Dawn Eden writes…

I’ve attached a copy of my master’s thesis, Towards a “Climate of Chastity,” a critique of Christopher West’s presentation of the theology of the body. After I mentioned on my blog that I was offering it for free to anyone who works for a parish or diocese, I received so many requests that I decided to make it available as an eBook. The free offer to those who work for the Church still stands, but others may now order it as an eBook from Bridegroom Press by clicking here.

The thesis has become unexpectedly timely. Just after I submitted it to my professor, Christopher West announced on March 30 that he was taking a six-month sabbatical to “attend to family needs, and to reflect more deeply on fraternal and spiritual guidance he has received in order to continue developing his methodology and praxis as it relates to the promulgation of the Theology of the Body.” It is my hope that my work may help catechists in their efforts to find ways to present the TOB in a manner that is faithful, accurate, and accessible.

More information on my thesis is below. If you would like to tell your readers about Towards a “Climate of Chastity,” please let them know that it is available both through Bridegroom Press, and–for priests, seminarians, religious, and parish and diocese employees only–as a freebie from me (by using my contact form).

I’ve only sporadically followed the controversy about Christopher West, mostly because I don’t have a burning personal interest in the Theology of the Body. My own impression is that West means well and certainly intends to serve the Church to the best of his ability–and that there are some real problems with some of his remarks too. Most of his critics, like Dawn, have offered their criticism in equally good faith, so I figure that, as time goes on and iron sharpens iron, so this controversy will get worked out in some productive way. So if you are interested in a reasonable critique of Christopher West’s presentation of TOB, you might want to check it out.