutions established by the accused founders. Firstly, we investigate how contemporary Catholic communities employ interpretations provided by traditional congregations regarding their founders in the postcouncil era. They utilize these interpretations to legitimize the charismatic founders of their respective movements. Secondly, we assess the feasibility of disentangling the accomplishments of these communities from the shadow cast by their controversial originators. Our findings advocate for the contextualization of works authored by individuals under scrutiny. This approach is presented as a more constructive and effective alternative to wholesale dismissal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sin, Sex, and Democracy: Politics and the Catholic Church)

Review

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14 pages, 311 KiB  
Review
Inserted Religious Life as a Path to Authentic Consecrated Chastity—The Witness of Non-Violent Solidarity of Alice Domon and José Aldunate Lyon in Latin America 1967–1983
by Virginia Raquel Azcuy
Religions 2024, 15(4), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040386 - 22 Mar 2024
Viewed by 668
Abstract
The reception of the Decree Perfectae caritatis in Latin America can be understood in connection with the emergence of the preferential option for the poor and the call for consecrated religious life to the insertion since the 1960s. As part of the existing [...] Read more.
The reception of the Decree Perfectae caritatis in Latin America can be understood in connection with the emergence of the preferential option for the poor and the call for consecrated religious life to the insertion since the 1960s. As part of the existing link between conciliar texts and renewal movements, it is worth highlighting the testimony of religious life lived in solidarity with the poor as a way of practicing chastity and incorporating sexuality. This topic is explored through the life stories of two individuals, Alice Domon in Argentina (1937–1977) and José Aldunate Lyon in Chile (1917–2019), within the framework of related studies on ethnographic ecclesiology and the theology of renewed religious life. Amidst military governments, institutional violence, abuses of power, and human rights violations, the lives of these two consecrated individuals showcase an alternative path marked by self-emptying, unwavering fidelity, non-violent action, and prophetic denunciation. The pursuit of integration between contemplative and apostolic aspects in the love for God and the poor, along with the defense of human rights in solidarity with the victims and their families, are some of the keys that define an adapted understanding of religious life in the Latin American context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sin, Sex, and Democracy: Politics and the Catholic Church)
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