Father Breen praises Vandy for hiring lesbian "womonist" to head theology department.

In case you missed it:

A couple days ago Father Joseph Breen, the long-time pastor of St. Edwards Catholic Church, wrote an article in the Tennessean praising Vanderbilt University  for hiring lesbian "womonist" theologian  Emilie M. Townes. Father Breen said, "We are fortunate to have an individual bearing all these “labels,” a female, African-American, homosexual, join our Nashville community in a prestigious position with Vanderbilt University."  He went on to say, "We are fortunate to live in a city with Vanderbilt University, an institution willing to lead society in the right direction."  I guess according to Father Breen, leading society in the  "right direction" is hiring an openly  practicing homosexual to lead the theology department.

I guess I should not be surprised that Vanderbilt hired someone like Emily Townes to head the theology department. Last year Vandy ruled that campus Christian organizations could not require their members or leaders to agree with the groups’ core religious beliefs.  The University abandoned its long tradition of religious tolerance, forcing the groups into adopting moral viewpoints contrary to thousands of years of Judeo-Christian teaching. This new policy of religious intolerance is being justified in the name of "diversity."  Like many liberals and liberal institutions and governments, "diversity" is the new religion. Vanderbilt should quit issuing Doctorates of Divinity and instead just issue Doctorates of Diversity.

Lesbian homosexual activist Emilie M. Townes, a distinguished Yale University scholar whose areas of expertise include Christian ethics and "womanist theology,"  was named dean of Vanderbilt University Divinity School, effective July 1, 2013. Womanist theology "is a religious conceptual framework which reconsiders and revises the traditions, practices, scriptures, and biblical interpretation with a special lens to empower and liberate African American women in America."  (link) As far as I can determine Womanist theology is blend of   Feminist theology , Black theology, and liberation theology.  

Townes is the author of Womanist Ethics and the Cultural Production of Evil and she pastored United Faith Affinitas, a Black LGBT  (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgendered) congregation in Chicago. She is also a blogger at The Huffington Post. She recently wed her same sex partner in Connecticut.





Father Breen has often taken positions contrary to Church teachings on such issues  as those against divorce, contraception, women's ordination, and the married priesthood. He has been disciplined by the Church several times. Over the years he has supported many liberal causes, most recently leading a pro gun control moment in Nashville.

Top Stories