Christopher West: Difference between revisions
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Theologian Michael Waldstein, who wrote the definitive translation of the Theology of the Body, addressed Schindler’s remarks in an essay published on InsideCatholic.com.<ref>http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=6117&Itemid=48</ref> |
Theologian Michael Waldstein, who wrote the definitive translation of the Theology of the Body, addressed Schindler’s remarks in an essay published on InsideCatholic.com.<ref>http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=6117&Itemid=48</ref> |
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Waldstein said that Schindler’s essay was a “blanket negative statement” that made “sweeping accusations” against a position he did not recognize as West’s. |
Waldstein said that Schindler’s essay was a “blanket negative statement” that made “sweeping accusations” against a position he did not recognize as West’s. |
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Dawn Eden, author of the book “The Thrill of the Chaste,” published her examination of West’s presentation of John Paul II’s teachings in her master's thesis. Eden commends West's speaking and writing skills, but takes issue with some points of theology that West uses in his ministry.<ref>{{cite web | title=Dawn Eden releases free copy of Theology of the Body thesis on CNA | url=http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/dawn-eden-releases-free-copy-of-theology-of-the-body-thesis-on-cna/|date=2010-08-10|accessdate=2010-08-11}}</ref> |
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Justin Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, and Kevin Rhoades, Bishop of Harrisburg, issued a joint statement in support of West's work.<ref>http://www.http://www.tobinstitute.org/images/TOBI%20Letter%20of%20Support.pdf</ref> |
Justin Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, and Kevin Rhoades, Bishop of Harrisburg, issued a joint statement in support of West's work.<ref>http://www.http://www.tobinstitute.org/images/TOBI%20Letter%20of%20Support.pdf</ref> |
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West also [http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/document.php?n=946 responded] to many of the critiques, acknowledging that "so long as we are on earth, we will always have to battle with concupiscence" and conceding "In some of my earliest lectures and tapes, I confess that I did not emphasize this important point clearly enough." However, he continues with the rhetorical question, taken from [[Veritatis Splendor]] 103, "Of which man are we speaking?"<ref>http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/document.php?n=946</ref> and discusses the teaching of John Paul II<ref> TOB 43:6, 45:3, 46:4, 46:6, 47:5, 48:1, 48:4, 49:4, 49:6, 58:7, 86:6-7, 101:3-5, 107:1-3, 128:3, 129:5</ref> that "[Christ] has given us the possibility of realizing the entire truth of our being; he has set our freedom free from the domination of concupiscence."<ref>http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0222/_P9.HTM#4VV</ref> |
West also [http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/document.php?n=946 responded] to many of the critiques, acknowledging that "so long as we are on earth, we will always have to battle with concupiscence" and conceding "In some of my earliest lectures and tapes, I confess that I did not emphasize this important point clearly enough." However, he continues with the rhetorical question, taken from [[Veritatis Splendor]] 103, "Of which man are we speaking?"<ref>http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/document.php?n=946</ref> and discusses the teaching of John Paul II<ref> TOB 43:6, 45:3, 46:4, 46:6, 47:5, 48:1, 48:4, 49:4, 49:6, 58:7, 86:6-7, 101:3-5, 107:1-3, 128:3, 129:5</ref> that "[Christ] has given us the possibility of realizing the entire truth of our being; he has set our freedom free from the domination of concupiscence."<ref>http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0222/_P9.HTM#4VV</ref> |
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Dawn Eden, author of the hit book “The Thrill of the Chaste,” critically examined the popular speaker Christopher West’s presentation of John Paul II’s teachings in her master's thesis "TOWARDS A “CLIMATE OF CHASTITY”: BRINGING CATECHESIS ON THE THEOLOGY OF THE BODY INTO THE HERMENEUTIC OF CONTINUITY." In it, she faulted assertions made by West that the Church’s liturgy “is modeled on the union of spouses,” which West supports by saying the Easter Candle is “truly” intended to be a phallic symbol. Eden countered this by citing documentation from the Consilium—the body of experts charged with revising the liturgy following Vatican II—showing that theologians appointed by the Magisterium had rejected the phallic interpretation of the candle. |
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Furthermore, Eden also asserted that West, in telling engaged couples that they should not marry until they attain a complete victory over lust, forgets that only the sacrament of matrimony can enable a couple to move from the imperfect virtue of continence into the perfect virtue of marital chastity. As a result, Eden claimed, he unwittingly promotes “a semi-Pelagian ideal of human-powered self-control.” |
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Speaking to the Catholic News Agency, Eden said, “I would hope that my thesis would help those who are teaching the Theology of the Body to better discern where there is a need to either correct or augment West's presentation to make it more perfectly faithful to Church teaching.” |
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Eden has faced criticism from supporters of West, some of whom have argued that her observations are unwarranted and divisive. However, the author clarified that her criticism of West's approach is offered in a spirit of “fraternal correction.” “Christopher West has many gifts as a speaker and an author” qualified Eden. “That's undeniable.” |
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"In his talks, Christopher West exudes true Christian joy – that is, the joy that rejoices in the truth – mixed with a lot of what Dr. Alice von Hildebrand has, I think, rightly called enthusiasm." And yet, “if one makes a theological criticism of the presentation of the bringer of this joy, it can unfortunately be taken as an attack on the joy itself,” Eden noted. “And that's unfortunate.” |
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This misunderstanding has led the words of those who are attempting charitable, fraternal correction of West's presentation – such as Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, Dr. Mary Shivanandan and Dr. David Schindler – to be “misconstrued as personal attacks.” In the preface to her thesis, Eden also noted that her work “is not about 'going after' Christopher West, or anyone.” Rather, it “is about examining the work of an enormously popular author and speaker, who has been highly successful in reaching people with certain truths about the faith, and asking what boils down to a simple question: Is this presenter’s account of Catholic teachings entirely truthful, or does it contain, to paraphrase St. Thomas, the 'admixture' of errors?” |
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“This is an important question to ask respectfully with regard to any teacher of the faith who does not possess the charism of infallibility,” she underscored, “especially one who is marketing his presentation with the claim that it faithfully represents a work of the Magisterium.” |
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To view Eden's full thesis, click here: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/DawnEdenThesis.pdf <ref>http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/dawn-eden-releases-free-copy-of-theology-of-the-body-thesis-on-cna/</ref> |
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==Books== |
==Books== |
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Revision as of 14:22, 11 August 2010
Christopher West (born 1969)[1] is a Catholic author and speaker, best known for his work on Pope John Paul II’s series of audience addresses entitled the Theology of the Body.
