Theology of the Body

Resurrection of the Body: What Is Actually Taught?

By Adolfo J. Castañeda and Marisa Cantu / January 2, 2024 /
Luca Giordano - Resurrection

Previous articles in this series: What Is the Theology of the Body? Human Dignity and the Conjugal Meaning of the Body The Beginning: The Original Unity of Man and Woman Purity of Heart Next articles in this series: Christian Virginity and Celibacy for the Kingdom of God The Sacrament of Marriage Love and Fertility  …

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The Theology of the Body and the Spiritual Life

By Adolfo J. Castañeda / July 29, 2022 /

In this article we are going to approach the topic of the important role the body plays in our spiritual life. To accomplish this goal, we will treat the following topics: The sacramental life as a foundation for the role of the body in the life of prayer The liturgy of the Church as a…

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The Five Goods of the Conjugal Act

By Adolfo J. Castañeda / June 24, 2022 /

The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that the conjugal act has four goods: “The goods of conjugal love, which for those who are baptized is sanctified by the sacrament of Matrimony, are unity, fidelity, indissolubility, and an openness to the procreation of life” (no. 495). However, if we consider the sign…

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Adultery and the Theology of the Body

By Adolfo J. Castañeda / May 27, 2022 /
The Woman Taken in Adultery by Guercino

The purpose of this article is to show the importance of the theology of the body (TOB) of St. John Paul II in explaining the meaning of adultery and, by implication, the true meaning of marriage. To accomplish this purpose we are going to develop the following subtopics: The failure of the concept of sex…

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Using the Theology of the Body To Teach Chastity to Young Adult Children

By Adolfo J. Castañeda / April 29, 2022 /
parent and young adult talking with coffee

“The Theology of the Body (TOB) is pretty hard to understand for a lay person. How can I use it to have a conversation about human sexuality and chastity with my son or daughter who is already a young adult?” It is evident that the parent-child relationship takes a turn when the son or daughter…

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Using the Theology of the Body to Teach Chastity to Your Teenage Children

By Adolfo J. Castañeda / March 16, 2022 /
statue of pope saint john paul ii

Our world is saturated and infatuated with sex. We see scantily-clad women on billboards and on TV advertisements. We see ads on TV for birth control pills, for IUDs, and for the little blue pill for men. We hear about sex in song lyrics, in jokes on TV, and in the news. It’s no wonder…

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Family and the Theology of the Body

By Susan Ciancio / December 29, 2021 /
happy family in a park

Over the course of 129 general audiences—from September 5, 1979, through November 28, 1984—Pope John Paul II taught about God’s love, our relationship with Him and with others, and God’s desire to watch us grow in love and fullness with Him. This collection of papal addresses is now known as the Theology of the Body.…

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Theology of the Body for Kids

By Susan Ciancio / November 3, 2021 /

Young children are bombarded with “woke” language and ideology earlier and earlier in life. From books that normalize transgenderism to school curriculum that does the same, our world has moved further and further away from a society that values the human body. No longer are our bodies seen as gifts. What are parents to do?…

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Answering Critiques of the Theology of the Body

By Susan Ciancio / September 29, 2021 /
young couple happy

What we know today as the Theology of the Body began as a collection of 129 papal addresses given by Pope John Paul II during his regular Wednesday audiences. He gave these talks over the course of five years—from September 5, 1979, through November 28, 1984. These talks cover many topics, including the true purpose…

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Theology of the Body: FAQ

By Susan Ciancio / September 16, 2021 /
statue of john paul ii in front of a church

From September 5, 1979, through November 28, 1984, in his Wednesday general audiences, Pope John Paul II spoke about the unique and holy love between a man and a woman. This collection of 129 papal addresses was later compiled into the cohesive document we know today as the Theology of the Body. Here we’ve compiled…

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