Vol.

01
Issue 06

Theology e-weekly

Tuesday Conference
To make humanity united in worshipping God

Our Heavenly Patron

Dear Fathers & Brothers,

In a brief article such as this, we can only provide a
thumbnail sketch of the actual content of the Pope John Paul's
revolutionary catechesis on Theology of Body. The Pope's
thesis, is sure to revolutionize the way we understand
the human body and sexuality.

At the heart of the new evangelization, at the heart

of building a civilization of love, is marriage and the
family. And at the heart of marriage and the
family is the truth about the body and
sexuality.

Body is the first and foremost sign of the human

Page - 02

beings presence in the visible world.

INTRODUCTION
Theology of body is the
topic of a series of 129
lectures given by Pope

Gift is

John Paul II during his

Wednesday audience in St

basically a

Peters Square and Paul 6th

spiritual

Audience Hall between Sep.

reality, so
union is
also first
and

5,

1979

and

Nov.28,

1984. It was given as a

reflection

on

the

creation of man as
male and female as a

foremost a sexual being, based on

spiritual
the creation account of
reality.

Genesis.
Real Christian marital life is the giving and then
receiving each other as a gift. Their encounter manifests
the holiness of love; through sexual desire the
holiness of body reveals itself, that is why the
sexual love is an expression of mans beauty. The
result of the marital giving and receiving is the union of
persons.

The dignity of man rests in the fact that he is

spiritual entity.

The meaning of body is not just conceptual.

Page - 03

It is the way of living the body.

Body expresses Person

Men and women are embodied persons. The body is not the
attribute of the person, nor is it something inferior to
person. It is something the persons is.

Sexuality
is the
capacity

Body is the means by which two persons enter into love,

union and communion with each other. It is the medium by
which the mutual presence of the souls is brought out.

and the
need of the
person to

enter into
an
intimate
relation.

Christian
essential

part

revelation
of

shows

Gods

nuptiality

plan.

All

as

an

human

relationships are based on the fact that man has

been created to be a gift.

Body and soul were separated as if they

were not interconnected.
Marriage is the lifelong miracle,
The self begetting wonder, daily fresh - Charles Kingsley

Page - 04

Three conditions of Love in relations as

in Trinity
Love is given

Love is received

as Father pours

as Son receives

out himself to

and pours out

Son

himself to father

Love is
generative (as
Holy Spirit)- It is
never turned in on

Human

oneself.

sexuality is
a process
that
manifests

God has revealed himself to human

being through the human body.

Gods love
through

To participate in intercourse means

human

not only to uncover ones body but also

emotions.

ones inner being to another. It is a gift

from God to show humankind the true
meaning of love and life.

Self giving and love are foundation that determines

the shape and character of marital life.

Sexuality of man is an occasion to express

externally the mans interiority as a gift.

Page - 05

Sexuality a Gift of God

Our body
is a well

Moreover science must recognize that it is wrong to

separate body and soul. It is also a fact that traditional theology

set-clock,

has not fully explained the unity of marital

which

fruitfulness. We can no longer hide the great truth

keeps

that the body is a reflection of the soul.

good time;
but if it be
too

love and

Modern science has lost the awareness of the truth that

body is capable not only of producing another

but also it is capable of expressing mutual love.
Fruitfulness and marital love go together.

tampered
with, the

Some interpreted body

alarum

as something that

runs out

makes the soul

before the

uncomfortable. This

hour-

prevented man from

Bishop
Hall

recognizing the dignity

of marital nature of
body.

Marital life involves the solitude, the

companionship and the nakedness described in the
book of Genesis.

Lust limits the nuptial meaning of body.

Page - 06

Love as happiness
Happiness is an essential part of human nature and
man has been created for marital love. It is the expression
of real happiness. In man sexuality is an expression of

The basic
truth
regarding
manwoman
relationship
is that they
have to live
giving
themselves
to each
other.

free and conscious person. It expresses communication

and reflects his person.
Mans sexual desire has it origin in Gods image in him. He

experiences sexuality as part of spirituality, in

state of grace. Only in life filled with Gods grace
will man have the experience of mutual sharing.
Since grace is the participation in Gods inner
life, this is a participation in his holiness.
Love

always

begins

outside the person in

the good of the other.
Betrothed

love

is

something more than

all form of love when
applied to marriage.

Sex cannot be limited

to intercourse, not
even limited to genital
activities. In reality sex
describe a huge range
of activities.

The nuptial significance of the body,

Page - 07

reflects the inner dynamism of Gods own life.

Love as Self Gift

This is the
bone of my
bones and

on the nakedness of the body. The whole being tends

flesh of my

towards another being , his senses , sentiments, intellect ,will

flesh. The
words here

etc.

are few, but

behaviour .

each one is
of great
weight. We
must take
into account
the fact that

The basis of marital love is not bodily desire, not

It is not only the capacity to enjoy and control sexual

Sexuality is not something related only to body, but
something affects the whole person in the depth of his
being where his I is discovered, in his totality , in his way
of thinking, willing deciding etc.

Marriage is the nursery of heaven

- Jeremy Taylor

the first
woman is at
once
accepted as
a fit helper
for him.

Conclusion
Though a long line of theologians appreciate the
theology of body, some have raised a dissenting voice
as, it is an unrealistic view of human sexuality,
arguments trying to show how celibacy and virginity
understood in terms of nuptial meaning of body is
unconvincing, and does not take modern biblical
scholarship into consideration etc.