On the Areopagus - 13 The Basis of our Hope

One of the factors a lot of people speak about as characteristic of many in society today, especially young people, is a pervading sense of hopelessness, a sense that there isn’t much to look forward to and often, sadly, not much to live for. The sense of purpose and of deep inner value is often hard to find. Pessimism and cynicism seem to prevail in many areas of the media. Yet the Christian is called to a life that is extraordinarily different from these things. The First Letter of Peter exhorts the Christian to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 1:15). Christians have received the gift of hope that comes from that most trustworthy and unfailing source - God our Father, revealed through Jesus Christ. Saint Paul in his letter to the Ephesians states firmly that before they came to know Christ they were “without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). Believing in Christ means coming into possession of a great hope.

What is this hope based on? Pious sentiment? Mad daydreams? Self delusion? No. St Paul is clear in his letter to the Thessalonians. He exhorts them not to grieve over the dead as do those without hope: “we believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again, and so believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep with him” (1 Thess 4:14). It is a hope based on the knowledge of the immense love which God has for us and which he revealed in the death of his only-begotten Son on the Cross. The tortured figure of Christ on the Cross, arms outstretched before the world, as it were to gather us all to himself, reveals the depths of his love and of how far God will go in his effort to save each human being. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Pope Benedict explains in his letter on hope, Spe Salvi, that “the dark door of time, of the future, has been thrown open. The one who has hope lives differently; the one who has hope has been granted the gift of a new life.”

This firm hope in the promise of the resurrection occupies a large part of Paul’s thinking. For him the second coming is a glorious occasion. Not only will the bodies of human beings be transformed but all creation will be renewed: “the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). Therefore we are children of the light, the light of the knowledge that Christ has revealed to us in his life, death and resurrection. We have put on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet. All Christians are called to be beacons of hope in a world too often darkened by fear, pessimism and hopelessness. Whatever our place in life, whatever our difficulties or sufferings, each of us is of incalculable value to God. For he has spoken to us through his Son and therefore we are comforted by our sure hope in Christ’s saving power and by the firm knowledge that “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).

On the Areopagus - 12 Neither Jew nor Greek ... a multicultural world

We find ourselves reminded several times in the letters of St Paul (Rm 10:12; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11) that there is no longer Jew or Greek; in other words, the racial distinctions made by the Jewish law no longer have a place in Christianity.

At one level, this could be interpreted as referring only to the Church: it is clear that there were disagreements in the Church of the first century about whether non-Jews who became Christians should be obliged to observe the whole Jewish law – in other words, whether, in order to become a Christian you had first to become a Jew – and it is equally clear that St Paul believes this is not the case: Christ’s sacrifice has fulfilled the old law, doing away with the distinction between Jews and Greeks and uniting all who follow him in his body, the Church. Although we no longer have the same particular question to deal with, St Paul’s teaching reminds us of the truly universal nature of the Church, where people of all nations are called to share together as equals in the heavenly banquet.

At the same time, by noting that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, St Paul is also perhaps reminding us that we are first of all ‘fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God’ (Eph 2:19): whatever national culture we might hold as our own through birth, that Christian culture which encompasses and sanctifies all human cultures and which has become ours through baptism is that to which we most fundamentally belong.

Indeed, looking more closely at these texts from the Pauline epistles, it becomes clear that St Paul is not talking only about the Church: Christ’s sacrifice has changed the whole world. In the renewal of creation which Christ’s death and resurrection effected, there is no longer a privileged path to God for those of a certain race: all are called to share God’s love in Christ. As for the Church, so for the world: on the one hand, it is clear that people of all cultures are called to live together in unity, and to avoid putting up artificial barriers.

On the other hand, the unity to which we are called is precisely unity in Christ, and we must not be afraid to challenge an ideology of multiculturalism which treats religion simply as part of a broader culture: this would imply that in a multicultural society, just as its various constitutive cultures are considered equally valid, so should the various religious beliefs found there be treated. Instead we must insist on the teaching of St Paul that the Gospel of redemption Christ offers is for people of all cultures, for in his new creation ‘there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all’ (Col 3: 11).

On the Areopagus - 11 Just War

The use of arms to settle disputes or further political or economic interests has been a constant throughout human history and the last two thousand years has been no exception. In fact, in recent times the twentieth century has without doubt witnessed to the two single bloodiest conflicts in all human history. Surrounding each conflict and the issue of war in general has been the ongoing debate as to the moral legitimacy of the use of violence to achieve a ‘just solution’ where conflict arises either between states or within them. Within the last decade the commitment of British and American forces to overthrow regimes in Iraq and Afghanistan has kept this topic firmly in the public consciousness and ensured the heated continuation of the debate.

