Scott and Kimberly Hahn help you to understand the ancient, live-giving wisdom of the Church's teaching on sex, marriage and children. Learn the biblical foundation for the teaching against contraception.
1. NATURAL LAW AND BIRTH CONTROL
In this tape, Scott Hahn discusses the classical reasons why Christian teachers have opposed contraception based on the "natural law" definitions of what is good for human beings and what leads to their ultimate happiness. Hahn shows how this philosophic tradition, while still legitimate and persuasive, has been complemented in recent years by a more "personalist" understanding of sexuality and the body. This "peronalist" orientation is best exemplified by the teachings of Pope John Paul II, who emphasizes the "mutual selfgiving" of marital love and its full expression in children.
2. MARRIAGE COVENANT AND BIRTH CONTROL
In this tape, Scott Hahn reviews the historical teaching of Christianity, from the earliest days of the church up through and including all the Protestant reformers, against contraception. Although many people today believe that contraception is simply a "Catholic issue", Hahn discovered, in the seminary, that for 400 years every single major Protestant denomination condemned contraception as a sin against God. It was not until the Lambreth Conference of 1930 that the Anglican Church first considered the possibibility that contraception might be a legitimate choice - but only for grave and serious reasons. The revolution in Christian teaching regarding contraception occurred in a few short years - and the results, in terms of abortion, divorce and illegitimate children, are now becoming apparent.
3. THE BIBLE AND BIRTH CONTROL
Declaring that "sex was God's idea", Kimberley Hahn explains in this final tape of the series how an intense study of the Bible helped to focus her mind and heart on what is at stake in the controverary over birth control. By exploring the theme of the covenant that is so central to the thinking of her husband, Kimberly shows how marital, procreative sexuality is an expression of God's covenant with his people, a kind of sacrament. That sacramental sign of the covenant is profaned, she says, by contraception. Kimberly cites passage after passage, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, which show that children are considered a blessing from God to be welcomed with joy--not a curse to be avoided.
