Men and Women are from Eden by Mary Healy

[annie]

Our ladies fellowship group wanted to study Theology of the Body, but needed a samll, easy-to-use booklet to do it (we are not very academic, so to speak). Has anyone used this book? Any input?

[annie]

bump

[cmotherofpirl]

Get [i]Theology of the body for Beginners[/i]

[annie]

cmotherofpirl-

Our ed director REFUSED to use that book, saying the author (West) is a 'pseudo-scholar' and only 'making money' --she absolutely forbade use of that book. Our compromise was the above book, just wondered if anyone had any experience with it.

[photosynthesis]

that's so strange... what's not to like about Christopher West? From what I've heard about the book, it seems legit, but I've never read it so I can't really tell you.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Christopher West has the endorsement of Archbishop Chaput of Denver...that should be good enough.

He's a very good scholar. Just because he keeps his works simple doesn't make him a pseudo-scholar...a person who can communicate great ideas simply is a genius.

[annie]

I know. She troubles me, though. Very much against what she calls 'Fundamentalist Catholicism'---if she even sees the name 'Jeff Cavins' or anyone from EWTN she freaks.

Hmmm, might be significant that she is an EX nun who (although widowed now) married an EX priest.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='annie' date='Aug 8 2005, 10:32 PM']I know.  She troubles me, though.  Very much against what she calls 'Fundamentalist Catholicism'---if she even sees the name 'Jeff Cavins' or anyone from EWTN she freaks.

Hmmm, might be significant that she is an EX nun who (although widowed now) married an EX priest.
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I highly suggest that you tell her you won't obey and that you'll just study in your group privately outside of whatever authority she may have.

You don't need anyone like that messing with such a beautiful theology as TOTB...if she can twist it around, the moral consequences could be devastating.

Tell her to take a hike...charitably.

Additionally...maybe speak with your chancery.

[photosynthesis]

[quote name='annie' date='Aug 8 2005, 11:32 PM']Hmmm, might be significant that she is an EX nun who (although widowed now) married an EX priest.
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that's so sketchy!!!

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='annie' date='Aug 8 2005, 10:23 PM']cmotherofpirl-

Our       ed director REFUSED to use that book, saying the author (West) is a 'pseudo-scholar' and only 'making money'  --she absolutely forbade use of that book.  Our compromise was the above book, just wondered if anyone had any experience with it.
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Your ed director sounds likes she is a pseudo-catholic, and I certainly would ignor her dislike of an excellent book.

Her dislike of Catholic teaching is a [color=red] flag [/color].
Here is a review from Amazon:
Enlightening Answers to Hard Questions, July 27, 2005
Reviewer: Carol Blank (Columbia, MD, USA) - See all my reviews
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.

Edited August 9, 2005 by cmotherofpirl

[annie]

Thanks for the advice, one and all. Not sure how to go above her--what do you mean a chancery? I, also, have heard nothing but good things about Christopher West. How on earth could she form such an opinion?
It sounds like the review of the book we will be using will be great. Hopefully we can use some outside resources (aka Christopher West's book) to add to it.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='annie' date='Aug 9 2005, 06:16 PM']Thanks for the advice, one and all.  Not sure how to go above her--what do you mean a chancery?  I, also, have heard nothing but good things about Christopher West.  How on earth could she form such an opinion?
It sounds like the review of the book we will be using will be great.  Hopefully we can use some outside resources (aka Christopher West's book) to add to it.
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The Holy Father's Wednesday audiences on Theology of the Body are available at EWTN.com if you want to read them.

[annie]

Thanks, m. o. p. I will use those also. I cannot wait to get into this study. I have had self-image issues since adolesence, and I have one daughter who has fallen to bulemia. I look forward to having this as a resource to pass on to her.

[mariology21]

[quote name='annie' date='Aug 9 2005, 06:16 PM']Thanks for the advice, one and all.  Not sure how to go above her--what do you mean a chancery?  I, also, have heard nothing but good things about Christopher West.  How on earth could she form such an opinion?
It sounds like the review of the book we will be using will be great.  Hopefully we can use some outside resources (aka Christopher West's book) to add to it.
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Have you tried talking to your paster about it? I'd maybe start there.

Chancery is the main office of the Diocese where the Bishop works. You could try writing him a letter or looking to see who the head of the Religious Education office for the Diocese is and writting them a letter.

~Jen

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='annie' date='Aug 9 2005, 06:16 PM']Thanks for the advice, one and all.  Not sure how to go above her--what do you mean a chancery?  I, also, have heard nothing but good things about Christopher West.  How on earth could she form such an opinion?
It sounds like the review of the book we will be using will be great.  Hopefully we can use some outside resources (aka Christopher West's book) to add to it.
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1. A chancery is your bishop's office.
2. Because he's orthodox--and she's not. I would be willing to bet that she holds such ideas as women priests and such.

[skellmeyer]

[quote name='annie' date='Aug 8 2005, 10:23 PM']cmotherofpirl-

Our      ed director REFUSED to use that book, saying the author (West) is a 'pseudo-scholar' and only 'making money'  --she absolutely forbade use of that book.  Our compromise was the above book, just wondered if anyone had any experience with it.
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While the ex-nun who rejected West's book doesn't sound like the best source of judgement on Christopher West, it is definitely the case that a lot of orthodox people don't like him and refuse to go near anything he does.

I've personally attended his talks on several occasions and find that he tends not to be theologically sound in his statements. He did a whole Friday night schtick on pain, for instance, which - to say the least - bore absolutely no correspondence to anything JP II tells us in Salvifici Doloris or anything in the CCC.

I'm sorry, but I'm just not comfortable with a man who will tell a roomful of Catholics that the mortifications of the saints and the doctors of the Church demonstrated their "disordered understanding of the body." That's simply wrong, and dangerously so, but it's typical of the amazing things I've sometimes heard West utter. About 80% of what he says is alright, about 20% is not to be found anywhere in Magisterial teaching.

I can recommend my own book on TOB - Sex and the Sacred City, available through Bridegroom Press. (www.bridegroompress.com). I've also heard Mango is good. Healy is supposed to have good study questions at the end of her chapters. Don't know about the others.

[son_of_angels]

Isn't it so nifty we had a pope smart enough to make scholars fight and squabble?

It, strangely, makes me feel giddy.

John Paul the great, famulus Dei, pray for us!

[Socrates]

[quote name='annie' date='Aug 8 2005, 09:32 PM']I know.  She troubles me, though.  Very much against what she calls 'Fundamentalist Catholicism'---if she even sees the name 'Jeff Cavins' or anyone from EWTN she freaks.

Hmmm, might be significant that she is an EX nun who (although widowed now) married an EX priest.
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Sounds like a complete liberal flake with an ideological axe to grind, and I'd stay away from her teachings or any book she endorses!

[photosynthesis]

Jeff Cavins is coming to Baltimore this weekend to do a Catholic Bible workshop!!! I am going and I am so excited!!!

[Birgitta Noel]

West is most definitely not a pseudo-scholar. No one who can write a 530pg book on these teachings is a pseudo-scholar. Now, that is not to say that he doesn't sometimes speak in error. He's only human. I'd have to hear exactly what he heard though to know whether he was truly in error.

As for his explaination about mortification, there is some truth to that. I know he tries to meet people where they are, and this may be such a case. Or not. I wasn't there.

When we heard him I heard nothing that seemed heretical or off kilter. I do know that some find him to be condescending in his tone. Though I think that's more of a personality issue than a true condesencion. I could be wrong....