Adiaphora: The Israel Folau Case, Heterodoxy and ‘Orthodox Sexual Desire’ in Conservative Australian Christianity

In April 2019, athlete Isileli ‘Israel’ Folau was sacked for posting anti-LGBTQ+ social media messages. The ‘Israel Folau case’ was contentious in Australia and internationally. Although Folau claimed to be expressing genuinely held Christian beliefs, he has previously articulated heterodox anti-Tri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal for the academic study of religion
Main Author: Jennings, Mark A. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Equinox Publ. 2023
In: Journal for the academic study of religion
Year: 2023, Volume: 36, Issue: 1, Pages: 76-98
Further subjects:B same-sex desire
B Michel Foucault
B Australian Christian Lobby
B scientia sexualis
B Anglican Diocese of Sydney
B Israel Folau case
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Summary:In April 2019, athlete Isileli ‘Israel’ Folau was sacked for posting anti-LGBTQ+ social media messages. The ‘Israel Folau case’ was contentious in Australia and internationally. Although Folau claimed to be expressing genuinely held Christian beliefs, he has previously articulated heterodox anti-Trinitarian ideas. Throughout Christian history, orthodox beliefs concerning the Trinity have been central. Conversely, same-sex desire has been variously tolerated or censured, but has mostly been regarded as adiaphora: a matter of marginal importance. I argue that the support Folau received from two conservative Christian bodies—the Australian Christian Lobby and the Anglican Diocese of Sydney—suggests that in Australian conservative Christianity, ‘orthodox’ sexuality is now regarded as central, with orthodox belief now de facto consigned to adiaphora.
ISSN:2047-7058
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the academic study of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1558/jasr.22486