Homosexuality: representing the devil or a spiritual gift? Two opposing views in the same Marian devotion

Area of Science:

• Sociology of Religion
• Cultural Studies
• Discourse Analysis

Background:

• Catholic social actors engage in conflicting discourses regarding homosexuality.
• These debates are connected to the messages from the Lady of All Nations apparition site in Amsterdam.
• Homosexuality is a focal point for competing moral communities defining European values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the opposing discourses on homosexuality within Catholic social actors.
• To understand the role of the Lady of All Nations devotion in shaping these discourses.
• To explore how these discourses relate to concepts of European values and LGBTQ+ minoritization.

Main Methods:

• Discourse analysis of Catholic social actors' communications.
• Examination of the Lady of All Nations' messages and their interpretation.
• Application of theories on moral communities and minoritizing/universalizing views.

Main Results:

• Two distinct, competing discourses on homosexuality were identified among Catholic actors.
• The Lady of All Nations serves as a platform for these divergent viewpoints.
• Both discourses exhibit a minoritizing yet universalizing approach to homosexuality.

Conclusions:

• The Lady of All Nations site is a contested space for articulating religious and social values.
• Competing moral communities utilize the site to promote their views on homosexuality and European identity.
• Understanding these discourses is crucial for analyzing contemporary religious and cultural debates.