The Catholic Church on marital intercourse : from St. Paul to Pope John Paul II

The Catholic Church on Marital Intercourse traces the development of the Church's theology of marital sexuality from New Testament times to the present day. The early ecclesial leaders promoted a theology of sexuality based on Stoicism's biological perception that sexual activity was solely for the purpose of reproduction. Only in the early twentieth century did a few theologians begin to move beyond discussing "the purposes of marital intercourse" to discussing the meaning that the marital act might have for the spouses themselves. With the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), a new and positive view of marital sexuality emerged recognizing the Pauline view that the couple's marital acts express their love for each other along the lines of Christ's love for his church (Ephesians 5). In sum, The Catholic Church on Marital Intercourse treats the way in which the Catholic Church has moved away from an attitude of conditional acceptance of marital intercourse on the basis of its utility to recognition that the dynamics of sexual union are both good and holy, not only because that is the way children are conceived, but also because the marital act enhances the love of husband and wife for each other. The Catholic Church On Marital Intercourse Traces The Development Of The Church's Theology Of Marital Sexuality From New Testament Times To The Present Day, Addressing The Way In Which The Catholic Church Has Moved Away From An Attitude Of Conditional Acceptance Of Marital Intercourse On The Basis Of Its Utility To The Recognition That The Dynamics Of Sexual Union Are Both Good And Holy.--book Jacket. Biblical Approaches To Marital Sexuality -- St. Paul's Unwitting Contributions To The Church's Negative Thinking On Marital Intercourse -- Early Church Leaders Defend Marriage Against Gnostic Attacks -- Augustine : The Man Who Carved In Stone The Church's Conditional Acceptance Of Marital Intercourse -- Monks, Theologians, Bishops, And Popes Disparage Marital Intercourse -- The Law Of Clerical Celibacy Embodies The Bias Against Marital Intimacy -- Canon Law Sees Nothing Spiritual In Marital Intimacy -- Marriage Recognized As A Sacrament -- St. Thomas Aquinas : Modifications And Qualifications -- Some Attempts To See Other Values In Marital Intercourse -- The Council Of Trent : Motives For Marrying And Motives For Abstaining From Marital Intercourse -- A New Development : Spousal Affection Related To Love -- Confessing Sins Related To Sexual Activity -- Pope, Bishops, Theologians, And Canon Law Stress Procreation As The Primary Purpose Of Marriage -- A New Vision : Love Related To Marital Intercourse -- The Teaching Of Pope Pius Xi : Bodily Union As The Direct Purpose Of Marital Intercourse -- The Break With St. Augustine : Pope Pius Xii Accepts The Rhythm Method -- The Effects Of Papal Teaching : Frustration And Tears -- The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) Recognized The Value Of Marital Love -- The Postconciliar Work Of The Birth Control Commission And Its Culmination In Humanae Vitae -- Pope John Paul Ii : Old Assertions And New Perceptions -- Conscience And Fidelity To Church Teaching. Robert Obach. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents 6 Preface 8 Acknowledgments 10 Introduction 12 Chapter 01. Biblical Approaches to Marital Sexuality 16 Chapter 02. St. Paul’s Unwitting Contributions to the Church’s Negative Thinking on Marital Intercourse 20 Chapter 03. Early Church Leaders Defend Marriage Against Gnostic Attacks 28 Chapter 04. Augustine: The Man Who Carved in Stone the Church’s Conditional Acceptance of Marital Intercourse 40 Chapter 05. Monks, Theologians, Bishops, and Popes Disparage Marital Intercourse 62 Chapter 06. The Law of Clerical Celibacy Embodies the Bias Against Marital Intimacy 72 Chapter 07. Canon Law Sees Nothing Spiritual in Marital Intimacy 80 Chapter 08. Marriage Recognized as a Sacrament 88 Chapter 09. St. Thomas Aquinas: Modifications and Qualifications 94 Chapter 10. Some Attempts to See Other Values in Marital Intercourse 104 Chapter 11. The Council of Trent: Motives for Marrying and Motives for Abstaining from Marital Intercourse 110 Chapter 12. A New Development: Spousal “Affection” Related to “Love” 116 Chapter 13. Confessing Sins Related to Sexual Activity 124 Chapter 14. Pope, Bishops, Theologians, and Canon Law Stress Procreation as the Primary Purpose of Marriage 130 Chapter 15. A New Vision: Love Related to Marital Intercourse 136 Chapter 16. The Teaching of Pope Pius XI: Procreation or Abstinence 142 Chapter 17. A Rejected Perspective: Bodily Union as the “Direct Purpose” of Marital Intercourse 150 Chapter 18. The Break with St. Augustine: Pope Pius XII Accepts the Rhythm Method 158 Chapter 19. The Effects of Papal Teaching: Frustration and Tears 166 Chapter 20. The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) Recognizes the Value of Marital Love 174 Chapter 21. The Postconciliar Work of the “Birth Control Commission” and Its Culmination in Humanae Vitae 186 Chapter 22. Pope John Paul II: Old Assertions and New Perceptions 200 Chapter 23. Conscience and Fidelity to Church Teaching 216 Epilogue 224 Index 228