This panel examines the ethics and practicalities of queer kinship in religious idioms. The papers provide theoretical and practical understandings of models available to queer subjects for imagining religious collectivity and relationship. They stage a conversation between the reception of synodality among queer Catholics in the Philippines and queer iterations of familial piety.
There are many reasons to be suspicious of filial piety: Sociological research details the harms done to LGBTQ+ persons trapped in harmful families of origin. Family abolitionists contend that the family has been co-opted by neocapitalism. Even the New Testament expresses suspicion of biogenetic relations. Yet for all these risks, a growing recognition of the place of queer elders in communities—as well as the ageism, idealized tropes, and other problems—point to a need to reevaluate the role that queer elders play and the obligations due to them. I argue that, fraught as it is, the concept of filial piety can help us do this work. I utilize sociological research, Confucian virtue ethics, queer theory arguments, and theological work on adoption to theorize the benefits of filial piety (the goods conferred by intergenerational relationships; the need to give and receive support across one’s lifespan; etc.) as well as its vicious shortcomings.
This study explores how Fiducia Supplicans (FS), the Vatican’s declaration on blessings for same-sex couples and those in “irregular situations,” is received by Filipino clergy and same-sex couples. Using a Conversation in the Spirit approach, it will facilitate a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) where both groups engage in open dialogue. Inspired by my experience in the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) Synodal Discussion on Gender and Sexuality, this research replicates that process of communal discernment. Instead of separate FGDs, a combined session will foster true encounter and dialogue, ensuring diverse perspectives are heard without judgment. Thematic analysis of the discussion will assess whether FS is received, rejected, or engaged with in a synodal manner. This study aims to provide insights into how Filipino clergy and laity navigate FS and whether their engagement reflects the Church’s call to synodality.