Commentary on Introduction to Theology of the Body by Chris West from Ascension Press

1. Questions to Ponder 1. Why does Bl. John Paul II begin with this quote from St. Matthew’s Gospel – “For your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:8) 2. What do you understand in the phrase “Christ fully reveals man to himself” to mean? 3. In what primary way did Adam realize that he was “different: from the animals? 4. Bl. John Paul II quotes Vatican II saying, “man cannot fully find himself except through the sincere gift of self.” What do you understand this to mean? 5. Becoming one “flesh” refers to much more than the joining of two bodies. Why? 6. Bl. John Paul II says we not only image God as individuals through our rational soul but also through our bodies. What does this mean? 7. Why were Adam and Eve not ashamed in their nakedness prior to the fall. 8. How did Adam and Eve experience sexual desire prior to the Fall? 9. What does “spousal” mean? What other words could be used to describe the phrase, “Spousal meaning of the body?” (quoted from An introduction to Theology of the Body Leaders: guide, by Christopher West, p. 19 (Ascension Press, West Chester, PA: 2008)

2. Christ points us back to the beginning “For your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:8)

3. The original experience of man before the fall – An integral vision of man Original solitude – Man was not made to live alone; he was made to be a social animal. Original unity – Man and woman are the same nature and they are capable of understanding each other in a way different from all other animals. Original Nakedness – Before the fall man and woman had an integral experience of their emotions and intellect. Their desires were oriented to give themselves truly over to the other This otherness goes to the fundamental nature of man

4. Some fundamental ideas developed by John Paul II Spousal significance of the body The Communio personarum – Man finds himself not so much in his solitude but in the community of persons. Self-Giving – Man fundamentally discovers Himself and the meaning of his self-existence in a sincere gift of Himself to another The language of the body

5. Male and female are made to give themselves to each other.

6. The man and woman were made for each other

7. The very DNA of the man and woman shows this

8. Bl. John Paul developed a richer understanding of the human person

9. The creation of Man

10. Bl. John Paul II recognized the need to develop a better understanding of the human person that recognizes the unique spousal significance of the body. This should recognize that the body images God and not just the soul This forever preserves the unity of the Body and the Soul, the hylomorphic relationship. the connection of sexuality to spirituality in the proper sense

11. His primary purposes were: to overcome some mistaken views of the body coming from the modern world Develop a better anthropology (integral vision of man) to help the modern world understanding the teaching of Humanae Vitae To develop the spousal significance of the body as at the foundation of man as made in the image of God. This part I will develop more as we go along To show how the unitive and the procreative meaning of the body can never be separated

12. We are fundamentally social animals Sin obscured our social nature Golem in his cave from Lord of the Rings

13. “Christ fully reveals man to himself” Michelangelo St. Francis of Assisi being clothed by Bishop

14. He changes who we are She moved from being a Communist for the poor to lover of the poor

15. He changes the way we see created reality, the material world of bodies Jackson Pollack work What is the difference between the sistine chapel and Jackson Pollack’s works?

16. Christ conquers LuciferDepiction of Lucifer by Jackson Pollack

17. The spousal significance of the body open us to the language of the body The body as made in two incarnations, male and female, has language of its own. There is a truth and falsehood to sexuality in as much as one withholds or gives themselves completely over to the other in marriage Idolatry and adultery are linked etymologically and historically showing how true worship of God is imaged through the marital embrace.