Video> Inside Out! Who decides who is inside/out in the church?

The Webinar "inside/outside", organizzato dalla Tenda di Gionata nell’ambito del progetto internazionale Cornerstone, ha esplorato il senso di appartenenza alla Chiesa per le persone credenti LGBTQ+ e per chi, all’interno delle comunità cristiane, sente il bisogno di una maggiore inclusività. L’incontro ha riunito voci diverse per riflettere su temi di fede, identità e cambiamento all’interno delle Chiese.

Le relatrici del webinar – Paola Lazzarini, Elisa Belotti, Sandra Letizia, autrici del podcast “Cristianə a chi? Per un cristianesimo femminista e queer”, e la pastora e teologa Daniela Di Carlo – hanno affrontato il tema dell’appartenenza alla Chiesa da prospettive diverse, esplorando le tensioni tra chi si sente dentro e chi, invece, viene spinto fuori o si trova sulla soglia.

Paola Lazzarini, sociologist, introduced the theme by highlighting how belonging to the Church is not defined only by visible practices (such as participation in the sacraments) but also by the sense of personal and community identity. He underlined how the Church is a complex organization, capable of welcoming different sensitivity, and how nobody can arrogate the right to establish who is part of it and who does not.

The journalist Elisa Belotti He illustrated a series of research that show how women, young people and LGBTQ+ people leave the Church more frequently than other groups, often for a lack of recognition and welcome. However, he questioned the rigidity of the binomial "inside/outside", proposing a vision of the Church as a network of relationships rather than as an institution with rigid boundaries.

The theologian Sandra Letizia He addressed the theme from the theological point of view, remembering that baptism marks the entry into the Church as the people of God, not in the hierarchical institution. He highlighted how diversity has always been part of the Church and how its evolution depends on the ability to read the "signs of the times" and adapt to contemporary challenges.

Pastora Daniela Di Carlor finally he spoke of the need to maintain a critical look at religious institutions and to guarantee spaces for those who are on the threshold. He underlined the danger of a "tame" Christianity, which loses his prophetic strength and the ability to be next to the people on the margins of society.

The questions of the public have touched themes such as the role of women in the Church, the possibility of the female diaconate and the need to update the language of catechism on homosexuality.

The webinar ended with a message of hope: the church is on the way, and even those who feel on the margins have a fundamental role in its change. As emerged from the words of the speakers, remaining and carrying out their instances, even with frustration, is an act of faith and love for the Church itself.