Bishops attack study done on sex

By Darrell Holland

Religion editor

WASHINGTON Roman Catholic bishops have lashed out at a book by five Catholic theologians that says sex outside of marriage, masturbation and homosexual relationships may not always be morally wrong.

The book, published in May as a study done under the auspices of the Catholic Theological Society of America, says an individual's conscience could lead to sexual norms different from those taught by the church.

But the bishops' Committee on the Doctrine, which said here it was speaking for the 330 American prelates, said the theologians overstepped their bounds when they set down guidelines for sexual behavior for Catholics.

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The attack highlights and intensifies a growing tension between the bishops in their roles as official teachers of the church and the theologians. The bishops said yesterday theologians may speculate about theological matters, but they do not determine official church teachings.

Bishop Michael J. Murphy, auxiliary bishop of the Cleveland diocese and a member of the

doctrine committee, said the theologians have overemphasized intrapersonal growth and personal relationships in coming to their conclusions.

Human sexuality is a troubled area in Ameri can society and the church's laws go against practices widely accepted by society, he said. But, he continued, scripture and church tradition teach that sexual relationships outside of marriage are morally wrong and that view will not change.

"Theological speculation cannot set aside the moral norms of the church on sexuality," Bishop Murphy added. He and other bishops said the study relied too heavily on sociological and psychological sources in reaching its conclusions.

The bishops said they were concerned that American Catholics would decide to follow the permissive sexual guidelines suggested by the theologians and morally harm themselves.

In a six-page statement, the doctrine committee said, "The sexual behavior of those called and empowered to be children of God must be based on God's plan in creating human beings ... only within-the marriage covenant."

The statement added, "Moral values are not

produced by social research." It charged that the theologians had ignored the essential connection between sexual activity and procreation, and sexual activity and marital love.

Good intentions and proper evaluation of motives do not make sex outside marriage morally right, the bishops said.

They warned against pastoral compassion that could weaken social morality.

Recent scientific studies have revealed that many U.S. Catholics disagree with the church's traditional teachings on sex, believing them too restrictive and impossible to obey.