The other, the child, and the trinitarity: towards a new theological justification for heterosexuality

Abstract

This paper, written in the context of a public debate on LGBT issues, seeks a novel theological explanation for the uniqueness of the relationship between a man and a woman in the flesh, and an answer to the question of why heterosexual relations are considered in the Gospel and Christian tradition to be the way to God. The author argues that the value of heterosexual relations, which nowadays is no longer considered self-evident, requires a new justification – which the paper attempts to give, drawing on the intellectual resources of modern theology (Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant) and twentieth-century philosophy. The article begins with an analysis of I Rom. 1:19-27, describing Paul’s position on the subject. Then the author interprets love between a man and a woman as a fundamental experience of communion with the Other, an experience necessary, among other things, for a relationship with God and life in heaven. Next we will consider the profound connection of heterosexual relationships with the conception, as an act of God phenomenon (unpredictable and miraculous) and personal trust in God, and the experience of trinitarian relationships, in the father-mother-child triangle, with the knowledge of the Trinitarian God. The ideas and arguments developed in this article are not based on notions of "normalcy-abnormality," "naturalness-non-naturalness" of one behavior or another, but on principles of path and choice. We argue that our approach may be useful for the church, from a catechetical and missionary perspective, helping to develop a language in which to talk about sexuality and live in the contemporary world.