War is perhaps the clearest and most stark reminder of the evil that exists in the world. All of us, as citizens and governments, are obliged, not simply to work for the avoidance of it, but actively for the furtherance of peace in this divided world. Warfare should only be viewed as an act of last resort and should never be an act of hatred or revenge for this is contrary to charity, however, it would be unjust to prevent or impede the right of nations to their own self-defence in grave circumstances and as such there has developed Christian tradition of the ‘just war theory’. Below are outlined the strict conditions identified in §2309 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to evaluate the legitimacy of military defence:

At one and the same time

• the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
• all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
• there must be serious prospects of success;
• the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.

The application of these criteria will never be simple but it does at least give a rigorous framework with which to evaluate the moral legitimacy of armed conflict and to hold those who are in the relevant positions of authority to account. Those who hold such positions have a grave responsibility toward the common good and as St Paul also reminds us we have our responsibilities toward civil authority, though his language is typically forceful. “It is not for nothing that the symbol of authority is the sword: it is there to serve God, too, as his avenger, to bring retribution to wrongdoers” (Romans 13:4).

The criteria mentioned above are for what is called ius ad bellum, moral justification for going to war. There is also ius in bello, principles that guide behaviour in the prosecution of a war. Many of these principles are incorporated now in agreed international conventions about the treatment of prisoners of war, respect for the distinction between combatants and non-combatants, and so on. Increasingly people speak also of ius post bellum, just consideration of peoples and countries vanguished in war. (The occupation of Iraq, for example, was easily done but planning for post-bellum Iraq seems to have been practically non-existent.)

Above all we must pray for peace and for those who carry its responsibility for us. We must also look forward in hope to the coming of our Saviour when all such evil will be swept away for good and violence will be no more. I leave you with this thoughtful and hopeful passage from Gaudium et Spes §78:

Insofar as men are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so
continue until Christ comes again; but insofar as they can vanquish sin by
coming together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished and these words
will be fulfilled: "they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their
spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore (Isaiah 2:4).

The photograph above shows the 'swords into ploughshares' statue outside the United Nations building in New York City.

Areopagus - 10 St Paul on Women

Nowadays the popular view of St Paul with regard to women is not a particularly favourable one. I think for many Christians St Paul can cause confusion and misunderstanding in his attitude towards women in the primitive church. His record is very much a mixed one. In 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, for example, Paul says that women ought to be silent in church, not being permitted to speak, but should instead be subordinate as the law requires. In fact Paul says it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Paul often reminds the faithful that they are no longer subject to the law, but freed by Christ, so why this reaffirming of the law with regard to women in church? In this particular section of the epistle Paul was dealing with orderly worship, setting limits on the use of tongues and prophecy, in order to ensure orderly, organised worship. Now why this ought to include women remaining silent in worship is not made clear by Paul.

Is this all St Paul says in regard to women? Does he attach importance to gender for the Christian community? In Galatians 3:24-29, St Paul speaks of the equality there is for those who are baptized into Christ. He says “Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus we are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves in Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise”. In this passage St Paul acknowledges the equality there is among the children of God, adopted through Christ. All are one, all are equally recipients of the promises God has made to Abraham. Paul certainly doesn’t see gender as a cause of division or as a cause of a distinction in the sight of God.

I will focus on two of the many women St Paul mentions by name in his letters, Prisca (sometimes Priscilla) and Junia. Prisca is mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Romans, along with her husband Aquila. In Romans 16:3-4 he refers to them as co-workers in Christ, who had risked their necks for Paul’s life. He sees them as his equals, fellow co-workers, in their role as leaders of a house church. As such, they were both protectors of the church and indeed protectors of Paul while he was with them. It is interesting that he calls both Prisca and Aquila his co-workers, he treats them both equally. He does not say Aquila my co-worker and Prisca his wife but calls them both co-workers.

A second woman mentioned by name in Paul’s letters is Junia. Towards the end of Romans, Paul mentions five women, of which Junia is one. He describes her and Andronicus as “my relatives and my fellow prisoners; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before me” (16:7). He refers to these two as apostles, people who carried the message of the risen Christ to others. This is certainly evidence of Paul expressing the equality of all believers in Christ. This is not the writing of a misogynist. In his commentary on Romans, Chrysostom says of Junia “[T]o be an apostle is something great. But to be outstanding among the apostles—just think what a wonderful song of praise that is! They were outstanding on the basis of their works and virtuous actions. Indeed, how great the wisdom of this woman must have been that she was even deemed worthy of the title apostle.”

