Patricia Beattie Jung said the current political debate about same sex marriage creates a wonderful opportunity to investigate how we define marriage. In a thorough analysis of church teaching on human sexuality, she presented a strong, reasoned argument in favor of same sex marriage. Married almost 30 years and the mother of three sons, Beattie Jung teaches sexual ethics in the theology department at Loyola/Chicago, with emphasis on the moral evaluation of pleasure and sexual diversity.
For centuries the church has sent mixed messages about sexuality. She explained,
“The Christian ambivalence about sexuality is rooted, in part, in the
ambiguity of sexual desire itself. Sexual virtue, or chastity, is not
exclusively or even primarily about the denial of sexual desire. It is
about cultivation of our passions so they promote human flourishing… Chastity
requires of us that we integrate feelings and actions in the area of human sexuality
in a way that values and respects our own dignity and that of others as children
of God.”
She argued that the basic paradigm for marriage is friendship and that Christian
marriage is distinguished by two promises: to be steadfast and to be sexually
exclusive. The church blesses these commitments because such promises
serve love. Society also legitimizes these unions because they are seen
as serving the common good.
Beattie Jung suggested the survival of many species, including the human species,
will be better served when the church recognizes that God’s design for
human sexuality is diverse. The overemphasis on procreation in male/female sexual
relationships obscures that diversity. “Most couples,” she
said, “whether same sex or not, experience their relationship as enriching
sexually, intellectually, and emotionally — and parentally enhancing.”
One student’s response
One of her Loyola students, Joe Earley, attended her CTA lecture, but found
an inconspicuous seat in the back. He later wrote CTA News about his experience:
After the lecture someone asked Dr. Jung the question, “Are you the only
voice in the wilderness?” As a feminist queer theology student, I sank
low in my chair and hoped to God she didn’t see me. I was in shock when
she stated, “Please pray for my students who may not find jobs because
of the field they are pursuing,” and purposely didn't look over at my
section of the audience. Back at class, Dr. Jung in her teasing, gentle nature
called me out, “I told the rest of the class you would say how good I
was at Call To Action.” All of us around the table then discussed being
voices in the wilderness, what the dangers are, and why we keep doing what we
are doing. If I learned anything at all from the CTA conference, it is how dangerous
we can be if we don’t simply sink back into our chairs – and how
many of us are actually standing on our chairs!
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