The Motivation to Love Overcoming Spiritual Violence and Sacramental Shame in Christian Churches Dawne Moon, PhD, Sociology Theresa Tobin, PhD, Philosophy Marquette University

The Motivation to Love

Spiritual abuses of LGBT people by Christian churches.

The Motivation to Love Spiritual abuses of LGBT people by Christian churches. 1. What motivates non-LGBT church members to end these practices?

The Motivation to Love Spiritual abuses of LGBT people by Christian churches. 1. What motivates non-LGBT church members to end these practices? 2. How do LGBT Christians overcome spiritual violence to experience a loving God, serve others, and flourish?

Spiritual Violence

Using religious means to violate a person in her or his relationship to God

Spiritual Violence Using religious means to violate a person in her or his relationship to God Using scripture to demean

Spiritual Violence Using religious means to violate a person in her or his relationship to God Using scripture to demean Sexual abuse by clergy/ using religious symbols

Spiritual Violence Using religious means to violate a person in her or his relationship to God Using scripture to demean Sexual abuse by clergy/ using religious symbols Religious teachings/traditions  spiritual inferiority

Spiritual Violence

Warps spiritual development of the self

Spiritual Violence Warps spiritual development of the self Warps moral development of the self

Spiritual Violence Warps spiritual development of the self Warps moral development of the self Erects barriers to Christian virtue

Sacramental Shame

A form of spiritual violence in which a church uses shaming practices to try to bring a person closer to God

Sacramental Shame A form of spiritual violence in which a church uses shaming practices to try to bring a person closer to God – Paradoxically separates person from God

Sacramental Shame A form of spiritual violence in which a church uses shaming practices to try to bring a person closer to God – Paradoxically separates person from God Focus inward on fixing self

Sacramental Shame A form of spiritual violence in which a church uses shaming practices to try to bring a person closer to God – Paradoxically separates person from God Focus inward on fixing self God’s love is conditional

Sacramental Shame A form of spiritual violence in which a church uses shaming practices to try to bring a person closer to God – Paradoxically separates person from God Focus inward on fixing self God’s love is conditional Can’t serve others until self repaired

Two Groups: LGBT Christians Non-LGBT Participants

LGBT Christians

Celibate

LGBT Christians Celibate Same-sex marriage advocates

LGBT Christians Celibate Same-sex marriage advocates Bisexuals and transgender people – Not always included

LGBT Christians Celibate Same-sex marriage advocates Bisexuals and transgender people – Not always included – Use these discourses selectively

LGBT Christians Celibate Same-sex marriage advocates Bisexuals and transgender people – Not always included – Use these discourses selectively – Articulate their unique experiences

LGBT Christians What helps overcome spiritual violence?

LGBT Christians What helps overcome spiritual violence? HYPOTHESIS: LGBT identity

LGBT Christians What helps overcome spiritual violence? HYPOTHESIS: LGBT identity – Allows to look outside self

LGBT Christians What helps overcome spiritual violence? HYPOTHESIS: LGBT identity – Allows to look outside self – Allows to serve others

LGBT Christians What helps overcome spiritual violence? HYPOTHESIS: LGBT identity – Allows to look outside self – Allows to serve others – Allows to experience God’s love

Non-LGBT Participants

What creates the motivation to love?

Non-LGBT Participants What creates the motivation to love? HYPOTHESIS: Four processes

Non-LGBT Participants What creates the motivation to love? HYPOTHESIS: Four processes – “Sexuality” since late 19 th century

Non-LGBT Participants What creates the motivation to love? HYPOTHESIS: Four processes – “Sexuality” since late 19 th century – Media representations

Non-LGBT Participants What creates the motivation to love? HYPOTHESIS: Four processes – “Sexuality” since late 19 th century – Media representations – Relationship with LGBT people

Non-LGBT Participants What creates the motivation to love? HYPOTHESIS: Four processes – “Sexuality” since late 19 th century – Media representations – Relationship with LGBT people – Global information flow  Implausibililty of single truth  listen, learn, love

Non-LGBT Participants What creates the motivation to love? HYPOTHESIS: Four processes – “Sexuality” since late 19 th century – Media representations – Relationship with LGBT people – Global information flow  Implausibililty of single truth  listen, learn, love Conventional approach feels unchristian

Methodology and Deep Integration

Methods and Deep Integration Feminist Christian virtue ethics perspective

Methods and Deep Integration Feminist Christian virtue ethics perspective – Limitation

Methods and Deep Integration Feminist Christian virtue ethics perspective – Limitation Only published statements

Methods and Deep Integration Feminist Christian virtue ethics perspective – Limitation Only published statements Speculative conclusions

Methods and Deep Integration Feminist Christian virtue ethics perspective – Limitation Only published statements Speculative conclusions – Contribution

