The Theology of the Body According to John Paul II- Human Love in the Divine Plan (Parish Resources) Description:

The Theology of the Body According to John Paul II: Human Love in the Divine Plan (Parish Resources) review:
4 stars (Theology of the Body - ) - Theology of the Body (T.O.B) gives a dynamic vision of the human person. Pope John Paul discusses human sexuality, vocation (marriage, religious life,etc) through the lense of biblical revelation.



PJ II quotes Vatican II in saying that we are the only creatures on earth "that were willed for their own sake" (Lumen Gentium 26). All the other creatures were created for mankind. Humans were commanded to rule the other creatures.



I found T.O.B to be the best exegesis of Genesis. Truly brilliant and amazing. I was so inspired that I am devoting part of my next book on this very topic.



PJ II tells us that Adam and Eve didn't merely want to be equal with God but they sought to usurp their Creator. They were sharing in the love of God and so they weren't inferior to God. However they believed in the word of a creature over that of the Creator and thought they could take God's throne and take His power!



Yes it is a correlation between human sexuality and God. But it is even more than that. It is about the dignity of the Human Person and Psychosomatic Unity of the Human Person. In giving of ourselves so totally we discover who we are. This is what happened with Adam. He was alone and could not identify with the animals until Eve came from His rib (or as the late Pope puts it, his heart - wow!)



Pope John Paull II does not use the word "SEX" as contemporary society does. He uses it to refer to male or female. Personally I think the word "sex" depersonalises a sacred act. Let me explain. The Catholic Church uses the word Conjugal Union. This refers to a union of body and soul and open to the gift or trasmission of life. Ok, so it may be a mouthful, "Conjugal Union" and take a bit to get used to. Let me challenge you to learn it and use it in discussions. Another word used is "Conjugal Love" Doesn't this sound better than making love.

Through Conjugal love the husband gives himself totally body and soul to his wife and his wife gives herself totally body and soul to her husband.



Did you know that through the Eucharist we can receive Conjugal Love. Christ gives himself totally to us, "Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity!" Now this is a really big WOW! This is awesome, inspirational and mind-boggling. Christ unites with us in the Eucharist.



So yes, Conjugal Union is spiritual and so is receiving our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist!



I have a MP3 talk I've given on Theology of the Body which I can send you. It was a brief talk - only 10 minutes + questions given for a "Faith, Revelation and Theology" paper I have just finished studying at our Catholic Theological College. Email me through my website www.godfact.com and I will send the MP3 to you. My next book (my fourth) will feature explaining Theology of the Body for lay people.



I am really happy that more and more people are hearing about Theology of the Body and beginning re discover the richness and power behind the writings of Pope John Paul II. Let's continue to read His works and spread the messages he bestows.



God bless



Brendan Roberts
5 stars (GREAT !) - Buy this book. Awesome, awesome explanation of

how we are trully to love .



Thanks !
5 stars (The fruit of this work has yet to be discovered) - Pope John Paul II has given us one of the best (if not the best) books of modern theology today. This book is a compilation of many weekly addresses the Pope gave in the early 80's. Now compiled into this one work, we can view the absolute genius of the mind of Pope JPII. His insights into humanity, creation, the human person and the body are without equal. In fact, he may be known for this work more than any other when history judges him in the future. He has given the Church new insights into the dignity of the human person, marriage,... and made it challenging to all of us. If you haven't read any of the Pope's writings, I suggest you start with his encyclicals, and study them hard, before jumping into this work. The Theology of the Body has already started several grass-roots evangelism projects and my guess is that we are only starting to see the fruit this book will bear.