Westminster: Christopher West speaks on Theology of the Body

Christopher West

Nearly 20 years ago, Christopher West says, he came to the realization that as a victim of materialism, he was missing out on God’s banquet of love. Now an expert on the Theology of the Body, West recently visited Vaughn House to discuss what he believes is at the heart of the New Evangelization. Introduced by Archbishop Nichols to a standing-room only crowd, West highlighted the common misconception that the body and soul are separate entities. He clarified; “human nature is the union of that which is physical and that which is spiritual.”

Beginning in 1979 and for the following five years, Blessed Pope John Paul II started this discussion of sexuality in the Church through his weekly audiences, which later became known as Theology of the Body.

According to Blessed John Paul II: “the body, and only the body, is capable of making visible, the invisible, the spiritual and the divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the mystery hidden since time immemorial in God, and thus to be a sign of it.” He preached: “at the core of the Gospel is the affirmation of the inseparable connection between the person, his life and his bodiliness.”

Throughout his talk, West called attention to the difference between eros (human love) and agape (divine love), with eros being the desire for God – the seeking of something infinite. He asserted that the two must be brought back together for the New Evangelization to succeed.

Christopher West concluded the evening with a short description of the Cor Project, a global outreach program aimed at spreading the New Evangelization. As part of his outreach he offered each attendee a copy of his new book At the Heart of the Gospel for a donation to the Cor Project (available on Amazon)

A noted author and international speaker, West’s other publications include Theology of the Body for Beginners and The Love that Satisfies among others.