THE CHURCH AND THE HOMOSEXUAL
by John J. McNeill, S.J.
Publisher: Sheed Andrews and McMeel, Inc., Kansas City (Subsidiary of Universal Press Syndicate)
Condition: Good. White cloth hardcover, no jacket present (likely missing). Boards slightly toned with age; interior clean and sound.
About the Book:
This groundbreaking and controversial work by Jesuit priest John J. McNeill sought to open theological and pastoral discussion on homosexuality within the Roman Catholic Church. Originally derived from essays in The Homiletic and Pastoral Review and his 1973 address to Dignity, the organization for Catholic homosexuals, the book argues for an informed, compassionate moral theology guided by conscience and rooted in the Gospels call to love and justice.
McNeills book became the first major Catholic treatment of the subject written by an ordained theologian, and it provoked immediate reaction within ecclesiastical circles. While initially published with official imprimatur protest, it was later withdrawn from circulation following Vatican censure, making surviving early printings notable historical artefacts in the record of postVatican II Catholic dissent and pastoral reform.
About the Author:
John J. McNeill, S.J. (19252015) was an American Jesuit priest, psychotherapist, and theologian. A decorated World War II veteran and later a pioneer in the movement for LGBTQ inclusion within Christian faith communities, McNeills works including Taking a Chance on God and Freedom, Glorious Freedom became foundational texts in gay and lesbian theology.
Category: Theology / Catholic Studies / LGBTQ History
