CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND CONSIDERATIONS

1. Theological Background to Reappraisal of Sexual Morality

2. Our Position

CHAPTER TWO

REAPPRAISAL OF CHASTITY…

1. Relational-Divine Dimension of Sex

1.1. The Divine Dimension of Eros

1.2. Intimate Relationship Between Sexuality and Spirituality

1.3. Sex as a Gift of God

1.4. Spiritual Value of Sexual Love 33 1.5.SexualLoveasAgape

1.6. Spiritual Aspects of Heterosexual Friendship

Sacramental Value of Heterosexual Friendship

Ascetical Aspects of Heterosexual Friendship

Heterosexual Friendship as Remedy against Selfishness

Heterosexual Friendship as Powerful Aid to Prayer

Heterosexual Friendship as Incentive to Fraternal Charity

Heterosexual Friendship as Aid to Celibate Living

1.7. Heterosexual Friendship as God-Experience

1.8. Religious Dimension of Sexual Pleasure

1.9. Nudity and Spirituality

1.10. Beauty and Spirituality

1.11. Sacramentality of Marital Sexuality

1.12. Marital Sex as Spiritual Experience

1.13. Conjugal Intimacy as an Act of Virtue

1.14. Ascetical Aspects of Conjugal Intimacy

1.15. Family Life as Spiritual Adventure

1.16. Divine Dimension of Sex in the Opinion of Authors

1.17. Divine Dimension of Sex from the Viewpoint

of Theological Reasoning

2. Relational-Human Dimension of Sex

3. Reproductive Dimension of Sex

4. Recreational Dimension of Sex

4.1. Pleasure Dimension of Sex

4.2. Theology of Sexual Pleasure

4.2.1. Value of Pleasure in General

Pleasure: A Biblical Perspective

Pleasure, the Perfection of Action

Pleasure, the Servant of Virtue

Other Benefits of Pleasure .

Pleasure and Original Sin

Virtue of Sensibility

Virtuous Enjoyment of Pleasure

4.2.2. Value of Sexual P.leasure

4.2.3. What about the Theology of the Cross?

Jesus and Pleasure

True Meaning of Self-control

True Meaning of Asceticism

True Meaning of “Total Renunciation”

4.2.4. Morality of Sexual Pleasure

4.2.5. An Evaluation of Traditional Understanding of

Chastity as Avoidance of Non-Marital Sexual Pleasure

Not in Agreement with Present-day Official Teaching

Data of Scripture

The Mind of Christ

Opinion of the Churches

Chastity Needs a More Direct Relationship with Charity

Close Relationship between Chastity and Pleasure

Sexual Pleasure Needs a Moral Determinant

Based on a False Notion of Sex and Sexual Pleasure

Non-Marital Sexual Pleasure Need Not Necessarily be Lust

Opinion of Theologians

5. Primacy of Relational-Divine and Relational-Human Dimensions

5.1. Primacy of Relational-Divine Dimension

5.2. Priority of Relational-Human Dimension

Data from the Bible

Data from the Experience of Married People

Married Sex Life is Good in Itself and Does Not

Require Procreative Justification

Sex Is Not Absolutely Necessary for Reproduction

Sterile’Marriages Are Real Marriages

A Series of Marital Acts Is Necessary for Procreation

Not Every Conception Is Procreation

Procreation is Never Automatically Good 204 Possibility of Conception and Inclination to

Union Are Not Parallel

Based on Lack of Knowledge of Sexual Facts

Based on a Defective Heritage of Philosophy

The Signs of the Times

Traditional Teaching Reflects Male Physical Experience

Presence of Inconsistency

Keeping the Two Dimensions Together in Principle

Poets Hardly Speak of Procreation

6. Definition of Chastity

CHAPTER THREE

RENEWED NORMS OF CHASTITY

1. Norm of Prayer Experience

2. Norm of Good Character

3. Norm of Friendship

CONCLUSION
INDEX ENDNOTE