An examination of what it means to be human, made in the image and likeness of God, and how that relates to our human bodies. The student explores the development of a theology of the body from the Conciliar, Evangelical and Roman Catholic perspectives, including a critical analysis of Pope John Paul II’s teachings of a theology of the body and how it relates to creation, redemption, resurrection, celibacy, marriage and sexual ethics. Students evaluate contemporary theological perspectives in light of a missional reading of the scripture.
Today’s culture is predominantly known to be all about identity, gender, love, sex, the body, beauty and relationships is desperate for people who are fully equipped to be able to provide answers to these life’s burning questions. This course therefore leads students to consider and understand God’s purpose in creating human, male and female, in His image and likeness and have a better appreciation of the theological understanding of the human person as well as their ability to apply these theological principles to their personal lives and their respective ministries.
This course helps students understand God’s concern for humanity. It opens the door for them to witness the breadth of issues in and scope of theology of the body and how they apply not only to various pastoral issues and the application in ministry of the Theology of the Body, but to other fields or disciplines as well.
This course is based on a Biblical worldview and builds on Biblical themes on the body by answering, among other questions, what is the Judaeo-Christian, biblical understanding of the human body? The human person? Some key selected texts such as John 1:14 – “the Word had become flesh and came to live amongst us”, “our bodies are like a tent” (2 Cor 5:1) and God’s compassion for frail and weak people and the special task God has in mind for them (Isaiah 42:3), are carefully explored.
The course prepares students to become missional advocates of the theology of the body in their respective communities. They understand God’s mission for humankind and are willing to avail themselves as His instruments for change and transformation as they share their personal experience after recognizing God’s humanity and humility.
Principles learned throughout the course are applied to the most pressing issues facing modern culture today. Students are able to apply the various principles of theology of the body into their respective contexts so that they can practically serve their communities thereby meeting the unique needs of the people they have been called to serve.
The knowledge gained through this course helps students to confidently join a global community of men and women who are renewing culture at its roots by learning, living, and sharing their practical understanding of the theology of the body while carefully maintaining the limits and richness of human ethics and culture.
This course gives students a solid understanding of God’s plan for humanity by addressing fundamental and universal questions of life like how can people live their lives in a way that brings happiness and fulfilment and glorifies God, students are enabled and empowered to become “Theology of the Body” resource persons in their own lives and the communities they serve.
Through this course, students are directed and equipped toward further self-study and deepening their understanding of the theology of the body. They are reminded that God the Father sent His Son into the world that we, and united to Him and transformed by Him, might be able to restore to God the same gift of love that He gave to us.
