Theology of the Body Explained: A Commentary on John Paul II's "Gospel of the Body"

Christopher West

Gracewing Publishing, 2003 - Biography & Autobiography - 530 pages

Christopher West makes John Paul II's theology of the body available for the first time to people at all levels within the Christian community. Love, sexuality, and human flourishing are inseparable. Those who doubted this will find West's book a transforming experience, and those who have been wounded will find liberation and peace. A wonderful education on the meaning of being human. Christopher West teaches the theology of the body and sexual ethics at St John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. He is also visiting faculty member of the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Melbourne, Australia.

Contents

• The Human Body Catholicism and John Paul II: 1
• The Link Between Theology and Anthropology: 8
• The Great Divorce: 19
• Healing the Rift: 27
• The Humanae Vitae Crisis: 46
• The Sacramentality of Marriage: 52
• PrologueIn Review: 53
• Original: 59
• Solitude Prepares Man for Communion: 70
• The Creation of Woman: 74
• Icon of the Trinity: 77
• Relationality and the Virginal Value of Man: 81
• The Key to Biblical Anthropology: 88
• Witness to Gift and Love: 93
• The Nuptial Meaning of the Body: 97
• Chosen by Eternal Love: 101
• The Grace of Original Happiness: 104
• Subjectivity and the Ethos of the Gift: 109
• The Primordial Sacrament: 113
• The Deepest Essence of Married Life: 117
• Life Refuses to Surrender: 121
• Original ManIn Review: 125
• Historical: 131
• A Living Morality: 132
• Original Sin and the Birth of Lust: 138
• The Dimensions of Shame: 144
• Lust Shatters the Original Communion of Persons: 151
• Living the Body Flows from the Heart: 155
• Maintaining the Balance of the Gift: 160
• Christs Words and the Old Testament Ethos: 163
• Concupiscence and the Wisdom Literature: 167
• Lust and the Intentionality of Existence: 172
• Adulterating Sexual Union within Marriage: 176
• Lived Morality and the Ethos of Human Practice: 181
• The Interpretation of Suspicion: 186
• Grace Faith and Mans Real Possibilities: 192
• Longing for the True Good and Beautiful: 194
• Drawing Pure Waters from a Hidden Spring: 199
• The Perspective of the Whole Gospel: 201
• Purity of Heart and Life According to the Spirit: 205
• The Freedom for which Christ Has Set Us Free: 211
• An Adequate Image of Freedom and Purity: 214
• Purity Stems from Piety as a Gift of the Holy Spirit: 217
• Gods Glory Shining in the Body: 222
• The Most Suitable Education in Being Human: 225
• Portraying the Naked Body in Art: 230
• Historical ManIn Review: 236
• Eschatological: 241
• An Infinite Perspective of Life: 242
• Anthropology of the Resurrection: 245
• Penetration of the Human by the Divine: 249
• Witness to the Eschatological Experience: 253
• The Eschatological Authenticity of the Gift: 256
• Fulfillment of the Nuptial Meaning of the Body: 259
• A Development of the Truth about Man: 263
• St Pauls Teaching on the Resurrection: 265
• Eschatological ManIn Review: 270
• PART II: 275
• Celibacy for the Kingdom: 277
• Some Make Themselves Eunuchs: 278
• Continence Spiritual Fruitfulness and the Ethos of Redemption: 281
• Celibacy for the Kingdom Is an Exceptional Calling: 285
• Marriage and Celibacy Explain and Complete Each Other: 288
• Celibacy Anticipates the Maximum Fullness of Gods Bounty: 292
• Analysis of St Pauls Teaching on Celibacy: 295
• Why Celibacy Is Better According to St Paul: 298
• The Redemption of the Body and the Hope of Every Day: 302
• Celibacy for the KingdomIn Review: 306
• Marriage and the Great Mystery of Ephesians: 310
• The Body Enters the Definition of Sacrament: 313
• Reverence for Christ Must Inform the Love of Spouses: 317
• Carnal Love and the Language of Agape: 321
• Baptism Expresses Christs Spousal Love for the Church: 325
• Spousal Love and the Recognition of True Beauty: 328
• Mystery Sacrament and the Climax of the Spousal Analogy: 334
• The Foundation of the Whole Sacramental Order: 337
• Christ Reveals the Mystery of Divine Love: 340
• The Spousal Analogy Helps Penetrate the Essence of the Mystery: 343
• A Fruit of Eternal Election in Christ: 347
• Marriage Is the Central Point of the Sacrament of Creation: 349
• Platform for the Actuation of Gods Designs: 352
• Sacrament of Creation Fulfilled in Sacrament of Redemption: 355
• Prototype of All the Sacraments: 359
• An Adequate Anthropology and an Adequate Ethos: 362
• Marriage Reveals the Salvific Will of God: 366
• Conjugal Union According to the Holy Spirit: 369
• The Fusion of Spousal and Redemptive Love: 374
• The Language of the Body and the Sacramental Sign: 378
• The Prophetism of the Body: 382
• Constituting the Sign in Love and Integrity: 385
• The Sacramentality of MarriageIn Review: 388
• Love and Fruitfulness: 395
• The Biblical Ode to Erotic Love: 396
• Integrating Eros and Agape: 398
• Mutual Entrustment and the Truth of the Person: 401
• Sacrificial Love Conquers Death: 406
• Conjugal Life Becomes Liturgical: 408
• Humanae Vitae and the Truth of the Sacramental Sign: 413
• The Harmony of Authentic Love with Respect for Life: 419
• A Call to Liberation and Responsible Parenthood: 425
• The Natural Regulation of Births: 429
• The Integral Vision of Natural Fertility Regulation: 435
• Outline of an Authentic Marital Spirituality: 439
• The Role of Conjugal Love in the Life of Spouses: 442
• Continence Is a Virtue Essential to Conjugal Love: 445
• Continence Authenticates and Intensifies Marital Affection: 449
• The Church Is Convinced of the Truth of Humanae Vitae: 453
• Chastity Lies at the Center of Marital Spirituality: 455
• The Exceptional Significance of the Conjugal Act: 458
• Humanae Vitae and the Authentic Progress of Civilization: 464
• Love and FruitfulnessIn Review: 469
• The Gospel of the Body and the New Evangelization: 475
• The Antidote to the Culture of Death: 476
• Incarnating the Gospel Message: 479
• The Churchs Response to Modern Rationalism: 484
• EpilogueIn Review: 492
• Bibliography: 495
• Index: 501

Bibliographic information

• Title: Theology of the Body Explained: A Commentary on John Paul II's "Gospel of the Body"
• Author: Christopher West
• Contributor: George Weigel
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: Gracewing Publishing, 2003
• ISBN: 0852446004, 9780852446003
• Length: 530 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Religious; Family & Relationships / Ethics & Morals; Psychology / Interpersonal Relations; Religion / Biblical Commentary / General; Religion / Christian Living / Family & Relationships; Religion / Christian Theology / Anthropology; Religion / Christianity / Catholic; Religion / Christianity / General; Religion / General