Further Reflection On the Church's Teaching on Sexuality

I would like to continue reflecting on the Church's teachings on sexuality. My focus now shifts to John Paul II's Theology of the Body (TB). I am going to focus my attention on the writing of Christopher West. West is a noted Catholic theologian and has spent expansive amount of time studying the TB and is one of the preeminent authors on the subject. As he has spent more and more time researching this great work, he has gained tremendous insight into the meaning of the TB. To call his knowledge extensive would be an understatement. As a result of his insight, West has written a number of articles about the TB.

In one of his articles, entitled "What is the Theology of the Body & Why is it Changing so Many Lives?" West gives us a view into one of the most deep and beautiful things that we have at our disposal. West talks of the approach of the TB, which is to "shift the discussion from legalism ("How far can I go before I break the law?") to liberty ("What's the truth that sets me free to love?")." West hits the collective nail on the head not only for John Paul II's approach to the TB, but also in the way we must approach the Church's teaching on sexuality. The reason we must do so is as West states, because "the often repressive approach of previous generations of Christians (usually silence or, at most, “don’t do it”) is largely responsible for the cultural jettison of the Church’s teaching on sex."

The beauty of the TB that West so wonderfully brings to light is that it reaffirms the Church's teaching on sexuality while also changing the way it is approached. West emphasizes that John Paul reflected on this not only from scripture, but from human experience. The idea is to understand the practicality of this teaching. West goes on to say that "according to John Paul II, God created the body as a “sign” of his own divine mystery. This is why he speaks of the body as a “theology,” a study of God."

It is in this understanding that Christians in general and Catholics in particular get a deeper and greater grasp of the teaching and why it is still valid. But what about those who have not come to believe? We live in a secular culture, which means that we must go beyond the theological, which is something I addressed in my last post about this subject. In fact West himself touches on it and refers to one of the beautiful things about the TB. The TB is something that goes beyond just theology. In bringing in the human experience, John Paul helps understand the authentic meaning of being human and how we can live out our lives in a way that is both happy and fulfilling (this is actually me paraphrasing the article).

West is again correct in stating that society has distorted many people's viewpoints in order that they believe that sex before marriage is liberating. What has come from this and the often overly legalistic approach to sexuality is that people in a secular culture view the Church's sexual teachings as prudish and archaic. The fact is that nothing is further from the truth. Once again the approach is what matters.

As West continues, he sheds light on how the TB brings out the "nuptial meaning of the body." In this West brings to light that one of the central ideas of the TB was to help people understand how our sexuality is an expression of free, total, faithful, and fruitful love. If in sharing that gift we are not doing one of those things, then why are we having sex? The beauty of this is to go beyond just saying that sex is intended to be a reproductive act and not merely one for pleasure. It is to understand the uniqueness of human sexuality itself. That sex is not merely about the pleasure and enjoyment and likewise not only about procreation, but that the very act is full giving of oneself to the other. No other creature on earth has this gift. As West himself will attest, to understand this has enormous transformative power.

The message is one of such enormous beauty and fullness that it is bringing about a revolution. This is the central message of West's article and it is very true. The transformation is slow at first but it is catching. Like fire, it gains momentum. These truths which were being stomped out are now coming back. The body is once again seen as wonderful thing. The beautiful mystery that is the human body is reaffirmed in Christ himself. He gave himself on the cross as an offering of love. He did so freely, totally, and faithfully. In this sense, the marital covenant is taste of what is to come (again paraphrasing West). That in marriage, the offering of self is free, total, and faithful. That it is unique onto itself is something that goes without saying. That this is beyond just ordinary theology is an understatement. It is something beyond the mystic. It is power that has no equal. For more on this article and others by Christopher West, check out, http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0109.html.