The Virgin Mary and Theology of the Body

Book Overview

Fr. Calloway combines the Theology of the Body and the teachings on the Virgin Mary with essays by renowned scholars from around the world including Msgr. Arthur B. Calkins, STD; Donald DeMarco,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1596141360
• ISBN13: 9781596141360
• Release Date: April 2017
• Publisher: Marian Press
• Length: 284 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

LOVED IT!

I found this book facinating. I love to study Theology of the Body (and infact anything to do with Venerable Pope John Paul II) and to have the Mariology weaved into the this masterpiece of Theology of the Body in such a manner was a real treat! It may not be an easy read but one that would need to be digested and meditated upon. If you love Fr Don Calloways devotion to Mary try Purest of all Lillies and No Turning Back.

Theology of the Body, the Virgin Mary

This book reflects an excellent understanding of the late, great Pope John Paul IIs "Theology of the Body, Man and Woman He Created Them". The two texts belong side-by-side on the bookcase as this one reflects a marian focus. This is a thoughtful text that requires time to reflect upon what is read. Anyone who has become interested in Theology of the Body, The Rosary, The Blessed Mother Mary, all Catholic persons, should buy and really read this book. Excellent.

A good mix of essays

This is an excellent idea for a book. It is one of the first books to take the ideas of John Paul II's Theology of the Body and apply them to another subject (Mary), rather than just trying to explain the content of the Pope's Wednesday audience talks. The book consists of 10 essays about some aspect of Mary, usually having to do with one of the Marian Dogmas, and how it relates to her bodily existence. Since the Catholic Church believes she was without sin, she is seen as an ideal human in all aspects, including her bodily existence. There's lots of interesting stuff here, but not all of the essays are that great. The list of essays and my comments on each are included below. 1. The Virginal Conception and Birth of Jesus Christ as Received and Handed on by the Catholic Church by Msgr. Arthur B. Calkins, STD - Calkins intentionally doesn't try to write much original theology in this essay. Instead, it is mainly a collection of long quotes about the subject in the title of the essay. Disappointing if you were under the assumption this book had mainly original writing, but it's a good essay if you ever need a source for quotes about this topic. 2. Theology of the Body and the Marian Dogmas by Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC - This is one of the two best essays in the book. Calloway is the editor of this book and he takes the Marian dogmas (Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, Mother of God, Assumption) and ties them in to the ideas from the Theology of the Body talks. Good stuff. 3. Mary's Virginity, Theology of the Body, and St. Thomas Aquinas by Fr. Basil B. Cole, OP, STD - References quotes from the writings of Aquinas. Also has some interesting thoughts about St. Joseph's virginity. 4. The Virgin Mary and the Culture of Life by Donald DeMarco PhD - This is the other stand-out essay in the book. DeMarco, co-author of "Architects of the Culture of Death", shows how Mary is the opposite of the traits of the Culture of Death such as contraception and abortion. 5. The Nuptial Meaning of the Body in the Marriage of Mary and Joseph by Gloria Falcao Dodd, STD - How can two married virgins exemplify the nuptial meaning of the body? Dodd addresses this. 6. John Henry Newman's Mariology: A Key to Unlocking John Paul II's Theology of the Body by Fr. Nicholas, STD - Has lots of quotes from Newman about Mary and her dogmas. 7. The Anthropological Significance of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception by Fr. Paul M. Haffner, STD - Traces the development of the Immaculate Conception from the early centuries of Christianity through its definition in 1854. 8. Mary's Bodily Participation in the Redemption of Christ: The Johannine Witness by Kenneth J. Howell, PhD - Concentrates mainly on the passage at the end of the Gospel of John where Jesus is on the cross and he gives Mary to John and vice versa. 9. The Anthropology of Father Kentenich and the Image of Mary by Sr. M. Isabell Naumann, ISSM, STD 10. A Speyrian Theology of the Body by M

Beautifully Excellent Theology

As the editor of this book says, it is incredibly surprising that there are not more (or even any other) books like this one. The writers featured beautifully explain the ways in which Our Blessed Mother reveals the teachings of John Paul the Great's Theology of the Body to us. Because Mary was conceived without original sin, she is the perfect example of the truths about unfallen human nature. For anyone who is interested in John Paul the Great's Theology of the Body, this book is highly recommended.