The Human Person According to John Paul II

282 Pages·2016·4.82 MB·English

by  J. Brian Bransfield

---- THE ----
HUMAN PERSON
ACCORDING TO JOHN PAUL II
J. Brian Bransfield
r!!JII,line
80 KS & ME IA
Bostoll
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bransfield, J. Brian.
The human person: according to John Paul II / J. Brian Bransfield.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-8198-3394-0 (pbk.)
1. John Paul II, Pope, 1920-2005. 2. Theological anthropology--Catholic Church. 3.
Catholic Church--Doctrines. 4. Human body--Religious aspects--Catholic Church. 5.
Sex--Religious aspects--Christianity. 1. Title.
BX1378.5.B762010
233.092--dc22
2010001471
The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible:
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To Mom and Dad,
In Loving Memory
Contents
Foreword ......... .. .. .. ....... . . . .... . .. .. ... ..... .. . ... . .... . . xiii
Acknowledgments ...... . . ... . ....... . . ... . . .... . .. . . .... .. . .. ... xv
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Method ... ..... . . . .. .. ...... . . . ... .. ..... .... . ..... . .. ..... . . . .. 2
Part I
TWO CULTURES CLASH
CHAPTER ONE
The Experiences ofWojtyla /
The Experiences of the Twentieth Century. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
A. Formative Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9
1. Personal Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10
2. Intellectual Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3. Pastoral Experiences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15
CHAPTERTWQ
The Perfect Storm ... . ....... ... .. ... . ... ... ... ... . . . . ........ . .. 17
A. Climate Change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1. The Three Revolutions at the Center of the Storm ....... . . .•..... 20
a. The Industrial Revolution . .................. ............... 20
b. The Sexual Revolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
1) The Effect on Women ........ ... ......... ............. . . 24
2) Cohabitation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3) Divorce. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 27
4) Fatherlessness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 29
c. The Technological Revolution / Mass Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2. Catechesis ................ . ............ .. .... ... , . . . . . . . . . . .. 33
3. The 2008 CARA Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. ... 36
4. The Impact on Identity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 39
B. The Forecast ................ . ............. . ...... ..... .. ...... . 44
1. The New Evangelization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 44
a. Feliciora Evangelizationis Tempora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 44
Part II
THE THEOLOGY OFTHE BODY, ORIGINAL
INNOCENCE, AND ORIGINAL SHAME
CHAPTER THREE
The Beginning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 51
A. The Evolution Debate .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
B. Preamble of Truths About the Identity of the Human Person . . . . . . .. 53
1. Two Creation Accounts ............................. ... .. ..... 53
2. Myth ................ . ............................. ...... . .. 54
3. The First Account ... .... .. . .............. . ............... . ... 56
a. Bara' ........................................... ........ . 57
b. Ex Nihilo: The World Is Not Reducible to the World. . . . . . . . . . . .. 61
c. Dabar .................... . ......... . ............. .. ... .. 66
d Exitus-reditus.. .. ... .. .. . .... . ...... . ......... ........ . .. 68
CHAPTER FOUR
The Theology of the Body and
the Two Creation Accounts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
A. "The Beginning" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
B. Original Innocence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
1. The First Account of Creation ................. . .. ... ........ " 77
a. The Creative Pause of God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 78
b. The Imago Dei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 79
c. Classical Theology and the Imago Dei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . .. 80
d. Capax Dei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . .. 82
2. The Second Account of Creation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 82
a. Original Solitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . .. 83
1) The First Meaning of Original Solitude. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 84
2) Consciousness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
3) Self-awareness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 86
4) Self-determination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 87
5) On the Basis of the Body. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 88
6) Subjectivity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . 89
7) The Second Meaning of Original Solitude. . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . 91
b. Original Unity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
1) The Sleep of Adam / Creation from the Rib . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
2) The Openness ........................ . .... •.........•.. 96
3) Communion of Persons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 97
4) Rehabilitation of the Imago Dei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 98
5) Procreation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . .. 100
6) The Conjugal Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 101
c. Original Nakedness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 103
1) To Share the Vision of the Creator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
2) Sexual Difference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 106
