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Average Rating:  out of 22 Reviews
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Price: $16.95
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Sale: $11.53
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Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
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UPC (Universal Product Code): 008987044567
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EAN (European Article Number): 9780898704457
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Number of Items: 1
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Binding: Paperback
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Author: Pope John Paul II
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Publisher: Ignatius Press
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Edition: Revised
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Dewey Decimal Number: 241.66
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Publication Date: 1993-04
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Reading Level: 319
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Description: Drawing from his own pastoral experience as a priest and bishop before he became Pope John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla has produced a remarkably eloquent and resourceful defense of Catholic tradition in the sphere of family life and sexual morality. He writes in the conviction that science--biology, psychology, sociology--can provide valuable information on particular aspects of relations between the sexes, but that a full understanding can be obtained only by study of the human person as a whole. Central to his argument is the contrast between the personalistic and the utilitarian views of marriage and of sexual relations. The former views marriage as an interpersonal relationship, in which the well-being and self-realization of each partner are of overriding importance to the other. It is only within this framework that the full purpose of marriage can be realized. The alternative, utilitarian view, according to which a sexual partner is an object for use, holds no possibility of fulfillment and happiness. Wojtyla argues that divorce, artificial methods of birth control, adultery (pre-marital sex), and sexual perversions are all in various ways incompatible with the personalistic view of the sexual self-realization of the human person. Perhaps the most striking feature of the book is that Wojtyla appeals throughout to ordinary, human experience, logically examined. He draws support for his views on the proper gratification of sexual needs, on birth control, and on other matters, from the findings of physiologists and psychologists. His conclusions coincide with the traditional teachings of the Church, which invoke scriptural authority. His approach ensures that non-Christians also can consider his arguments on their own merits.
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Customer Reviews
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Review Summary: Flabbergasted |
Date: 2008-12-20 |
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Details: Being a young man born unto an age rather confused about love, I must say that this book has opened my eyes to something which I can't quite put my finger onto but am certain it has planted a seed inside of me which has begun to fundamentally change my inner being...
I always thought of John Paul II merely as some kind of great spiritual celebrity who routinely visited all the corners of the globe in order to promote world peace, like all social-activists should do. But this book has greatly changed my perception of just who this late JPII was as a person. I would have never imagined JPII to be so intellectually insightful or wise when it comes to man's deepest hunger for -as well as to- love.
I must admit, it was a rather difficult read for a junior in college, and by no means do I claim to understand all the intricacies or hidden truths interwoven between the words of this book, yet, one thing for certain: the more I read, the more I began to understand, and the more I understood, the more I felt the hunger for the truth, which, with each passing page, seemed to nourish the core of me with something I've never tasted before.
Currently I attend a rather prestigious university, and I have grown accustom to listening to finely crafted lectures and carefully planned arguments lead by professors well-respected within their areas of expertise, namely: psychology, sociology, and anthropology. And being a keen listener myself, I always found it disappointing to often hear very contradicting arguments as to why humans care to love, to reproduce, or simply care for one another. There are definitely some great theories out there in academia which attempts to explain the why's to all of this, but when one takes such a theory and tries to look at the big picture, he finds himself with a theory with holes in it; something left missing and terribly wanting. In Love and Responsibility, I found the missing piece which completes the picture of love.
JPII has taken a subject arguably the most difficult to understand, and broken it down into its most essential parts. He then systematically reconstructs it step by step for the reader -chapter by chapter- in an intellectually stimulating and beautifully written manner which builds to a climactic argument and case for love as a divine gift that all men and women are called to share, to nurture, and to cultivate responsibly so as to better understand their own calling and true purpose in life.
I am truly out of words for this book, and I thank God for having blessed the last century with such a profoundly insightful man.
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Review Summary: Very very deep |
Date: 2008-09-19 |
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Details: If you are looking for light reading, or an overview of this topic, you probably want a different book. However, if you want a very deep, intricate analysis of the philosophical foundation for the Catholic Church's view on sex, you will find it here. He is incredibly thorough, and he starts at "the beginning," using philosophy and reason to explain the Church's teachings, not the Church's teachings to explain why you should behave a certain way. Very insightful and helpful to those who are struggling to figure out why the Church says what she says. |
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Review Summary: Love & Responsibility |
Date: 2008-09-07 |
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Details: Outstanding book. Real food for thought. It will still be read and discussed 100 years from now. |
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Review Summary: Great Insight |
Date: 2008-08-27 |
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Details: Great insight into what it means to be human while addressing sexual issues that have never been addressed in this manner before. |
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Review Summary: Speaks the Truth |
Date: 2007-09-24 |
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Details: This book gives an excellent analysis of human dignity and its relation to the beauty of human sexuality as a gift, and from that gift is life. The book gave me an insight on how our culture has exploited our human dignity and sexuality, such as viewing people as "objects" (e.g. pornography); this book speaks the Truth and I love it! I highly recommend this book for anyone who plans to read Theology of the Body, teach Theology of the Body for Teens, as well as teach Theology of the Body in marriage preparation courses or young adults groups. |
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