Table Of Content---- 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:
Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989,1993, Division of Christian Education of the National
Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
We acknowledge and thank those publishers whose material, whether in the public domain
or under copyright protection, has made this work possible. Every effort has been made to
obtain all the proper permissions. But if we have inadvertently not obtained a required
permission, we ask the publisher to contact the editor for proper acknowledgment and
compensation.
Cover design by Rosana Usselmann
Cover art: Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). Study ofH uman Proportion: The Vitruvian Man.
Ca. 1492. Pen and ink drawing. Accademia, Venice, Italy. Cameraphoto Arte, Venice I Art
Resource, NY.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any infor-
mation storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
"P" and PAULINE are registered trademarks of the Daughters of St. Paul.
Copyright © 2010, J. Brian Bransfield
Published by Pauline Books & Media, 50 Saint Pauls Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3491.
Printed in the U.S.A.
www.pauline.org
Pauline Books & Media is the publishing house of the Daughters of St. Paul, an interna-
tional congregation of women religious serving the Church with the communications
media.
123456789 1413121110
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
