Theology of the Body: Understanding Love and Sacraments

Sacrament

A visible sign of an invisible reality.

Actual grace

The divine assistance given by God for specific situations.

Sanctifying grace

The grace that confers a new life to the soul.

Natural faith vs supernatural faith

Natural faith is based on human reason, while supernatural faith is a gift from God.

Principle of non-contradiction

A fundamental principle stating that contradictory statements cannot both be true.

Philosophy vs theology

Philosophy seeks to understand existence through reason, while theology seeks to understand divine revelation.

BVG Theory

A theory stating that a universe that expands must have a beginning.

Fine tuning

The idea that constants in the universe are so exact that they suggest an intelligent creator.

Adequate anthropology

A comprehensive understanding of the human person.

Sacramentality of the body

The belief that the body reveals truths about God.

Original solitude

The experience of man's uniqueness in creation.

Original innocence

The state of humanity before the fall into sin.

Original unity

The state of perfect harmony between man and woman before sin.

Spousal meaning of the body

The understanding that the body is meant for self-giving love.

Agape

Selfless, unconditional love.

Chastity

The virtue that moderates the sexual appetite. the virtue that frees us from the selfishness to use other people, helps to love well and freely.

Virtue

A habitual and firm disposition to do good.

Ethos

The characteristic spirit or attitudes of a community.

Redemption

The action of being saved from sin, error, or evil.

Freedom

The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants.

Objective truth

Truth that is independent of personal feelings or opinions.

Love equals Communion

The idea that love is fundamentally about relationship and connection.

dignity

the inherent and unchanging value of all persons as a direct result of their being created by God in his image and likeness

theology

the study of God; 'faith seeking understanding'

theology of the body

the study of God, the purpose of our existence, and the call to love like God loves, as revealed through our bodies

sacrament

an outward sign by which divine life is dispensed to us; makes an invisible spiritual reality visible

sacramentality of the body

the ability of the body to reveal the person and make God's invisible love visible

lust

a sexual desire that is selfish and apart from God's love; a selfish desire that seeks one's pleasure at the expense of another

love

a decision to 'will the good of another' person; a sincere gift on oneself to others

communion of persons

the union of love between persons who make a gift of themselves to each other

original solitude

humans are the only creatures made in the image and likeness of God

original nakedness

the first experience of Adam and Eve when they were naked without shame; lust did not exist and sexual desire was pure

Original Innocence

the state of Adam and Eve prior to their knowledge of sin, when their minds, hearts, and bodies were perfectly innocent

Naked without Shame

Exists within the context of innocence and pure freedom

Shamelessness

Flaunting the body without inhibitions or conscience

Part from lust

What is left when sex loses its sacredness and mystery

The Spousal Meaning of the Body

the call that God has stamped into our bodies to love as he loves, through a sincere and total gift of self

Effects of Understanding the Spousal Meaning of the Body

led Adam and Eve to original unity: the initial experience of perfect unity between man and woman as they lived in perfect communion with one another and gave themselves to each other through the mutual gift of their bodies

original happiness

the joy that Adam and Eve experienced before the Fall; a result of Adam and Eve's purity of heart which allowed them to understand God's love for them and their ability to love like him

Family of Love

the union between man and woman is a life-giving exchange of love

The Big Lie

the serpent convinced Adam and Eve to believe the lie that God was holding out on them and that following God's laws would bring sadness and unfulfillment

Freedom

the ability to desire and choose the good; accepting and living out the truth of who we are and for what we are created

Free Will

the gift given to us by God that allows us to choose between good and evil; weakened / deprived because of Original Sin

Tob 6 (free, total, faithful fruitful)

as you discover the meaning of your body, you will learn how to express God's love through it. But unless you accept his love, you will be unable to give that love to others.

How is God's love

free: God's love is freely given to us; total: God's love is complete and God gives all of Godself to us; faithful: God never abandons us and never stops loving us; fruitful: God's love brings us life.

Humanae vitae

an important encyclical written by Pope Paul VI on July 25th, 1968, reaffirming Church teaching on sex, marriage and children, and the marital act open to life.