Catholic theology of the body
Pope Benedict XVIDeus Caritas Est Chris-
tianity of the past is often criticized as having
been opposed to the body; and it is quite true
that tendencies of this sort have always exis-
ted [1]
In Roman Catholicism, the theology of
the body is based on the premise that the
human body has its origin in God. It will be,
like the body of Jesus, resurrected, trans-
formed and taken
into heavenly glory.
Theological anthropology is based on this
premise. The 1950 dogma of the bodily As-
sumption of the Virgin Mary is the latest dog-
matic manifestation of the Catholic theology
of the body. It states that Mary, who is in
Christian theology Mother of God but also a
human being, "was assumed body and soul
into heavenly glory. Anyone, who should dare
willfully to deny or to call into doubt, has
fallen away completely from the divine and
Catholic Faith". [2]
History
The theology of the body has a long history
and tradition within the Catholic Church.
Early Church fathers wrote on the role of the
body and its relation to the soul, often elevat-
ing soul over body. But like the soul, it is also
created by God in his image. This is import-
ant even today, as the existence of a soul is
the basis for much Church teachings on the
human body, in areas such as abortion. Am-
brose of Milan and Augustine of Hippo ap-
plied these views in their teachings on the
human body, virginity and celibacy. Thomas
Aquinas developed a systematic view, which
dominated Church teachings and ecumenical
councils
including Vatican II. All recent
Popes contributed from different angles to
the theology of the body. Current issues in-
clude the dignity of the body in light of its di-
vine origin and destination, its eventual re-
surrection; virginity, the Christian sacrament
of marriage, and derived issues such as faith-
fulness and contraception. The latest official
Church teaching on the subject was the en-
cyclical Deus Caritas Est (On Christian Love)
from Pope Benedict XVI, promulgated on
Christmas, December 25, 2005.
Chur