Theology of the Body in fiction? Yes, it’s a great way to learn! Though only a few TOB terms appear in the story, a large number of John Paul II’s ideas are hidden within the text of this series of novels. These ideas are absorbed as readers identify with characters and subjectively learn from their experiences. In addition, objective teaching is spread throughout the story and its footnotes. The TOB curriculum for each novel enables teachers to ask questions that will help readers see the TOB concepts exemplified in the story. The curriculum notes give the teacher the tools necessary to take the students to a full understanding of JPII’s terminology, if the teacher desires. Students who choose to keep reading about the characters in later books will continue to see the TOB concepts they have learned exemplified in a myriad of ways.
Even the individual reader who overlooks the footnotes will come to see Catholicism through the eyes of John Paul II. The characters have strong subjective personal experiences of God expressed in living according to the Spirit and in many different forms of prayer, including mystical experiences. While moving towards various vocations and practicing chastity, the characters give themselves to God and to neighbor in friendship, romance, and evangelization. This includes very practical examples of self-sacrifice, chastity, ministry to those in need, and helping non-believers to experience God. The characters discuss Scripture, Church documents, the sacraments, various saints, and formal prayers; all these objective truths are presented within the context of a subjective experience of God. The importance of fatherhood (physical, spiritual, and heavenly) is shown from many different angles.
Other TOB topics taught overtly include discernment of vocation, the sacraments as an expression of the spousal love between Christ and the Church, NFP, chastity before and after marriage, honest communication, romantic relationships as a path towards God, healing from past sexual sins, Genesis 1-3, and Ephesians 5. Characters live a healthy balance of body and spirit; some do so with quite a bit of struggle. The spousal analogy is a major theme in the second trilogy. The third trilogy focuses on the Ethos of Redemption, working with God’s saving power to achieve wholeness of spirit, body, and relationships. Pope St. John Paul II’s vision of what it means to be human and to be Christian underlies every page of the entire series. For more details on the TOB in each book, see below. For more information on our TOB curriculum, click here. If you have specific questions, please click here to contact us.
Book I: The Five Questions
The curriculum covers over 75 TOB concepts. Some of the primary themes of the book are romantic love as gift of self, courtship, expecting dignity in dating, vocation as call and gift, gift of self in friendships, original solitude, priesthood and sainthood, spiritual growth, fatherhood, Humanae Vitae, evangelization, eros, chastity, and appropriate touch in courtship.
Book II: Love One Another
Major TOB themes: longing of eros, evangelization, body as relic, fatherhood, prayer and mysticism, healing from past sexual sins, married saints, Ephesians 5, St. John Chrysostom, Genesis 1, John 1, gift of self in service, chastity.
Book III: Two By Two
Major TOB themes: evangelization, discernment of vocation, courtship, “helper fit for him,” fidelity in courtship, Gen 2 & 3, one-flesh union, the spousal meaning of Holy Communion, mystical prayer, fatherhood.
Book IV: Passion
Stations of the Cross, evangelization, ethos and ethics, Ephesians 5, courtship and marriage, waiting for marriage, NFP, motherhood, fatherhood, chastity, divorce, attraction to Beauty, eros, Humanae Vitae.
Book V: On the Battlefield
Evangelization, courtship, dark night of the soul, mystical prayer, spiritual battle, strength of love.
Book VI: The Union
Marriage and celibacy both show Christ’s marriage to Church, evangelization, spousal meaning of marriage and baptism, homosexuality, Stations of the Cross.
Book VII
Puritan/Hedonist tension, work towards sexual healing, freedom, gift of self.
Book VIII
Ethos of Redemption in healing from sexual sin, mysticism, gift of self in suffering, religious life, the Cross as marital love.
Book IX
Ethos of Redemption in healing from past sexual sins, freedom, religious life.
Adventures in the Great Mystery 