Another West Defense

This is just the opening paragraph of an article by Matthew Pinto at Catholic Exchange. Go watch the playground fight here. My emphasis and comments.

Over the past few weeks, I have watched a friend and fellow soldier in the Church get assaulted by his own troops, [HIS OWN TROOPS?] ironically due to his breakthrough appearance on ABC News’ Nightline, the kind of program we in the Catholic media have long been targeting as an instrument for communicating Catholic teaching in general, and Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body (TOB) message in particular. [When you play with bullies, you are going to get beat up. Why try to mess with the mainstream media when you know they won't give you fair treatment?]

As one of his publishers (along with the Daughters of St. Paul and Servant/St. Anthony’s Messenger), I have witnessed firsthand the dynamic impact [mixed results. You have no idea how he has effected their souls.] Christopher West is having on people worldwide, both married and single. Few Catholic authors/evangelists can match his track record of eyes opened to Truth and hearts turned to Christ. [This is debatable and its also unmeasureable. Perhaps though he has led people to think they can erase concupiscience? Hrm?] Fewer still have shown the courage to battle the colossal dragon that is modern society’s dissolute sexual culture, [This is true. We're debating methods not intent.] a beast that threatens to devour the souls in its path, including those of our children.

When Archbishop Sheen [Christopher West is not Archbishop Sheen. Do anyone honestly think Fulton Sheen would have endorsed West's methods? Or would he have been horrified? ] would be told by agitators back in his day that they had left the Faith, he would reportedly reply, “Oh, what was your sin?” Most, undoubtedly, were sexual in nature, for the Church’s message of sexual restraint has never been an easy teaching. [Like the Trinity or the Eucharist or any one of a host of other issues. ] But here Christopher comes forward with an urgent message [urgent? This stuff is as old as time.] of sexual healing and renewal from the very heart of the Church, and he is vilified by certain quarters of the Catholic apostolate. All one can do is marvel. [rofl]

Two more snippets I'd like to comment on:

Each year, more than 55,000 engaged persons in over 40 dioceses are being introduced to the authentic Catholic vision for marriage contained in Christopher’s marriage preparation program. Of the 91% who have entered the program sexually active, more than half of these couples said they will forego ongoing sexual relations until they are married. Nearly a third of these couples state that they will employ “Natural Family Planning” methods once they are married. [If that is the case, that means that approx. 33% of those 55,000 persons had grave moral reasons to practice NFP. Think about that...33% had grave moral reasons, not just simply good reasons, but grave ones. Right? Otherwise they are committing mortal sin by employing the method. Its not for everyone. How many of them merely saw NFP as allowable birth control?] And fully 61% made a deeper commitment to Christ because of the program. [Can't argue with that.] This is powerful evangelization.

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It is a fact that many of the Church’s most exalted figures also encountered their greatest resistance from within Church ranks. [But so did schismatics, heretics, and apostates. Many of them started out on the right track and then got way off base. Some of them accepted correction like Origen and others like Luther or Tertullian didn't. We have to wait and see. I am not contending Christopher West is any of those things but Matthew Pinto brought up the analogy.] A comforting thought for a man carrying very heavy water in the cultural wildfire that threatens us all.

I have to get back to work, but I wanted to draw attention to the article. Both sides are making good points and it comes down to this:

1. Some people think West's work is unchaste and immodest. They agree his intentions are good but the method is damaging.
2. His supporters think those people are well meaning prudes. His fruits speak for themselves.

My own opinion is this: That Christopher West could be a real asset to the Church if he would adopt more prudent and modest methods. You can be dynamic and modest at the same time while still reaching your "target" audience. Is this stuff helping some people?...undeniably so. But is it a proper way to help explain ethics to everyone?...no.

However, I still contend that saying the Theology of the Body's target audience are the sexually hurt and confused is dishonest. They present it to and for everyone and at any time they can. They present the theology as a new way to look at the Trinity and the entire Creed. I also don't think John Paul II thought they were for a limited audience, since the original talks were given during Wednesday audiences.

A response to the critics of West.

This morning I found this article on Pewsitter.com from Headline Bistro. I don't have time to parse the whole thing. But here are a few clips I found that need comment. Full disclosure, I am not an expert on the Theology of the Body or of West's work. But some things are just obvious.

My comments and ephasis.