This article was written by Br Denis Murphy OP

On the Areopagus - 9 Capital Punishment

At one level, we might think that the Church's attitude to capital punishment is simple. If we invoke the fifth commandment - you shall not kill - then surely there we have the answer. But at the heart of much of the Church's teaching is the good of society at large, and if we take this into account, then we start to understand that this has not always been a simple issue. Punishment for crime in Church teaching has two purposes. The first reason to punish a criminal is to defend public order, to protect the public. If someone kills a person, this is a grave sin indeed, and Christian teaching on forgiveness does not mean that we need to forget and do nothing further. This would be to trivialise what has been done. The result of not punishing crime would be an anarchic society which would not allow the good to flourish. It would also be a failure to recognise that people who commit serious sins have presented, and possibly still present, a risk to society at large, a risk that needs to be managed for the sake of society and the criminal.

Christian teaching also holds that punishment such as imprisonment has an important role in repentance and conversion. Taking an offender out of society by imprisonment allows for a period of reflection on the crime committed, and this gives an opportunity for correction and personal development, which we hope might lead to the offender leading a better life after release. The prison in which I work has the motto: 'unlocking potential, releasing success'. But some crimes are very serious indeed, and the consequences of releasing a dangerous person back into the community might be disastrous. In such cases, states often decide that the death penalty is not only a fitting punishment for the crime, but also has a role in public protection.

The Church allows for the fact that there might be circumstances where there is the need to execute an offender, but, as Evangelium Vitae says, such cases are 'very rare, if not practically non-existent'. In other words, in modern society, where building facilities to house prisoners safely and securely is possible, it is difficult to see how the death penalty can be justified. Using imprisonment, even for life, is more conducive to the common good, since it is possible to provide help and support for offenders, especially in coming to terms with their crimes. It provides time for them to seek God's mercy, and also provides some sort of community with other offenders, in which they can learn to love God and love their neighbour better. To execute a person is to deny them the chance for salvation, something which as Christians we should not wish to deny anyone, however serious their crimes.

On the Areopagus - 8 Bioethics

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Gen 1:27)

The importance of this verse from the first creation account for Christian theology, philosophy and ethics cannot be overestimated. The statement that man is created “in the image of God” gives him an inestimable value and a dignity which is unique among all creation. Human life is sacred and its integrity must be defended. But this human dignity is threatened in many ways – not least by man himself: in general, through sin and, in particular, when man turns man into a mere object of his scientific research: when he begins to play God. It is the sin of Adam and Eve that they wanted to “be like God” (Gen 3:5). But although their eyes were opened after eating of the tree of knowledge they do not have God’s knowledge of good and evil. Over the ages until now, man has acquired a knowledge that makes him able, as it were, to assume the role of God. But – like Adam and Eve – he has not perceived what is good and what is evil either.

Christian moral theology tries to consider the questions which concern the dignity of man. It is therefore not surprising that the Vatican’s latest document on bioethical questions bears the title Dignitas Personae, the dignity of the person. People may ask whether the Church actually has the competence and the authority to talk about such questions. It is doubtless not the most central focus of her interest and theological methods are very different from those of natural science. But I think it is necessary to offer a rational theological and philosophical commentary on man’s interference in human life and to give a moral evaluation of it. This includes a whole variety of topics which present many ethical questions: contraception, in vitro fertilisation, abortion, hybrid and chimera embryos, brain death, euthanasia, etc.

The matter is very complex and the Instruction Dignitas Personae shows that the authors have sought advice from scientists and doctors. To a certain extent, these considerations seem to concern only experts. But the recurrent theme is the dignity of the person and their integrity from the moment of conception to natural death, and this is an issue for everybody. We all live in a society where we can take part in the shaping of public opinion. And when we look, for example, at the situation in Britain, it is incredibly important to do so. Human life in this country is in a very difficult situation. Statistically, the most dangerous place for an unborn child is in the mother’s womb. And British legislation is one of the most hostile in Europe with respect to human dignity. Do we really want to live in a society where the weak, the disabled, the sick, and the old are seen to be better off dead? Do we seek a culture of life or a culture of death?

