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Pope St. John Paul II

The Polish pope who served from 1978 to 2005 and authored 'Theology of the Body'.

Theology of the Body

A collection of teachings by Pope St. John Paul II on the meaning of human love, sexuality, and the body.

Sacramentality of the Body

The concept that the body is a visible sign of God’s invisible grace.

Agape

Self-sacrificial, unconditional love reflecting God’s love for humanity.

Eros

Passionate, romantic love that must be purified by agape to avoid selfishness.

Philia

Friendship love characterized by companionship and mutual goodwill.

Storge

Familial love or natural affection, typically seen between parents and children.

Lust

A disordered desire for sexual pleasure, treating another person as an object.

Concupiscence

The tendency to sin that arises from Original Sin.

Fornication

Sexual activity between unmarried persons.

Adultery

Sexual activity where at least one participant is married to someone else.

Pornography

Depiction of sexual acts designed to arouse, reducing individuals to objects.

Contraception

Any act that intentionally blocks the procreative potential of sex.

Masturbation

The misuse of sexuality for self-gratification, isolating it from its purpose.

Original Man

Humanity as created by God, living in harmony before the Fall.

Historical Man

Humanity post-Fall, struggling with sin but having hope through redemption.

Eschatological Man

Humanity in the fulfillment of God’s plan, including the Resurrection of the Body.

Original Sin

The first sin of Adam and Eve that disrupted their unity with God.

Original Innocence

State of purity and absence of lust or selfishness before the Fall.

Original Nakedness

The ability of Adam and Eve to see each other without shame.

Original Solitude

Adam’s realization of being alone, leading to the creation of Eve.

Original Unity

The reflecting unity between Adam and Eve as part of God's design for marriage.

Original Happiness

Joy experienced by Adam and Eve in their perfect union with God.

Shame

Feeling of unease about one's body or actions due to sin.

Spiritualized Body

The human body as a union of physical and spiritual existence, reflecting divine truths.

Glorified Body

The perfected body received at the Resurrection, free from suffering.

Heaven

Eternal union with God, where perfect joy and love are experienced.

Eschaton

The final event in God’s plan including the Resurrection and fulfillment of all things.

Beatific Vision

The direct experience of God in heaven.

Marriage

A sacrament reflecting God’s covenantal love, a lifelong union open to life.

One-Flesh Union

The physical, emotional, and spiritual unity achieved in marriage.

Natural Family Planning (NFP)

A moral method for planning pregnancies respecting natural fertility rhythms.

Unitive Purpose of Sex

To deepen the love and unity of the couple.

Procreative Purpose of Sex

To participate in God's creative work by bringing new life into the world.

Objective Truth

Truth rooted in God and unchanging despite personal opinions.

Freedom

The ability to choose the good, not simply any option.

Abstinence

The choice to refrain from sexual activity as an act of virtue.

Chastity

The virtue of ordering sexual desires in accordance with God's will.

Language of the Body

The body communicates truths about love and self-gift.

Nuptial Meaning of the Body

The body's capacity to express love through self-gift in marriage.

Personalistic Norm

Every person is valuable for who they are, not for what they can do.

Utilitarianism

A philosophy that values people based on their usefulness.

Oxytocin

A hormone promoting bonding and trust, released during childbirth and intimacy.

Same-Sex Attraction

Church teaching that distinguishes between the attraction (not sinful) and homosexual acts.

Homosexual Activity

Sexual acts between individuals of the same sex, contrary to God's design.

Four Marks of Marital Love

1. Free Love must be freely chosen without coercion. 2. Total Love involves a complete gift of self. 3. Faithful Love is exclusive and lifelong. 4. Fruitful Love is open to the creation of new life.