Methods and Deep Integration Feminist Christian virtue ethics perspective – Limitation Only published statements Speculative conclusions – Contribution Able to make ethical claims

Methods and Deep Integration Feminist Christian virtue ethics perspective – Limitation Only published statements Speculative conclusions – Contribution Able to make ethical claims Able to distinguish true from pseudo-virtue

Methods and Deep Integration Qualitative sociological perspective

Methods and Deep Integration Qualitative sociological perspective – Contribution

Methods and Deep Integration Qualitative sociological perspective – Contribution Deep, rich narratives of experience from multiple perspectives

Methods and Deep Integration Qualitative sociological perspective – Contribution Deep, rich narratives of experience from multiple perspectives Dynamic process where analysis informs later data gathering, and reveals changes over time

Methods and Deep Integration Qualitative sociological perspective – Contribution Deep, rich narratives of experience from multiple perspectives Dynamic process where analysis informs later data gathering, and reveals changes over time – Limitation

Methods and Deep Integration Qualitative sociological perspective – Contribution Deep, rich narratives of experience from multiple perspectives Dynamic process where analysis informs later data gathering, and reveals changes over time – Limitation No ethical evaluation

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data Participant-observation,

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data Participant-observation, interviews,

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data Participant-observation, interviews, documents

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data Participant-observation, interviews, documents – Hybrid form of analysis

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data Participant-observation, interviews, documents – Hybrid form of analysis Grounded Theory (Inductive)

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data Participant-observation, interviews, documents – Hybrid form of analysis Grounded Theory (Inductive) Extended Case Method

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data Participant-observation, interviews, documents – Hybrid form of analysis Grounded Theory (Inductive) Extended Case Method – Feminist and Queer Theory/Ethics

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data Participant-observation, interviews, documents – Hybrid form of analysis Grounded Theory (Inductive) Extended Case Method – Feminist and Queer Theory/Ethics – Virtue Ethics, Violence Studies

Methods and Deep Integration Deep Integration – Sociological methods to gather data Participant-observation, interviews, documents – Hybrid form of analysis Grounded Theory (Inductive) Extended Case Method – Feminist and Queer Theory/Ethics – Virtue Ethics, Violence Studies – Expand these theories using inductively gathered data

Methodological Innovation

Examining situated accounts and personal narratives of people’s motivation to virtue

Methodological Innovation Examining situated accounts and personal narratives of people’s motivation to virtue Framing sociological data in terms of virtue

Methodological Innovation Examining situated accounts and personal narratives of people’s motivation to virtue Framing sociological data in terms of virtue Bringing sociological data to the discussion of virtue

Why This Matters

Academic significance

Why This Matters Academic significance Methodological significance

Why This Matters Academic significance Methodological significance Practical significance

Why This Matters Academic significance

Why This Matters Academic significance How people develop the motivation to end practices of spiritual violence

Why This Matters Academic significance How people develop the motivation to end practices of spiritual violence The end of the “Culture Wars”

Why This Matters Academic significance How people develop the motivation to end practices of spiritual violence The end of the “Culture Wars” Character development in unhealthy spiritual environment

Why This Matters Academic significance How people develop the motivation to end practices of spiritual violence The end of the “Culture Wars” Character development in unhealthy spiritual environment Spiritual Healing

Why This Matters Methodological significance

Why This Matters Methodological significance Empirical grounding and/or challenge to moral claims (claims about motivation to virtue)

Why This Matters Methodological significance Empirical grounding and/or challenge to moral claims (claims about motivation to virtue) Moral framework to guide analysis

Why This Matters Practical significance

Why This Matters Practical significance Understand harms and gifts of religion for LGBT Christians

Why This Matters Practical significance Understand harms and gifts of religion for LGBT Christians Help movements to foster growth

Why This Matters Practical significance Understand harms and gifts of religion for LGBT Christians Help movements to foster growth Facilitate public understanding

Challenges

Conflict between normative philosophy & “value neutral” sociology

Challenges Conflict between normative philosophy & “value neutral” sociology Sociology has unspoken normative assumptions

Challenges Conflict between normative philosophy & “value neutral” sociology Sociology has unspoken normative assumptions Methodological barrier

Challenges Conflict between normative philosophy & “value neutral” sociology Sociology has unspoken normative assumptions Methodological barrier Naturalistic research draws on existing skills and dispositions

Challenges Conflict between normative philosophy & “value neutral” sociology Sociology has unspoken normative assumptions Methodological barrier Naturalistic research draws on existing skills and dispositions Philosophical project invites interviews on its own

The Motivation to Love Overcoming Spiritual Violence and Sacramental Shame in Christian Churches Dawne Moon, PhD, Sociology Theresa Tobin, PhD, Philosophy Marquette University