THEOLOGY OF THE BODY

INTRODUCTION: Man is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. The loftiness of this supernatural vocation reveals the greatness and the inestimable value of human life even in its temporal phase. Life in time, in fact, is the fundamental condition, the initial stage and an integral part of the entire unified process of human existence. It is a process which, unexpectedly and undeservedly, is enlightened by the promise and renewed by the gift of divine life, which will reach its full realization in eternity. UNDERSTANDING WHOM WE ARE Understanding who we truly are, our freedom, our origin, history and destiny, communion, marriage, love and fruitfulness are the issues Pope John Paul explored in his theology of the body. According to Pope John Paul, Man is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself, he cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself (Gaudium et Spes 24). WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN In the Theology of the Body John Paul II digs deep into the meaning of what it means to be a human person based on Scripture. As a person with a body and soul, made in the image and likeness of God, we find the meaning of life by finding out what it means to be image of God and what our bodies have to do with it. As he said how important it is to live our sexuality in a way which upholds and affirms the other person! Indeed, the true lover will never use another person or treat her as a means to an end. HUMANS ARE NOT SPITITUAL BEINGS Humans are not spiritual beings that are trapped inside physical bodies; According to Pope John Paul, our bodies reveal something of our spirit and something of the spirit of God due to the fact that we are made in the image and likeness of God. In trying to understand the body we go beyond the body as a biological organism but as a theology that reveals how we are made as image of God. In seeking answers to these questions one thinks of what it means to be human and how life can be lived so as to bring pleasure. The different theological understanding to the body are, (1) Human Origin/Pre-historical phase (2) The historical phase, (3) Destiny/Eschatological phase, (3) Virginity/Celibacy phase, (4) Christian marriage and (5) Love & fruitfulness phase (6) Communion of persons THE ORIGINAL UNITY: In the first chapter of Genesis we are told that Adam and Eve (and all of mankind) were created in the image and likeness of God. We are in the image of God not only through the gift of our intellect and free will, through our ability to know and to choose, but also through our ability to possess ourselves and then give ourselves to another person, forming a communion of persons in love, since God who is love is also a communion of persons in the Trinity. /PRE-HISTORICAL PHASE THE HISTORICAL PHASE COMMUNION OF PERSONS

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE LOVE & FRUITFULNESS PHASE VIRGINITY/CELIBACY PHASE

ST. AUGUSTINES VIEW ON SEXUALITY: The Church's attitude and view about sex goes back hundreds of years to the view and contribution of different theologians; one of such theologian is St. Augustine, who had a strong influence on the Church in his day. St. Augustine was a great theologian and scholar who did some tremendous things as it relates to bringing revelation and insight to the Scriptures. His position on sexual matters was rather basic and clear. He believed that sex was sinful. (Can you imagine God saying to Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and multiply," and when they did, He punished them for it?) St. Augustine believed that Adam and Eve's problem in the Garden was because of sex. "He believed that the account of Adam and Eve's sin against God in Genesis 3 uses symbolic language, that the 'forbidden fruit' actually represented sex. He thought Eve conceived and bore children in pain (Genesis 3:16) because sex is sinful, and any kind of sexual activity brings pain. "According to St. Augustine, human beings should ask God's forgiveness for even thinking about sex and should abstain whenever possible. In fact, Augustine said, 'Men and women who want to be righteous in God's sight should live in celibacy; i.e., without sexual contact.' His adherents believed their leaders should live in church monasteries and convents without even conversing with the opposite sex." ** (Lester Sumrall) St. Augustine was a keen theologian, and his ideas were well respected. His understanding of sex became a standard church doctrine, and we are still feeling the effects of his teaching. "In his book on Western sexual morality, C. W. Lloyd says: 'Augustine's writings have probably exerted more influence in the West on love and sexual practice than those of any other man. The clearest expression of the innate evil in sexual passion, even within marriage, is set forth. Augustine's teachings gave theological structure to feelings of guilt and shame in a biological drive. However, the enforcement of the doctrine of sexual guilt was difficult. The struggle was to impose celibacy on the clergy. It was only moderately successful until well into the Middle Ages.' "In other words, Christians had a hard time accepting Augustine's ideas about sex. They weren't certain that God wanted them to live in celibacy. The church struggled to keep its leaders obedient to this rule. In fact, sexual prohibition was one of the first doctrines that Martin Luther and the other Reformers broke away from. Luther left the monastery to marry a nun." ** ( Lester Sumrall ). It is noble and honourable to live a life of celibacy, but to apply a personal conviction to the world is unwise. I do not doubt St. Augustine's love and devotion to God. He tried to put the natural sex drive into the spiritual area. Sex is not spiritual. It is natural. The flesh is natural.

When you get married, it doesn't mean you suddenly become one spirit or one mind. As couples live together and communicate, they can develop a good relationship and become very close, but God's concept is that in the marital relationship the only way you become one is in the flesh.

It seems that the Church as a whole has adopted the basic attitude that sex within itself is evil, so they don't even talk about it. While we remain silent, fornication, adultery, teenage pregnancies and even AIDS continue to affect the Church and the community.