Catholic Supporters of Same Gender Marriage. A Case Study of Human Dignity in a Multicultural Society

This work presents the emerging theory of transcendent pluralism and its application in a study of Catholic supporters of same-gender marriage. Transcendent pluralism is an emerging knowledge and values-based theory of human dignity for addressing contemporary social issues rooted in human devaluation such as group bias, social injustice, health disparities, human rights violations, violent conflict and genocide. Transcendent pluralism is grounded in a philosophical explication of human dignity and has been influenced by the writings of twentieth-century philosopher and theologian, Bernard Lonergan.
The legalization of same-gender marriage in Massachusetts brought the issue of bias against gays and lesbians into public discourse. During this controversial time, many of the theoretical constructs of transcendent pluralism were manifested, particularly among Catholics who support same-gender marriage. In order to investigate and refine the theory, a study was conducted of Catholic same-gender marriage supporters, using a qualitative research method adapted from Lonergan’s transcendental method.
This work will appeal to people who are interested in cultural pluralism, group relations, philosophy, Lonergan studies, humanities, social justice, human rights, gay and lesbian studies, Catholicism, ethics, research methods, nursing and health disparities.