3) Gift. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 109
4) Contraception. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 111
5) Gaudium et Spes 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . .. 113
6) The Body as Part of Imago Dei . ........... ....... .. . . . . .. 113
7) Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
d. Pope John Paul II's Interpretation of Scripture. . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . .. 116
CHAPTER FIVE
Sin and the Effects of Sin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
A. John Paul II on Original Sin: Original Shame ............... . .. . .. 119
B. The Remote Roots of Temptation ......................... ... ... 121
C. The Juncture of Man's Choice ................................ ... 123
1. Seven Steps of Sin: The Ritual of Temptation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 124
a. The First Step: Bypass the Family Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 126
b. The Second Step: The Innocent Little Question. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 127
c. The Third Step: The Lie . ........ .. ..... ... .... .. .... ... . . . . 130
d. The Fourth Step: Fear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
e. The Fifth Step: The Choice and the Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 134
f The Sixth Step: Hiding . ............... . ... . ......... ... .. . 140
g. The Seventh Step: Blame . .... . ... '" . . .. . .... . .. . ... ... .... 142
2. The Effects of Original Sin ............................ . ...... 142
3. Saint Augustine's Notion of Sin: The Wound and the Fever. . . . . . . 145
4. The Desert Fathers ... . ....... . ........... . ........... .. . .. .. 146
a. The Sin of David. ..................... .. .............. ... 147
b. The Network: Seven Deadly Sins . ............... . .... ....... 148
c. Vanity and Pride. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 148
5. An Image of Sin: Needful Things. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
6. The Temptation of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 158
Part III
THE THEOLOGY OF THE BODY,
LIFE ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT
CHAPTER SIX
Renewing the Image ............................... ............. 163
A. Seven Steps of Grace ... . ..... . ............. . ..... . . ....... . , .. 165
1. The First Step: Enter Family Structure .. , . , , . ..... , . . . . . . . . . . .. 165
2. The Second Step: Announcement of the Saving Plan ..... . , . . . .. 166
3. The Third Step: Truth ... ... .. .......... , ....... .. .... ....... 167
4. The Fourth Step: Do Not Be Afraid-Entrust ... , . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 169
5. The Fifth Step: The Choice I Act-Fiat . .. . . ..... . .. . . .... . . . . 169
6. The Sixth Step: The Visitation . .. ... . .... ...... . ........... . " 171
7. The Seventh Step: The Magnificat ... . ..... ...... . .... . .... .... 172
B. The Efficacious Nature of the Self-gift of]esus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
1. The Cry of Abandonment .................... . . ...... .... .... 174
2. The Opened Side ............ .. .... . .... ..................... 175
3. The Prodigal Son ......... . .............. ...... . . . . . . . ' " .... 178
4. The Good Samaritan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 184
C. Saint Augustine .. .. . . . .. . ... ... .. .... . .. . . .. . .... . ..... .. •.... 187
D. The Sacraments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 188
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit,
the Beatitudes, and the Virtues ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 191
A. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 191
1. Saint Gregory the Great . . .... .. ... .. .... ..... ... .. . .. . ....... 194
2. Habitus . .............. . ............... ... .. . ..... .. ...... .. .. 196
B. The Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
1. The Ladder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 206
2. Purity of Heart .... . ..................... ....... . . . ..•....•.. 213
a. Fear of the Lord . .... . ................ . .. .. ....... ... . ... . 214
b. Hope .............. . . . ... . .... . .... ... . . . .. .. ... . .. . . .. . 217
c. Temperance .... . ................ . ... . . . .. . . .. . .. .. .... ... 219
d Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . 221
e. Piety............................... ...... . .. . . . .... . .. . 225
f Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 226
g. Blessed Are the Meek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . .. 227
h. Knowledge..... . .............. .. . . .. ......... .. ... . ... .. 229
i. Faith............................... .. .. . . ..... ... ...... 230
j. Blessed Are Those Who Mourn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 233
k. Courage............ . ........... . ... . . ... . . . ... . ......... 236
l. Fortitude ...... . ..................... .. .. . . .. .. ..... . . . .. 237
m. Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst . .... . . . ......... . . , 237
n. Counsel .............. . . ...... . .... .. . .. ... .... .....•.. _. 239
o. Prudence................. ..... . . . .......... . ......... ... 240
p. BlessedAre the Merciful .. .. ............... . ............ _. . 241
q. Understanding. .. ... ........ .. ......... . ................. 243
r. Faith ................... . , ......... , .... , .. . . , . ... .. . . . . 244
s. Blessed Are the Pure 0/ Heart . ...... ... ... . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 245
t. Wisdom ....... . .. ,..................................... . 247
u. Love .. . . ....... .... .............. ..... ................. 248
v. Blessed Are the Peacemakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 249
Conclusion . .... ... ....................... . ........... . .. . .... .. 251
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253