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At the Heart of the Gospel
Reclaiming the Body for the New Evangelization
By Christopher West
The sexual revolution brought a terribly distorted vision of the body and sex into the mainstream. How should Christians respond? With his illuminating Theology of the Body, Pope John Paul II challenged the modern world not to stop at the surface, but to enter the depth of the "great mystery" that the body and sex reveal: a mystery that lies at the heart of the Gospel itself.
Since he first discovered John Paul II's teaching in 1993, Christopher West has devoted himself to sharing its life-transforming message with the world. In this highly anticipated work, West leads us into the depth of Christ's "nuptial union" with the Church, demonstrating how authentic Catholic teaching on the body and sex saves us from both the libertine perspective of popular culture and the cold puritanism that has sometimes infected Christianity. In the process, West provides a blueprint for reaching our sexually broken world in the "new evangelization."
With penetrating insight into Blessed John Paul II's Theology of the Body and the teachings of Benedict XVI, At the Heart of the Gospel demonstrates how the "great mystery" of human sexuality illuminates the entirety of God's plan for human life and gives us an effective program for reaching the modern world in the new evangelization.
About the Author
Christopher West is a renowned educator, best-selling author, cultural commentator, and popular theologian who specializes in making the dense scholarship of the late Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body accessible to a wide audience. His extensive global lecturing, his numerous books and articles, and his multiple educational programs have sparked an international groundswell of interest in the late pope's teaching across denominational lines.
West has been teaching graduate and undergraduate courses on the Theology of the Body and sexual ethics since the late 1990s, having served on the faculty of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha, and as a visiting professor of the John Paul II Institute in Melbourne Australia. Since 2004 he has served as a research fellow and faculty member of the Theology of the Body Institute near Philadelphia. His courses there continue to draw priests, religious, and lay people form around the globe. He also serves as a visiting faculty member of the Saint Therese Institute of Faith and Mission in Bruno, Saskatchewan, Canada.
West is founder of The Cor Project, a global outreach devoted to cultural renewal through the "new evangelization." Millions have seen him on Fox News, ABC News, MSNBC, EWTN, or heard him on national radio shows. Of all his titles and accomplishments, Christopher is most proud to call himself a devoted husband and father. He lives near Lancaster, Pennsylvania with his wife Wendy and their five children.
Endorsements for At the Heart of the Gospel
The light of the Gospel, which is a clear but at times painful light, can illumine human sexuality to its very depth in order to transform it and bring it to its full beauty. Here lies the great strength of Blessed John Paul II's Theology of the Body. In this peaceful and positive response to critics, Christopher West proves once again that he is a faithful and inspiring interpreter and communicator of this great Pope's teaching, a teaching so urgently needed for an effective proclamation of the Gospel.
Christoph Cardinal Schönborn
Archbishop of Vienna
General Editor, Catechism of the Catholic Church
Grand Chancellor, International Theological Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family
Christopher West is to be commended for the courage and strength of conviction with which he proclaims, upholds, and defends the spousal vision of the Church, particularly as it's articulated in John Paul II's Theology of the Body. It's with great enthusiasm as his diocesan bishop that I endorse this magnificent book and recommend it to a wide, wide readership.
Most Reverend Joseph P. McFadden
Bishop of Harrisburg
Chairman, USCCB Committee on Catholic Education
Inspiring, compelling, faithful and compassionate — At the Heart of the Gospel invites us to follow in the footsteps of Blessed John Paul II as authentic witnesses of the truth and beauty of the Gospel amid the many challenges of contemporary culture. A must read for everyone involved in the new evangelization!
Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Chairman, USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth
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