A Variety of Critical Connections: Qualitative Empirical Research in Flanders, Belgium on the Experiences of lgbtq+ Persons in the Roman Catholic Church

Abstract In 2022, the Flemish (Belgium) bishops drew global attention by establishing a pastoral support network for lgbtq+ believers. This initiative sparked debate, with some viewing it as overly progressive and others questioning its potential impact. Against a backdrop of increasing societal acceptance of lgbtq+ individuals and declining Church affiliation, this contribution explores the experiences of Flemish lgbtq+ individuals within the Roman Catholic Church. Through thematic analysis of seventeen in-depth interviews, five key themes emerged: religious identity and practice, lgbtq+ identity and community, Roman Catholic Church, dual identity and loyalty, and vision for the future. The qualitative empirical research yielded three main conclusions regarding the experiences of lgbtq+ individuals with the Roman Catholic Church. First, reconciling lgbtq+ identity with religious identity emerged as a fragile yet empowering process, with participants developing various strategies to integrate these aspects of their identity. Second, participants expressed a preference for integration into the mainstream Church community over specialized pastoral care, although the latter is seen as a necessary intermediate step toward integration. Third, the study revealed a variety of critical connections to the Roman Catholic Church, indicating that while participants are highly critical of Church teachings and practices, they also exhibit different forms of loyalty. Based on these findings, three recommendations are proposed. First, the Roman Catholic Church in Flanders should focus on comprehensive reform, as dissatisfaction among lgbtq+ believers extends beyond lgbtq+ issues. Second, the Church is advised to take accountability for past injustices experienced by lgbtq+ individuals as accountability is a prerequisite for reconciliation. Third, a nuanced discourse is needed to conceptualize the relationship between lgbtq+ individuals and the Roman Catholic Church, moving beyond simplistic notions of “critical” or “loyal” to recognize the complexity of these connections.