Hospitality to difference: LGBT, religious education and the Catholic school
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Hospitality to difference: LGBT, religious education and the Catholic school Roisín Coll1 Accepted: 6 November 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract There has been a rise in claims of LGBTI youth in schools generally across the UK with a surge in young people self-identifying. This is a ‘theme’ or ‘matter’ or ‘question’ that has been insufficiently ventilated in relation to the Catholic school. It is shrouded in inhibition, confusion, evasion or fear. Burying our heads in the sand is not helping us move forward and there is a potential political threat to the mission of Catholic schools from failing to engage. A key driver of this paper is the rapidly changing climate of opinion and activism around LGBTI experiences in schools and society. From an essentially rights based perspective, and supported by powerful equality legislation, people are campaigning vigorously through formal and informal groups for what they perceive as a redress of longstanding exclusion and discrimination. The concern in particular for LGBTI rights and recognition for under 18s has inevitably drawn schools into these national debates. Three narratives are worthy of discussion around this theme and are inextricably linked: the legal, theological and pastoral narratives. This paper will consider these and suggest the impact that developments are having on the Catholic school sector, and in particular, the teaching of Religious education. Keywords Hospitality · LGBT · Religious Education · Otherness · Dialogue
1 Introduction This paper is about how Catholic schools respond to children and young adults, who identify as LGBT, (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) and the impact that this has on the teaching of Religious Education (RE) in Catholic schools. There is a spectrum of opinion that exists on the matter from within the Catholic community. For example, for some a paper concerned with this matter will be a welcome addition to the existing discourse (or perhaps lack of it) that considers Religious Education in the Catholic setting. It is recognised that others committed to Catholic Education will be uncomfortable that it is being raised as a point of discussion and may have strong opposition even to the terminology to which is referred. However, regardless of individuals’ position on this emotive topic, * Roisín Coll [email protected] 1
University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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it is considered timely and appropriate to address it and the aim is to stimulate additional discourse. Three discourses impinge directly on this paper and they are inextricably linked: the legal/political, the theological and the pastoral. All three will be considered and their impact on the Catholic school sector discussed, in particular, the teaching of Religious Education by the light of them. The paper, therefore, will be in three parts. First of all, to examine briefly the current climate in terms of the LGBT movement and to present a picture of the rapidly changing climate of opinion and activism that currently exists
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