From Love to Judgment and Back Again - The Historical Drift and Renewal of the Church's Teaching on Same-Sex Love

<p>This paper traces the historical development of the Catholic Church’s teaching on same-sex love, from the radically inclusive vision of Jesus to the juridical condemnations of the medieval period, and finally to Vatican II’s recovery of the Church’s original mission as a community of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. By analyzing the contributions of Augustine, Aquinas, canon law, and the Council, the paper argues that the condemnation of same-sex love is a historical development rather than Christ’s teaching. Vatican II represents a return to the Church’s founding vocation, re-centering love as the measure of holiness and situating sin not in disorder, but in the refusal of charity. The conclusion calls for a renewed ecclesiology of accompaniment, where denying authentic love is recognized as the greater sin, and the Church’s mission as sacrament of unity is restored.</p>