Theology of the Body

Theology of the Body is the topic of a series of 129 lectures given by Pope John Paul II during his Wednesday audiences in the Pope Paul VI Hall between September 1979 and November 1984. It was the first major teaching of his pontificate and the complete addresses were later compiled and published as a single work: The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan. A new translation has been released under the title Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body. The themes of the Theology of the Body were repeated and exanded upon in many of John Paul's encyclicals, letters, and exhortations.

The delivery of the Theology of the Body series did have interruptions. For example, the Wednesday audiences were devoted to other topics during the Holy Year of Redemption in 1983.

Topics

Main articles: Catholic theology of the body and Teachings of Pope John Paul II

The work covers such topics as the unified corporeal and spiritual qualities of the human person; the origins, history and destiny of humanity; the deepest desires of the human heart and the way to experience true happiness and freedom; the truth about man's need and desire for loving communion derived from the revealed understanding of humanity in the image of a Triune Creator; the truth about God's original design for human sexuality and thus the dignity of the human person, how it was distorted through sin, and how it has been restored and renewed through the redemption of Jesus Christ; and Catholic teachings about the sacramentality of marriage.

The central thesis of John Paul's Theology of the Body, according to author Christopher West, is that "the body, and it alone, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and the divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the mystery hidden since time immemorial in God, and thus to be a sign of it."

The work consists of six cycles. In the first three, John Paul II establishes an "adequate anthropology" that looks at the humans as we were created, as we are now, and where we are going in the eschaton. In the last three cycles, the application of this new anthropology is discussed in the context of celibacy, marriage and fruitfulness.

Some consider the first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est (God is Love), with its exposition of the relation between agape and eros, to be the culmination of John Paul II's Theology of the Body.

Christian ideal of marriage

In this first cycle, Pope John Paul II discusses Christ's answer to the Pharisees when they ask him about whether a man can divorce his wife.

Matthew 19:3-10 (D-R)
3 And there came to him the Pharisees tempting him, saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 Who answering, said to them: Have ye not read, that he who made man from the beginning, made them male and female? And he said:
5 For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh.
6 Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.
7 They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away?
8 He saith to them: Because Moses by reason of the hardness of your heart permitted you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.
10 His disciples say unto him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry.

Adultery

This second cycle focuses on Christ's remarks on adultery in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:27-28 (D-R)
27 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
28 But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. Pope John Paul II explains this as looking at another person to desire them in a reductive way, that is they are viewed as merely an object of desire. Pope John Paul II says this seems to be a key passage for theology of the body. (See [1] John Paul II, Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body (Boston: Pauline Books and Media), 2006,225.)

Resurrection of the body

The third cycle analyzes Christ’s answer to the Sadducees when they come to him and ask him about a woman who had married seven brothers.

Matthew 22:23-33 (D-R)
23 That day there came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and asked him,
24 Saying: Master, Moses said: If a man die having no son, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up issue to his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first having married a wife, died; and not having issue, left his wife to his brother.
26 In like manner the second and the third and so on, to the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 At the resurrection therefore, whose wife of the seven shall she be? For they all had her.
29 And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married, but shall be as the angels of God in heaven.
31 And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by God, saying to you:
32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.
33 And the multitudes hearing it were in admiration at his doctrine.

Celibacy and virginity

The fourth cycle is a meditation on celibacy and virginity.

Sacrament of marriage

The fifth cycle discusses the sacrament of marriage.

Contraception

Pope John Paul II began his discussion of contraception on 11 July 1984 with the 114th lecture in this series. This section of the lecture series, the sixth and final part, is largely a reflection on Humanae Vitae, the 1968 encyclical of Pope Paul VI. In it, John Paul continued his emphasis on the design of the human body revealing God's truths. It is explained and reaffirmed that the fundamental structure of males and females, which causes sexual intercourse between them to result in both greater intimacy and the capability of generating new life, demonstrates a morally inseparable connection between these two functions.

The authority of the Magisterium (teaching authority of the Church and those who hold the office) to interpret the divine intention (in this context, through the structure of the body), is emphasized. Although the Church's teachings on sexuality are not present in a literal reading of the biblical text, John Paul gives examples of how they are part of longstanding Church tradition - a tradition that was created in the context of scriptural teachings.(18 July 1984)

The ability of the human body to express truth through the sexual union of married couples is acclaimed. The moral wrongness of using artificial means to manipulate such a significant aspect of the created body is explained. Dominion over outside forces, and also self-mastery through discipline, are integral human drives. However, the language expressed by bodies, in this context the language expressed during sexual intercourse, is so damaged by the use of artificial contraception that the conjugal act "ceases to be an act of love... [or] communion of persons" but rather is a mere bodily union.(22 August 1984)

On the other hand, the licitness of natural family planning (NFP) methods is held to be evident from the structure of the human body, which has natural periods of fertility and infertility. The morality of these methods was literally designed into the body, and use of them, unlike use of artificial contraception, can actually improve the dialog between couples which is expressed through the language of the body.(5 Septemper 1984) Throughout these speeches the main emphasis is on the intrinsic goodness of the marital act. The power of love between spouses is said to both lead to and be nourished by the moral use of the conjugal act. Thus, moral exercise of sexual intercourse uses the form of the body to reveal the love of God toward Creation.(10 October 1984)

