ABSTRACT
Traditionally, issues in sexual and marital morality are decided upon and judged by members of the (male) hierarchy, none of whom have a direct, personal experience in the questions that frequently surface in these fields. Although the Church's teaching and practice in the areas associated with human sexuality continues to function for some members of the Church, it is no longer considered helpful or even meaningful by other members. The problems being faced by this teaching are either widespread, as with respect to the issue of contraception, or experienced by more particular groups, as with respect to the issue of homosexuality. The approach to sexual and conjugal morality that began to be formulated and promulgated by the hierarchical magisterium in the first half of the twentieth century was dependent upon a certain interpretation of classical authors and based primarily upon a particular interpretation of the so-called natural law.
