ROME, June 10, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — The Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education has released a new document on “gender theory” in schools, urging a “path of dialogue.”
Published on June 10, the 31-page document is titled “Male and Female He Created Them”: Towards a Path of Dialogue on the Question of Gender theory in Education.
In introducing the new document, the Congregation for Catholic Education says it “wishes to offer …some reflections which, it is hoped, can guide and support those who work in the education of young people, so as to help them address in a methodical way … the most debated questions around human sexuality.”
The methodology it proposes is based on “three guiding principles” which it says appear “best-suited to meet the needs of both individuals and communities: to listen, to reason and to propose.”
Adopting an approach to gender theory that is “based on the path of dialogue,” the Congregation says the document is “intended for the educational community involved in Catholic schools, and for all who, animated by the Christian vision of life, work in other types of schools.”
It is “offered for use by parents, students, school leaders and personnel, bishops, priests, religious, ecclesial movements, associations of the lay faithful, and other relevant bodies.”
The document provides notable reference to Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI, while also drawing upon the excyclicals and addresses of Pope Francis. It first offers a historical overview of the development of gender theory, highlighting “points of agreement” as well as a “critque” of the ideology. It then offers some “considerations on the issue based on the light of reason.”
Affirming that “the Church, mother and teacher, does more than simply listen,” the document then presents a series of proposals regarding Christian anthropology, the family, school, society, and forming formators, before offering its conclusions.
The full document may be read in full here. LifeSite will offer fuller analysis shortly.