While following the rules of NFP does not guarantee a truly spiritual sexual relationship between husband and wife, understanding the theology that makes NFP acceptable can foster the maturity needed by the couple to attain that level of spirituality,(7 November 1984) living life by the Holy Spirit.(14 November 1984) Also, Pope John Paul II warns couples against "lowering the number of births in their family below the morally correct level." Responsible parenthood is greatly encouraged, however it is emphasized that while this sometimes means limiting family size, responsible parenthood can also mandate couples to increase their family size. This is because of the good children bring not only their immediate family, but also to their society and Church.(5 September 1984)

The seriousness of a couple's decision to maintain or increase their family size is discussed. John Paul refers to Gaudium et Spes, a document issued by the Second Vatican Council, which emphasizes the importance of couples' having their conscience guided by the law of God.(1 August 1984) The difficulty inherent in and endurance required to consciously regulate births with these methods is discussed, although largely in the context of the integral part played by the burdens of life as Christians follow the "hard way" through the "narrow gate".(3 October 1984) In fact, the kind of discipline necessary to practice periodic continence is claimed to impart licit conjugal acts with deeper meaning, as well as bringing out the ability of a married couple to express love through non-sexual acts.(24 & 31 October & 21 November 1984)

John Paul states many other benefits claimed for moral use of NFP, some from Humanae Vitae. These include an increase of marital peace, less spousal selfishness, increased and more positive influence over their children,(5 September 1884) and increased dignity of person through following the law of God.(25 July 1984) Use of NFP is also said to increase appreciation of children, by fostering respect for what is created by God.(14 November 1984)

Commentary

By George Weigel

George Weigel has described Theology of the Body as "one of the boldest reconfigurations of Catholic theology in centuries." He goes on to say it is a "kind of theological time bomb set to go off with dramatic consequences, sometime in the third millennium of the Church." Weigel believes that it has barely begun to "shape the Church's theology, preaching, and religious education" but when it does "it will compel a dramatic development of thinking about virtually every major theme in the Creed."

Weigel also realizes major obstacles to the theology of the body. The Pope is very hard to read and understand: "The density of John Paul's material is one factor. A secondary literature capable of translating John Paul's thought into accessible categories and vocabulary is badly needed." And, Weigel believes, the dominant liberal views on such issues as women, birth control, abortion and divorce are also obstacles to the "theology of the body" becoming known or accepted.

Many of Weigel's concerns with respect to being able to understand the set of Wednesday General Audiences on the Theology of the Body have been addressed in the new translation, Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body (2006, Michael Waldstein, translator). One of the drawbacks of the prior English-language versions is that different translators were used at varying times over the long period that the Audience talks were given. Hence, it happened occasionally that the same term would be translated differently from one talk to the other. The new translation has corrected that problem in addition to being confirmed by having had access to John Paul's original notes in Polish, rather than merely the Italian used in the Audience talks.

By Traditio

Traditio, the Traditional Roman Catholic Network, an organ of a breakaway church not related with the Catholic Church criticizes the Theology of the Body:

it diverges from the approved theology of the Catholic Church, that is, Thomism, founded upon the theology of the Church's Principal Theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas and indirectly upon the theology of St. Augustine of Hippo, the Great Father of the Church. Rather than being rooted in the realism and objectivity of Catholic Thomism, the Theology of the Body is rooted instead in the false subjective philosophies of Modernism. The Church's theology is objective, deductive, and rational. The Theology of the Body constructs a counter-theology that is subjective, inductive, and experiential.

Further reading

• Pope John Paul II, translated by Dr. Michael Waldstein (2006). Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body. Pauline Books and Media. ISBN 0-8198-7421-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
• Kellmeyer, Steve (2004). Sex and the Sacred City. Bridegroom Press. ISBN 0-9718128-1-0.
• Shivanandan, Mary (1999). Crossing the Threshold of Love: A New Vision of Marriage in the Light of John Paul II's Anthropology. Catholic University of America Press. ISBN 0-8132-0941-2.
• West, Christopher (2003). Theology of the Body Explained: A Commentary on John Paul's "Gospel of the Body". Pauline Books and Media. ISBN 0-8198-7410-8.
• Percy, Anthony (2006). Theology of the Body Made Simple. Pauline Books and Media. ISBN 0-8198-7419-1.
• Hajduk, David (2006). God's Plan for You: Life, Love Marriage, Sex-- A Theology of the Body for Young People. Pauline Books and Media. ISBN 0-8198-4517-5.

See also

• Pope John Paul II
• Christopher West
• New feminism

External links

• General Audiences: John Paul II's Theology of the Body. Full text of the speeches.
• The Anti-Theology of the Body. Commentary by an Eastern Orthodox theologian.
• [1] Beautiful Fruit of Theology of the Body
• Reading the Body. Commentary by a Lutheran theologian.
• CatholicPreaching.com Various resources by Fr. Roger J. Landry.
• http://tob.catholicexchange.com/