UK law is changing. We would like to place cookies on your computer to help us make this website better. We've always done this (it's how websites work!), but the law now says I must ask your permission first. To find out more about the cookies, see the privacy notice.

I accept cookies from this site

UK Registered Charity 1117093
Company Number 5947088

"I jump into a sand pit for a living"

Jonathan Edwards, World record triple-jumper

Aquinas and the Theology of the Body

Return to the book list for this category.

Thomas Petri, The Catholic University Press, 2016. ISBN: 9780813231501

The title of the book is “Aquinas and the Theology of the Body” but the sub-title is “The Thomistic Foundations of John Paul Il’s Anthropology”. While I am much more interested in the former, the content of the book principally addresses the latter.

Having read previously how the works of Aquinas were significant in helping define Catholic attitudes to sport, I was keen to learn more.

After an excellent summary of the influence of Aquinas in chapter one, the book moves into a particular application of Aquinas, as the author puts it: “focusing on Theology of the Body and on Wojtyia’s notion of the spousal meaning of the body as a particularly poignant contribution to that project”.

Further chapters include:

Moral Theology of Karol Wojtyla

Wojtyla’s Ethics of Sexuality

Spousal Meaning of the Body in Theology of the body

Marriage and the Conjugal Act according to Thomas Aquinas

Thus the book is more taken up with the idea that: “The primary end God Instituted for marriage is the procreation and education of children. All other ends are subordinate to primary end” and how Aquinas’ moral theology ethics was challenged substantially in the twentieth century, partly in relation to contraception.

This is all very interesting stuff. I just wish the title has been more clear about the content of the book.



Weekly sports email

Leave your email address if you wish to receive Stuart's weekly sports email: