Men And Women Are From Eden: A Study Guide to John Paul II's Theology of the Body [Paperback]

Mary Healy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2005

Maybe you have heard of Pope John Paul II s theology of the body and wondered, vaguely, what it is all about. Maybe you have never heard of it until now and are asking, theology of the what? Maybe you re already familiar with the basics and are ready to incorporate this teaching on sex, love and marriage into your own life.

Whatever your level of understanding, you are probably ready for some good news about sex in a culture littered with the bad news of divorce, adultery, sexually transmitted disease, heartache and loneliness.

This guide is designed to help you appropriate the Pope s astonishing message: true, lasting love that which humanity enjoyed in the beginning, before the Fall is possible here and now. In nine straightforward lessons, Men and Women Are from Eden introduces the reader to the Pope s warm, deeply biblical understanding of God s original plan for men and women, a plan that brings with it healing of mind in regard to sexuality and the body.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dr. Healy offers us a concise and clear summary of the ideas developed at length by John Paul II…. It is an ideal book not only for educators teaching high school and college students, but also for parents. --Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, professor emeritus of philosophy, City University of New York

Men and Women Are from Eden will enable more and more people to discover the infinite riches of an authentic Catholic vision of the human person and human sexuality. --Christopher West, author, Theology of the Body Explained and Theology of the Body for Beginners

Mary Healy has written a very readable, articulate and useful study guide to the Catholic understanding of human sexuality and especially John Paul II's theology of the body. This is a wonderful supplement for Catholic study groups and marriage preparation courses. --Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Denver

Men and Women Are from Eden will enable more and more people to discover the infinite riches of an authentic Catholic vision of the human person and human sexuality. --Christopher West, author, Theology of the Body Explained and Theology of the Body for Beginners

Mary Healy has written a very readable, articulate and useful study guide to the Catholic understanding of human sexuality and especially John Paul II's theology of the body. This is a wonderful supplement for Catholic study groups and marriage preparation courses. --Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Denver

About the Author

DR. MARY HEALY is council chair of Mother of God Community, a lay Catholic community in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and adjunct professor of Scripture at the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College and at Ave Maria University. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, she holds a masters degree in theology from Franciscan University and a doctorate in biblical theology from the Gregorian University in Rome. Dr. Healy is coeditor of Behind the Text: History and Biblical Interpretation and Out of Egypt: Biblical Theology and Biblical Interpretation. She often addresses conferences on Scripture, the theology of the body and renewal in the Spirit.

Product Details

• Paperback: 121 pages
• Publisher: St. Anthony Messenger Press; annotated edition edition (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0867167009
• ISBN-13: 978-0867167009
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Catholicism > Popes
  • #52 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Catholicism > Roman Catholicism

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening Answers to Hard Questions, July 27, 2005

By 

Carol Blank (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Men And Women Are From Eden: A Study Guide to John Paul II's Theology of the Body (Paperback)

Healy, a scripture professor who holds a doctorate in biblical theology, begins with some background on John Paul II's reflections on human love as he counseled married couples as a young priest and bishop. During his first five years as pope, John Paul II presented his reflections on the "theology of the body" in a series of weekly addresses. This series, later collected and published, is the focus of Healy's work, and it is not light reading.

"The pope likes to begin with 'hard sayings' the words of Jesus that many find offensive because they seem too idealistic, too rigorous, and too severe," Healy reports. A basic element of the pope's theology defines body and soul as a unit: we are not souls attached to bodies; we are body persons; the body is the visible expression of the person, the outward sign that reveals the inner person. In that arena, the possibility of viewing the body as an object for our own or another's pleasure vanishes. The creation story reveals the inherent complimentarity of men and women, different bodies within the same nature called to relationship that can produce another human being. John Paul emphasizes the positive implication of this view. Rather than leading to denial of freedom, the theology of the body impels us to voluntarily channel our freedom into the total gift of self to a chosen spouse, and through that person, to God. And these general reflections may be broadened to encompass all persons, regardless of their marital state.

Healy aids readers of this enlightening and informative work with chapter-by-chapter study tools consisting of scripture references, church teaching, key concepts, questions for reflection and discussion, and practical applications.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Perspective, September 27, 2006

By 

Lawrence J. Squires (Munhall, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Men And Women Are From Eden: A Study Guide to John Paul II's Theology of the Body (Paperback)

Mary Healy has an excellent grasp of John Paul ll's "Theology fo the Body," and her book, "Men and Women Are From Eden," is an excellent primer or study guide for anyone interested in tackling "Theology of the Body." This book is an easy read and drives home the creator's purpose for sex, relationships, marriage, and pro-creation form our Creator's perspective. This book should be required for all engaged couples, or married couples confused about the Churches teaching on birth control and divorce.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent discussion guide for John Paul II Theology of the Body, March 8, 2007

By 

C. J. Gore (Paris TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Men And Women Are From Eden: A Study Guide to John Paul II's Theology of the Body (Paperback)

Mary Healy presents the thoughts of John Paul II's Theology of the Body in an understandable beautiful fashion. It is one of the best representations of this great work that I have read or studied.