Now is the time to decide whether we should be allowed to do everything we are capable of; whether a good end justifies bad means; and whether we can go on interfering in God’s plan for our world by usurping his role and playing dice with matters of life and death. It is up to us to raise our voice for human dignity.

On the Areopagus - 7 The Economic Situation

“For the form of this world is passing away”, so says St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:31.  Paul was referring, of course, to the end of this present world at the second coming, which he thought would soon happen.  However, according to some financial analysts, this could equally apply to the present economic crisis that has rapidly developed into a recession.  Some economists have gone so far as to say that the present economic woes we are experiencing are in fact the birth pains of the transition to a whole new economic model.  Previous changes in the way in which the global economy functions have resulted in times of economic hardship as entrepreneurs, banks, economists and governments struggle to come to terms with a changed economic landscape where the old methods are no longer effective.  Whilst it may be possible to lay the blame for the collapse of many banks at the feet of those who recklessly offered vast amounts of credit to those they knew could not afford to pay it back, this may in fact have simply been the trigger that was needed to set off this chain of events.  Perhaps something else, not caused by such wanton disregard for the well-being of others, would have had the same effect.  Perhaps in retrospect we could have seen it coming, if we remember all the offers for easy credit we used to receive, all the adverts on TV about debt services, it should have been clear that this credit free-for-all was never going to last for ever.  People had been living on money they did not in fact have and will now have to adjust to the reality of their actual financial situation.  As always, it is those who have the least who suffer the most: let us be sure to keep them in our prayers.   

What is both fascinating and terrifying to note is the fragility of the social stability of liberal democracy.  Since mutual respect and tolerance of others, in our society, is not founded on love of neighbour but on indifference to those around us, a decrease in prosperity can so easily harm the relations of people who live not in communities, but as isolated individuals.  This has been seen in Britain recently with the protests over Italian workers being brought in by Total oil refinery.  Whilst one can of course sympathise with those who are struggling to make ends meet in difficult times, it is crucial to remember that the world has become far smaller than ever before.  We live in a globalised world where the prosperity of Britain depends, indeed has been achieved by, our openness to foreign enterprise and foreign workers, enabling a much higher degree of efficiency and productivity than would be possible if Britain were to close herself off.  It has been demonstrated beyond doubt that the Great Depression of the 1930s was worsened by the protectionist measures of those who thought they could improve the situation by raising barriers to international trade.  In our own times, this would not only be disastrous for our economy but would also contradict the scriptural command to welcome the stranger found in our Jewish heritage in Leviticus “The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” (Lev. 19:34) and in the words of Our Lord “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matt. 25:35).  People coming from many nations, particularly in recent times from former Soviet-dominated countries, have contributed hugely to the prosperity of this country and it would be not only massively ungrateful, but also deeply unjust, to make them feel unwelcome now that times are harder.  Let us pray that throughout the continuing economic difficulties, the love of Christ as shown in St. Paul, who became all things to all men, will triumph over greed, selfishness and xenophobia.      

On the Areopagus - 6 Spiritual Powers

Human beings are unique in the animal kingdom. Unlike other animals, it is not enough for us to simply cater for our bodily needs; we are always seeking something more. Our desire is infinite; we have a deep spiritual hunger. In Jesus Christ we receive all the spiritual nourishment that we need. Christ calls all people to Himself. "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me. Let anyone who believes in me come and drink" (Jn 7.37). Sadly, many people search for this spiritual fulfillment outside the Church. One only has to look on the internet to realize the level of interest in subjects such as astrology, witchcraft and the occult.

Because of the sin of Adam, the relationship between what is spiritual and material was damaged and our natural state of friendship with God was lost. In the letter to the Romans, Paul talks of an inward struggle: "In my inmost self, I dearly love God’s law, but I see that acting on my body there is a different law which battles against the law in my mind." (Rom 7:22-23)

There are two great temptations in this spiritual struggle. On the one hand, there is the temptation for the body to rule over the spirit. Spiritual power is then seen in much the same way as a force of nature, something that can be controlled and used for our own finite ends, whether it be predicting the future, or just trying to experience some 'spiritual' sensation. At the other extreme, there is the temptation for the spirit to totally suppress the body. Matter is then seen as fundamentally evil, the bodily senses are not to be trusted and ‘enlightenment’ is reached when there is total emotional detachment from the material world. St Paul warns people against both sorts of temptation. In the first letter to Timothy, he says: "Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women. Instead, train yourself to be godly" (1 Tim 4:7). In the letter to the Galatians, Paul’s warning is even more severe and he gives a long list of the sins of the flesh that prevent people from inheriting the Kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21). Warning against the other sort of temptation, St Paul tells us that "some people will abandon the faith by following deceitful spirits, the teachings of demons, and the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences have been burned by a hot iron. They will try to stop people from marrying and from eating certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving" (1 Tim 4:1-4) .

