Love & Responsibility: New Transla

This work remains definitive of the personalistic understanding of sex as a natural capacity to love. The last chapter gives easy to understand guidelines that are helpful without being casuistic. Much of LR is likely too elevated to be useful for most people without a careful reading in a group and/or having access to someone with background in recent Catholic philosophy.This work is not about NFP technology but about living a good life as a sexual person. Too often JPII is read as a justification for a particular "natural" sexual praxis. I would challenge readers to consider rather that the ideal sexual life presented here is rather *based on grace* actively opening a way to union--in which each considers the other first. Grace builds upon nature--to heal, perfect, and elevate it. Without grace, this work will read like just Mt. 5--as another pietistic reason to despair of the greatness of our call to love as God loves.

Not for the casual or pleasure reader. This is a dense work. Perhaps the most accessible, and also very valuable in their own rights, sections are the introductions to the first and second Polish editions included and translated into English for the benefit of the reader. Throughout the book, the actual Polish words used are also mentioned throughout the English text, so that, should the reader be so fortunate as to know their Polish well, they could compare the original Polish word used to the chosen English translation and parse the nuances of those choices.This book is not intended for the novice or unprepared happenstance reader. The main body of the book not only assumes, but requires a maturity in philosophical training to immediately pick up where the author departs from. Every single chapter could occupy an entire three hour class to satisfyingly deconstruct.The purpose for the book is as interesting as its result. Often Catholic sexual ethics, as the author posits in the Introduction to the First Polish Edition, in about the seventh paragraph, is one of an open, and not necessarily healthy, tension between the definitions of love in the Greek "eros" and "agape". While from the Song of Songs, the Church has never REALLY struggled to integrate these two, often it is our own limitedness that reduces to one or the other, holding the two in healthy tension being difficult, requiring effort, which we eschew.The author brings new life and freshness, or at least reminds of the Church's longstanding vigor and healthy teaching of the holy integration of "eros" and "agape" in the bonds of Christian marriage. It is when, outside the bonds of marriage "eros" is sought that problems begin to arise, or to believe that one can be successful, satisfied in "eros", without the life-long commitment of Christian marriage. In Christian marriage, it is in the seeking of "agape" of the beloved that "eros" most fully and most successfully expresses that love, in wholeness, in holiness, in the fullness of both its meanings. The author reminds us.It is hard to imagine, but we realize it does happen, that "eros" does occur without "agape" within the sacrament of Christian marriage. The author reminds us of the perils of this as well.

The book is a great addition for every Christian that wants to know about love, and the responsibility that love has to create in the relation of woman and man, so that in fact they are acting love, purely and perfectly.An idea that the book left me, is that this is an important thing to realize, specially on these times, as we tend to believe that sensuality (mostly by men) or affectivity are the norths for love (or are in fact love, instead of just the subjective profile of love), not knowing that the objective profile of love (which is the one that should guide and correct) is in fact, the affirmation of the value of the person. Which in summary is to give the person the dignity that it deserves. This can only be achieved by virtue (chastity, temperance, self mastery, etc), and virtue can only grow by our spirituality. Only love virtue is truly love.The end of these virtues is not celibacy, it is the ability to love purely, and therefore truly.Love is not a feeling or an instinct it is a decision, as our will needs to decide toward it, as if it doesn't, it decides away from it.Virtue needs to grow as we grow spiritually, and this is, because love only reaches its level objectively, through virtue. Love is a fruit of the Spirit (and remembering that only God is good) and Love is about goodness (love is of God as God is love), therefore virtue has to grow when we grow spiritually, as love in us (goodness in us), should be growing. Virtue is the way to act that goodness.

Timeless reflections on embodiment and human sexuality... love, marriage, and procreation.I've read both English translations now many times, and this new translation (by a man formed in the same intellectual tradition as Wojtyla) captures well and precisely his profound and penetrating thought.The included article (added as an appendix) explaining more clearly the dynamic of self-giving spousal love is a great addition, and clarifies more fully the central concept of the work.

A great philosophical analysis of Love that every human being should at least get a taste of. This is a book for all who wish to discover true sexual ethics that gets past the silliness of the classroom, while thoroughly conveying a Catholic's perspective.

Catholics and even other Christians should read this book to get a fuller understanding of Christian sexual morality. Conversely, those who are quick to criticize, or even attack the Church for its "controversial" stances on the sexual issues of today should first read and digest this material so they actually know what those stances are and where they originate from, before launching what I often find to be uneducated, strawman arguments.

For me it is a difficult read.

Very insightful. Really helps me see relationships from a completely new point of view. I'm discovering how we are deeply rooted in God's love through our relationships

Understanding the difference between Godly love and use has completely changed my life. By reading this book, you will come to understand how truly to love another person, not because of what they do for you but because of who they are in and of themselves, i.e. a human being with dignity, i.e. made in God's image. This is a must-read for everyone.

Awesome read

Excellent philosophical treatment of human sexual love and the dignity of the person.