Catholic Theological Society Gives Top Honor to Openly Gay Scholar

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Orlando Espin

July 18, 2016
Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

The most prestigious U.S. Catholic theological organization for the first time has awarded its highest honor to an openly gay scholar, the first.

The Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA), the primary professional associations for this area’s scholars, presented its John Courtney Murray Award to Orlando Espin, a professor of systematic theology at the University of San Diego, a Catholic school in southern California. Espin, who was awarded the honor at the society’s meeting in June, was cited for his work on intercultural issues. The citation announcing the award praised him for having “wrestled with problems associated with the historical and contemporary legacies of colonization, slavery, racism, and prejudice against LGBT persons.”''

In his acceptance speech, Espin included thanks to his husband, Ricardo Gallego, who was present at the meeting, which occurred in Puerto Rico. Gallego is director of Latinoa Services at the San Diego LGBT Community Center. They have been married since 2008, though they have been a couple for 23 years.

In a statement to Bondings 2.0, Espin said that he thanked Gallego for his work with vulnerable minority populations, noting: “I write theology. He lives it.” His speech received a standing ovation.

https://newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/18/catholic-theological-society-gives-top-honor-to-openly-gay-scholar/