About
West has been delivering lectures since 1997, mostly on topics such as Christian anthropology, the Creed, morality, sacraments, marriage, sexuality, and family life. He has also spoken on national radio and on television. He is one of the main educators in the Theology of the Body Institute, which offers graduate level courses and other training programs on the Theology of the Body[2].
He and his wife Wendy reside in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (USA)[3], and have five children.
Education
Christopher received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology in 1992 from the University of Maryland. In 1996 he was certified as an Instructor of Marriage Preparation from the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. In 1997, he obtained a Master of Theological Studies at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at The Catholic University of America[4], and became a Certified Catechist by the Archdiocese of Denver Catechetical School.
Commentaries
Theologian David L. Schindler charged that West promotes a “pansexualist tendency” that ties all important human and supernatural activity back to sex without making necessary distinctions.[5]
Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, widow of the late Catholic theologian Dietrich von Hildebrand, has criticized Theology of the Body speaker Christopher West, saying his approach has become too self-assured. She criticized his presentations as irreverent and insensitive to the “tremendous dangers” of concupiscence.[6]
Moral Theologian Dr Janet Smith defended West saying his work is "completely sound" and that she found Schindler's response "puzzling."[7] Smith, in her response to Schindler's critique of West, says that Schindler "provides a list of his objections to West’s theology without citing one text to substantiate his charges...As it stands, I do not find that his concerns correspond with what I have read in West’s work or heard in his lectures."
Theologian Michael Waldstein, who wrote the definitive translation of the Theology of the Body, addressed Schindler’s remarks in an essay published on InsideCatholic.com.[8] Waldstein said that Schindler’s essay was a “blanket negative statement” that made “sweeping accusations” against a position he did not recognize as West’s.
Dawn Eden, author of the book “The Thrill of the Chaste,” published her examination of West’s presentation of John Paul II’s teachings in her master's thesis. Eden commends West's speaking and writing skills, but takes issue with some points of theology that West uses in his ministry.[9]
Justin Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, and Kevin Rhoades, Bishop of Harrisburg, issued a joint statement in support of West's work.[10]
They said,
- "We are convinced that John Paul II's Theology of the Body is a treasure for the Church, indeed a gift of the Holy Spirit for our time. Yet, its scholarly language needs to be 'translated' into more accessible categories if the average person is to benefit from it. To do this is the specific mission of the Theology of the Body Institute, and we believe that Christopher West, the Institute's popular lecturer and spokesman, has been given a particular charism to carry out this mission. With great skill as a presenter, with keen insight as a thinker, and with profound reverence for the mystery of human sexuality, he has been able to reach thousands in our sexually wounded culture with the Gospel of salvation in Christ."
West also responded to many of the critiques, acknowledging that "so long as we are on earth, we will always have to battle with concupiscence" and conceding "In some of my earliest lectures and tapes, I confess that I did not emphasize this important point clearly enough." However, he continues with the rhetorical question, taken from Veritatis Splendor 103, "Of which man are we speaking?"[11] and discusses the teaching of John Paul II[12] that "[Christ] has given us the possibility of realizing the entire truth of our being; he has set our freedom free from the domination of concupiscence."[13]
Books
- (2008) Heaven's Song 2008 ISBN 1934217468
- (2007) The Love that Satisfies 2007 ISBN 1934217131
- (2004) Theology of the Body for Beginners, 2004 ISBN 1932645349
- (2004) Good News About Sex and Marriage 2004 ISBN 0-86716-619-3
- (2003) Theology of the Body Explained : A Commentary on John Paul II's "Gospel of the Body" 2003 ISBN 0-8198-7410-8
References
- ^ "Biographical information for author Christopher West". Google Answers. 2005-03-27. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Theology of the Body Institute"
- ^ About Christopher West
- ^ Christopher West Curriculum Vitae
- ^ Christopher West ‘significantly’ misrepresents JP II’s thought, leading theologian says
- ^ http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/christopher_wests_ideas_on_sexuality_ignore_tremendous_dangers_alice_von_hildebrand_says
- ^ http://www.headlinebistro.com/en/news/janetsmithresponse.html
- ^ http://insidecatholic.com/Joomla/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=6117&Itemid=48
- ^ "Dawn Eden releases free copy of Theology of the Body thesis on CNA". 2010-08-10. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
- ^ http://www.http://www.tobinstitute.org/images/TOBI%20Letter%20of%20Support.pdf
- ^ http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/document.php?n=946
- ^ TOB 43:6, 45:3, 46:4, 46:6, 47:5, 48:1, 48:4, 49:4, 49:6, 58:7, 86:6-7, 101:3-5, 107:1-3, 128:3, 129:5
- ^ http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0222/_P9.HTM#4VV