Pope's theology of the body has become popular topic for study groups

Published: 2004-03-01

ST. PAUL, Minn. (CNS) -- Every Sunday evening, a group of young adults from Minneapolis and St. Paul gathers in different homes to study what they believe is one of the most revolutionary teachings of our time. They are computer programmers, plumbers, social workers, engineers, theologians -- people from every walk of life. Yet they share a common interest: Pope John Paul II's theology of the body. And this group is not alone. Pockets of young adults who have discovered the pope's teachings on sexuality are suddenly meeting all over the country. Study groups have formed in Denver, Atlanta, New York, Dallas, Baltimore and are in at least 26 states and five countries. The groups are studying a series of 129 talks Pope John Paul gave from 1979 to 1984 focusing on the meaning of the human body, sexuality and marriage in light of biblical revelation. The collection of talks, which has been published in a book titled "The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan," seeks to answer two fundamental questions: What does it mean to be human, and how can human beings find true happiness?

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