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Moral Theologian Says Christopher West's Work "Theologically Sound" by Dr. Janet Smith

-clips-

I want to add my voice to those who are enthusiastic about the West/Theology of the Body phenomenon. I think it is important to keep in mind, as Akin does, [Akin pretty much agrees with the critics of the presentations, see his post here. Akin wrote a fair article. This is a name drop.] who West’s audience is. [West presents to everyone, everywhere. Was that him I saw on EWTN? Oh yeah...all Catholics MUST be sexually wounded then.] It is largely the sexually wounded and confused who have been shaped by our promiscuous and licentious culture. [She thinks that means Catholics apparently.] People need to think long and hard about the appropriate pedagogy for that group. [Catholics] Yet, as West himself knows, his approach is not for everyone. [again...] An analogy that pushes the envelope may be "offensive" to one person and may be just the hook that draws another person in. [Talking horny to make people unhorny?] West has adopted a style that appeals to a large segment of that population [horny people]—and even to some who are “pure and innocent.”[making the unhorny horny]

It is not hard to find hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals [sexually wounded and confused! You know, the Catholics!] who will testify that they have come to love Christ and his Church, and better understand and live the Church’s teaching about sex because of the work of Christopher West. Cohabiters separate, contracepters stop contracepting, and men cease looking at pornography—and that is the short list. [No doubt some good has come of it. But what are the long term implications? I know people who have benefited from West's work. One good friend of mine just called a week or so a go with a sterling review of West. Then he went on to explain how he had to put the book down because it became "too much" after a while.] Countless young people are now taking up the study of the Theology of the Body because of West’s work. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” [We have to wait and see.]

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The next part is where she begins to mock the critics of West's presentations. I'm sorry for having to post this but it is important people know. If you can't control your thoughts stop reading now. I am going to just cite one example of her mocking and then leave it be. There is no use dwelling on the subject.

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A friend of mine who was sexually abused often finds it difficult to engage in the marital embrace (trying not to offend!). [Is she mocking the critics? Hrm...] A very orthodox Catholic therapist recommended that her husband pray over her reproductive organs (being delicate here). [I would say so. How irritating.] Since he has been doing that, she has experienced some healing, and her enjoyment of the marital embrace has improved considerably. One has to ask why praying over throats is fine while praying over other parts of the body wrong or silly? [I'll explain that below to the Doctor, who is seeing this as a mere physical thing.] It would be Manichean to suggest that some parts of the body are good (e.g., the throat) while others (e.g., the reproductive organs) are not. [Nobody is suggesting that.]

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First, she is dealing with a very controversial teaching of Christopher West, that couples ought to bless their genitals before they engage in the marital embrace. Then she compares it to blessing throats as if the critics think one part of the body is bad and one is good. That is very naive. The problem with blessing your genitals is that the sex drive is so powerful that once people begin blessing your "parts" before the marital embrace the danger exists that some will begin to associate blessings with sex. Especially the sexually wounded and confused, whom she says the presentations are for. Think about that for a second. Holy water could become an aphrodisiac to some people. It has the power to overtake seeing everything in our religion through the guise of sex. There are triggers that excite the passions due to concupiscience that are not controllable no matter how many of West's presentations you sit through or how many Theology of the Body books you read. It is a problem of association, of occasion of sin. Nobody is saying our reproductive parts are evil. But we need everything in its proper place.

Secondly, and I think this is the most obvious problem with this particular blessing. It's seriously messed up. Let me repeat: Blessing your genitals is messed up.

It. Is. Messed. Up.

MESSED UP.

Update:

LifeSiteNews has gotten in on the controversy with a fair article on the subject.

Alice is right.

I have to say that I have been following today the little dust up regarding Alice von Hildebrand and Christopher West. My impressions are that Alice is correct in her opinions. I have seen Mr. West’s presentation on EWTN and it makes me squirm…until I turn it off. Also from the pulpit and in conversations with priests I have been warned to stay away from the presentations, because they are unchaste.

Stick with the writings of John Paul II if you want to learn about the so-called “Theology of the Body”. The rest is an occasion of sin, frankly.

Here is the article from CNA

Christopher West’s ideas on sexuality ignore ‘tremendous dangers,’ Alice von Hildebrand says

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=15950

A number of the critics to Alice von Hildebrand’s opinion on the matter range from “she doesn’t know what she’s talking about” to “she goes too far.” That is precisely what she hasn’t done. The Catholic sense tells the well formed conscience when to stay away. It is called the virtue of Prudence, and it the chief Cardinal Virtue from which the other ones flow. And honestly she does know what she’s talking about, and can run theological circles around her detractors.

Light of the East Radio coming to EWTN

Word has it that Light of the East radio will be coming to EWTN Radio beginning this September. I have been a subscriber to this podcast for many months now and can tell you I enjoy it greatly.

Fr. Thomas Loya of Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Parish is the host. Most recently, he appeared on EWTN Live with Fr. Mitch Pacwa to talk about the Theology of the Body. John Paul II's Theology of the Body is a topic of great mention on Light of the East. Oftentimes there are entire programs around the issue.

He also takes time to teach western rite Catholics about the riches of the eastern churches. I must say there is much to learn from this program and I highly recommend it. My copy of Theosis, the CD of their choir, is already on the way. :-)


Links:
Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church
JPII - Theology of the Body
EWTN Live