Kismet Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 [url="http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/citw.cgi/past-00265"]http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/citw.cgi/past-00265[/url] World Church News - 21 January 2006 First encyclical will speak of erotic love, says Pope POPE BENEDICT said this week that his long-awaited first encyclical would be published on 25 January. In a surprise announcement during Wednesday’s weekly general audience, the Pope said “Deus Caritas Est” (“God is Love”) would be published to coincide with the commemoration of the conversion of St Paul and the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Pope Benedict told pilgrims gathered in the Paul VI Hall that he hoped the encyclical, which is being seen as a keystone of his papacy, would show Christians the proper relationship between erotic love and spiritual love. In the 50-page encyclical, Benedict XVI discusses the relationship between “eros”, or erotic love, and “agape”, the unconditional, spiritual and selfless love as taught by Jesus. Speaking without prepared remarks on Wednesday, the Pope suggested that his first encyclical will warn that in contemporary society erotic love is losing the connection to the self-sacrificing spiritual love proposed by Christianity, resulting in sexual degradation. “There is eros; this gift of love between man and woman which comes from the same font of the Creator’s goodness,” he said. This erotic love can be blended with and transformed into spiritual love, he added, “where two people really love each other and one no longer seeks his or her own joy or delights but seeks above all the good of the other person”. Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, was quoted by American media recently as saying that the encyclical would demonstrate that human love and physical desires were not morally wrong under proper circumstances. The Pope quotes not only from Biblical writings, his predecessors and church teachings, but also from philosophers including René Descartes, Vatican sources said this week. The Pope is believed to have written the entire first part of the encyclical himself at the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo last summer. The second part, which deals with the need for Christians to perform charitable works, was already being prepared by theologians during the final years of John Paul II’s pontificate. According to the Italian news agency Ansa, the encyclical begins with the words of St John’s letter: “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” Pope Benedict told Wednesday’s audience that the publication of the encyclical had been delayed because of problems with its translation. An early draft was reportedly circulated to Vatican departments and a small number of theologians last autumn, resulting in a significant number of suggested changes, including a revision of the conclusion. While he does not expect to write as much as John Paul II, who produced 14 encyclicals, Pope Benedict has said he wants to spread John Paul’s teachings to ensure they are properly understood. Michael Hirst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akalyte Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 This encyclical is so needed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laudate_Dominum Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 I realize that the priesthood is like being married to the Church, and the Pope would be the highest expression of that, but dang.. He's not wasting any time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akalyte Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 [quote name='Laudate_Dominum' date='Jan 21 2006, 01:42 PM']I realize that the priesthood is like being married to the Church, and the Pope would be the highest expression of that, but dang.. He's not wasting any time. [right][snapback]862808[/snapback][/right] [/quote] He sure isnt. I love my Papa.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkwright Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 coming out on my birthday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpea316 Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Ahhh, this is going to be great!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JPII_ILoveYou Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 Good for him! What a great pope we have! I feel blessed, indeed. : : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solve et Coagula Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 Dear Brothers and Sisters, "God is love", what a beautiful message... there is something positive going on... thankyou I wish you all love, wisdom and truth of eternity... lwwb Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photosynthesis Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 [quote name='Solve et Coagula' date='Jan 22 2006, 05:34 PM']Dear Brothers and Sisters, "God is love", what a beautiful message... there is something positive going on... thankyou I wish you all love, wisdom and truth of eternity... lwwb Roger [right][snapback]863443[/snapback][/right] [/quote] you too bro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLAM Dad Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 One more day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamweaver Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Yeah, this encyclical sounds awesome! I'm taking a human sexuality class, and we gotta write a paper. Besides a bunch of crazy psycho-babble topics, one of them is analyzing the 4 greek kinds of love, agape, eros, philia, and one other that I forgot. : Mmmm, analyzing those from a Christian perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Didacus Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Benedict XVI is God's gift to the world! We owe it to ourselves to make the best of it and listen to everything he has to say. Its for our own good! LONG LIVE B16!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paphnutius Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 [quote name='Dreamweaver' date='Jan 24 2006, 08:06 AM']Yeah, this encyclical sounds awesome! I'm taking a human sexuality class, and we gotta write a paper. Besides a bunch of crazy psycho-babble topics, one of them is analyzing the 4 greek kinds of love, agape, eros, philia, and one other that I forgot. : Mmmm, analyzing those from a Christian perspective. [right][snapback]864546[/snapback][/right] [/quote] A good book to read on that is C.S. Lewis' book [u]The Four Loves[/u]. He talks about the different types but calls them: affection, eros, friendship, and caritas or charity. It sounds like affection would be philia, agape be friendship, well eros is eros, and love would be caritas. It is a very good book and I would highly recommend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamweaver Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 [quote name='Paphnutius' date='Jan 24 2006, 09:07 AM']A good book to read on that is C.S. Lewis' book [u]The Four Loves[/u]. He talks about the different types but calls them: affection, eros, friendship, and caritas or charity. It sounds like affection would be philia, agape be friendship, well eros is eros, and love would be caritas. It is a very good book and I would highly recommend it. [right][snapback]864579[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have to see if the library has it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowak.chris Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Anyone else reading it yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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