Christopher West - At the Heart of the Gospel: Reclaiming the Body for the New Evangelization

Christopher West is to be commended for the courage and strength of conviction with which he proclaims, upholds, and defends the spousal vision of the Church, particularly as its articulated in John Paul IIs Theology of the Body. Its with great enthusiasm as his diocesan bishop that I endorse this magnificent book and recommend it to a wide, wide readership.

Most Reverend Joseph P. McFadden
Bishop of Harrisburg
Chairman, USCCB Committee on Catholic Education

Inspiring, compelling, faithful and compassionateAt the Heart of the Gospel invites us to follow in the footsteps of Blessed John Paul II as authentic witnesses of the truth and beauty of the Gospel amid the many challenges of contemporary culture. A must-read for everyone involved in the new evangelization!

Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades
Bishop of Fort WayneSouth Bend
Chairman, USCCB Committee on Laity,
Marriage, Family Life and Youth

Christopher West has gone to the desert and come back stronger than ever. Those who may previously have thought his work was one-sided in its celebration of the body and sexuality will find here, brought out more clearly than ever, the deep balance and integration that has always been the foundation of his work.

Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson
Archbishop of Saint Louis
Chairman, USCCB Committee on Clergy,
Consecrated Life and Vocations

As a former professor of Wests, I may be biased in his favor, but I can honestly say that he has taught me a great deal through this magnificently developed and theologically sound work. His balanced and insightful analyses make it clear that West has immersed himself in the great mystics, Fathers, and doctors of the Church. His treatment of a delicate question of foreplay by married couples is perhaps the finest I have ever read. In short, this is a magnificent theological work that ought to be widely read by all interested in the Theology of the Body and the new evangelization.

William E. May
Emeritus Michael J. McGivney Professor of Moral Theology at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at the Catholic University of America

Wests highly anticipated work At the Heart of the Gospel is in keeping with the man I have come to know and respect since our close collaboration on the new English translation of TOB. In short, this balanced and judicious work demonstrates what I have long understood: West knows John Paul IIs TOB as few others do and he shows great theological skill in presenting, explaining, and upholding the late popes teaching. He grasps its letter with remarkable completeness and is led faithfully by its spirit. He is to be commended for his courage in defending John Paul IIs teaching (and the theological tradition upon which its based) in the face of strong opposition.

Michael Waldstein
Max Seckler Professor of Theology, Ave Maria University

The beatification of Pope John Paul II is more than the Churchs official recognition of his sanctity. John Paul IIs teaching is now bequeathed to the Church in a new waynot only by his authority as Pope, but also by his personal experience of sanctity. Christopher West is an authentic witness to the transformative power of John Paul IIs teaching and this book accurately captures the meaning of his Theology of the Body and its critical importance for the new evangelization.

Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete
Theologian, Author, and Founding Professor of the John Paul II
Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, Washington, D.C.

Why should you read this book? Because Christopher West is the translator of Pope John Paul the Greats Theology of the Body into clear, simple, popular language; and the Theology of the Body is the Churchs answer to the great heresy of our time, the Sexual Revolution; and the Sexual Revolution is the main cause of the corruption and decline of marriage and the family; and the family is the primary key to the health of any civilization; and our civilization is already halfway to Brave New World. At the Heart of the Gospel provides the alternative.

Peter Kreeft
Professor of Philosophy, Boston College

Theology of the Body is John Paul IIs synthesis and analysis of the Churchs theological tradition on what it means to be human. At the Heart of the Gospel is a book that provides an intellectually clear summary, synthesis, analysis, and catechism of John Paul IIs Theology of the Body. As a professor of homiletics I consider this book a guiding light for how to proclaim the gospel to the modern world. It is Christopher Wests Apologia Pro Vita Sua.

Fr. Fred Gaglia
Professor of Homiletics, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, Denver

If complacency in the Church is a sleeping lion, then one can expect many swipes of the paw at the work of Christopher West. At the Heart of the Gospel compellingly demonstrates the truth of the matter: West is bringing fresh grace to both the Church and the wider culture. With the wisdom born of trial and the humble acceptance of his own poverty, West targets our aching need and directs us to healing with surgical precision. His proclamation of the Gospel is joyous, contemporary, and contagious! Onward Christopher, we are listening!

Anne, a lay apostle
Direction for Our Times; Author, Lessons in Love

Good News about Sex and Marriage: Answers to Your Honest Questions about Catholic Teaching (Servant, 2000; revised edition 2006)

Theology of the Body Explained: A Commentary on John Paul IIs Man and Woman He Created Them (Pauline, 2003; revised edition, 2007)

Theology of the Body for Beginners: A Basic Introduction to John Paul IIs Sexual Revolution (Ascension Press, 2004; revised edition, 2009)

The Love that Satisfies: Reflections on Eros and Agape (Ascension Press, 2007)

Heavens Song: Sexual Love as It Was Meant to Be (Ascension Press, 2008)

Copyright 2012 by Christopher West

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Image Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

IMAGE and the Image colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Scripture verses contained herein are taken most often from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1965, 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress cataloging-in-publication data is available upon request.

eISBN: 978-0-307-98712-9

Cover design by Jen OConnor
Cover photography by David Kang

v3.1

To David Savage, Matthew Pinto, and Maria Stumpf,
with deep gratitude for all you have done for me.