Description

IN PRAISE OF WOMAN
Volume – Six
In the man-woman relationship, there is need for deeper and more personal expression of affection. This volume deals with such rightful love expressions, like kissing, in such relationship. Narrow-minded counsellors may declare that a kiss can have no spiritual value whatsoever. But such approach, undoubtedly, is wholly wrong.
The author unequivocally states that a kiss, far from being a distraction in the spiritual life, can be the perfect completion of a design created by God Himself and intended for fulfilling His plan for man and woman. As such, God not only permits such gestures but also wills them. Viewed in this perspective, if will be easy to recognize that some physical gestures of love are sacred acts and not sins.

DrFelix Podimattam
is one of the best-known moral theologians in India and outside. Besides his full time job as a professor, he finds time to write books at an amazing rate. He has authored 85 books. Besides his Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Mysore, he holds a Licentiate in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and subsequently a Doctorate in Moral Theology from the Alphosian Academy, Rome, His post-doctoral studies were pursued in Washington, DC, U.S.A. At Present he is professor of moral theology at St. Francis Theological College, Kottayam, Kerala.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
PART I.
LOVE-EXPRESSIONS BETWEEN SINGLE FRIENDS
CHAPTER ONE.
PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS
1. Different Grades of Sexual Actuation
2. No Total Genital Sexuality in Single Life
CHAPTER TWO.
TRADITIONAL OPINION
1. Statement of the Traditional Opinion
2. Critique of the Traditional Opinion
CHAPTER THREE.
MODERN OPINION
1. Sex as a Positive Gift
2. Singles Are Sexual Persons
3. Value of Passions
4. Universal Need for Intimacy
5. Invitation to Friendship is Invitation to Intimacy
6. Intimacy as the Culmination of Love
7. Is That of Marriage
the Only Possible System of Sexual Morals?
8 I In Praise Of Woman
8. Meaning of the Sixth Commandment
9. What is Chastity?
10. Essence of Sexual Control
11. Meaning of Continence
12. Theology of Sexual Touch
13. Sexual Pleasure Can Cement Tove
14. Non-Marital Sexual
Pleasure Need Not Necessarily be Lust
15. Moral Aspects of Sexual Pleasure
16. Opinion of Theologians
17. Opinion of the Churches
18. Data of Scripture
19. Mind of Christ
20. Single Petting and Right Reason
21. Single Petting and Person-Centred Morality
22. Under the Shadow of Sin
PART II.
LOVE-EXPRESSIONS BETWEEN
CONSECRATED CELIBATE FRIENDS
CHAPTER FOUR.
TRADITIONAL OPINION
CHAPTER FIVE.
MODERN OPINION
CHAPTER SIX.
PERSONAL OPINION
CHAPTER SEVEN.
ANSWER TO OBJECTIONS
AGAINST PERSONAL OPINION
1. True Asceticism Does not
Consist in Hatred of the Body
2. True Asceticism Does not
Consist in Total Selflessness
3. True Asceticism Does not
Consist in Extreme Ascetical Practices
4. True Asceticism
Does not Consist in Total Denial
5. True Asceticism Does not Consist in the Renunciation of All Pleasure
5.1. Some Thoughts on Pleasure and the Ascetical Life
5.2. Nature of Pleasure
5.3. Value of Pleasure
5.3.1. God of Joy, Pleasure, and Play
5.3.2. Pleasure, the Perfection of Action
5.3.3. Pleasure, the Servant of Virtue
5.3.4.The Divine Dimension of Pleasure
5.3.5.Other Benefits of Pleasure
5.4. Value of Sexual Pleasure
5.4.1.Sexual Pleasure is Highly Valuable
5.4.2.Sexual Pleasure and Original Sin
5.5. Virtue of Sensibility
5.6. Asceticism in the Life of Jesus
5.7. A Proper Understanding of the Theology of the Cross
CHAPTER EIGHT.
PASTORAL REFLECTIONS
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ENDNOTES
INDEX