John Paul II’s Theology of the Body recapitulates (summarizes) much of what we’ve already read about marriage. What are three dimensions of his thought where you recognize something we’ve already thought about. Where does he differ from a previous incarnation of these themes?

Pope John Paul II’s discussion of Ephesians in Theology of the Body deals with two distinct bodies – that of Christ (in unity with the Church), as well as the body of humans (male and female alike). We have seen this kind of dimension before in the sense that marital relationships take shape in the image of Christ’s marriage to the church. Both distinct bodies are necessary to acknowledge and understand in the sacrament of marriage, so that human spouses understand what their relationship means in the church/the world, as well as for themselves and their personal relationships to God. The distinction between these two bodies, though, somewhat challenges Scheeban’s teachings; Scheeban spoke of the natural love between spouses enhancing to become indistinguishably supernatural, intertwining with the love between Christ and the Church. In this sense, John Paul II’s is not necessarily incorrect, however, it does not acknowledge these two bodies as becoming one through the sacrament of marriage. It differentiates the two so that he does differ from Scheeban’s explanation of marriage’s reality in consecrating the insoluble bond in its oneness.

Furthermore, John Paul II touches on the idea of pietas, describing how subjection to one’s spouse must come out of mutual piety/reverence for Christ, which is what makes the communion between spouses possible. He writes, “…the conjugal relationship which unites husband and wife should help us to understand the love which unites Christ to the Church.” This relates to what we learned in class about Hugh of St. Victor – our discussion focused on how marriage serves as the original sign of Christ and the Church, so that the remedy/restoration of the sacrament is found in its allowance for us to understand that perfect union, and that we may be healed because of it.

Lastly, John Paul II introduces the idea of the moral unity of love. In this, he explains that the “Christian vocation…reflects the love which Christ the Bridegroom gives to the Church his Bride, and which the Church…attempts to return to Christ.” This proves how love unites and “allows [married peoples] to be mutually interpenetrated, spiritually belonging to one another…” Relating back to our lessons on Von Hildebrand, we are once again reminded that marriage is the closest as most intimate of all earthly unions, which involves a necessary willingness of entire self-gift to the spouse. In mutual desire for one another, as well as for a strong relationship with the church, married couples demonstrate how their relationship is founded in and embodies the relationship between Christ and his Bride, the Church.