De la loi naturelle à l’écologie : évolution des conceptions de la « nature » mobilisées dans la morale sexuelle catholique (20e-21e siècles)

Abstract

Sexuality has always been subject to normative and practical regulation by the Catholic Church. During the contemporary period the deployment of discourse and technics designed to control, contain and repress sexual practices seems to be evolving. In a secular society, the effectiveness of these normative devices is challenged and has to be renewed. The valorization of "responsible" and ethical sexuality tends to take precedence over the enumeration of sins which, although still very present, are no longer at the centre of the Church discourse on sexuality. Today, facing climate change and environmental crisis, the emancipatory power of technology raises more scepticism. From a Catholic perspective, "human ecology" - or even an "integral ecology" - should be followed in sexual conduct; the condemnation of sexuality outside marriage, "artificial" contraception and medically assisted procreation technologies is no longer directly justified by "moral" considerations but by biological and environmental considerations.

Keywords

• nature
• gender
• sexuality
• theology
• ecology
• catholicism