The spousal meaning of the body in light of John Paul II’s Theology of the Body audiences

Abstract

The main purpose of this work is to comprehend the spousal meaning of the body in light of the Theology of the Body audiences delivered by John Paul II during the first years of his pontificate. As from the three primary cycles of audiences, the spousal meaning of the body is indicated within the beginning, the history and the future of the human person. For such, qualitative research approach has been used in this work through a methodology of bibliographic and data analysis. According to John Paul II, the spousal meaning of the body corresponds to the capacity the human person has of expressing a love that is a total gift of self and able to affirm the person. Such meaning, that has been experienced since the beginning of creation, is not lost with the presence of sin, but is available through the redemption given by Christ upon a life in accordance with the Spirit. Resurrection only will bring this meaning to its fullest.