The reconciliation between what is spiritual and what is material is not something we can achieve through our own efforts, but only through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, who is truly God did not consider it demeaning to take on human flesh. By His death and resurrection, our damaged human nature is healed, our friendship with God is restored, and we receive the spiritual power to offer true Divine worship.

On the Areopagus - 5 Freedom

In the eighteenth century, Jean Jacques Rousseau deplored what he saw as the denial of our human freedom by modern systems of state and thought: “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” Whatever political, ethical or religious system one follows, there may be a degree of empathy with this statement.

The twentieth century saw the free world of western civilisation threatened from within in a manner more alarming than ever before. Horrific inhumane acts were carried out by regimes described by Hannah Arendt as ‘totalitarian’: fascism, Nazism, Stalinism. Arendt saw totalitarianism as more dangerous than tyranny – tyranny for her is a political form like a desert, which presents conditions that are difficult for human life. Totalitarianism is like a sandstorm that covers all life, suffocating and eradicating the world. Yet many people were enthralled by these systems, kept them going, and sought even to destroy their detractors. We now know that the downfall of these systems ensured freedom for many people. Modern society now seeks to protect freedom at all costs.

But it is when something is sought ‘at all costs’ that we stand in the gravest danger. Might it be said that we have become slaves to freedom, allowing our insatiable thirst for freedom to injure our society and prevent us from being truly free human beings? Never have we been more conscious that we are born free, and yet it seems that everywhere we are in chains. In his last homily as Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI warned of a ‘dictatorship of relativism,’ one that recognises nothing as definitive, seeking its ultimate goal in one’s own ego and desire. Does not this sound like the State of Nature described by Hobbes – the one Rousseau so detested? What is our true reality: are we a miserable existence needing strict regulation to be what we are, or are we rational creatures born free, destined to be free, but deluded in what will make us so?

“The truth will set you free” (John 8:32). When they heard this they wondered what he meant. They are the descendents of Abraham, and have never been slaves to anyone – oh really, were they not slaves to Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome? But this is not what concerns Jesus: “everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34), and who among us casts the first stone? Yes we are enslaved to all kinds of things, but why do we insist on looking for freedom at all costs? There is a freedom at no cost: the freedom of truth, that truth spoken by Jesus. And there we see that the chains forged in libertarian thought are forged by ourselves. We do not have to do it by ourselves! We were born free; we are born to be free. As Paul puts it 'for freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery' (Galatians 5:1).

On the Areopagus - 4 Glorify God in your body

According to recent statistics, almost US$100 billion worldwide is spent on this, and almost 5 million websites disseminate it; that's almost a fifth of the entire internet. 42.7% of internet users patronise this industry, and according to the BBC, 74% of cases undertaken by family therapists and counsellors are directly affected by it. The issue at hand, which is silently entering our homes through the internet, is pornography.

The word itself, often used so nonchalantly, occurs several times in St Paul's letters, especially to the Corinthians. It comes from the Greek porneia, meaning sexual immorality. St Paul explains to the Christians of Corinth: "Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Cor 6:18-20).

We believe in a God who loved us so much that he became human, taking his body from the virginal flesh of Mary; whose body was broken and raised on the Cross for our salvation; whose body - still bearing the marks of the nails and lance which pierced his body - was raised from the dead in glory. Jesus gives us his body in the Eucharist as an abiding memorial of his suffering love for humanity, through baptism we are incorporated into his body, the Church, and through sharing in his Eucharistic body and blood we share one life with Him. Until he returns in glory, Christians are the body of Christ and, with our own human bodies, we continue his work of salvation in the world, longing in hope for the raising and glorification of our bodies when we will be eternally united with God.

So, the body is central and sacred in our Faith. So too is sex, which is the union of the bodies of two persons in a love so fruitful that a third person is created. This beautiful and privileged act of sexual love, which mirrors the fecundity of the Trinity itself, is sacred to Christians. Sexual immorality, seen in this light, is not something private that is done in front of a computer: it affects families, real relationships, and deeply wounds the person. It also makes God's Spirit, who dwells in our bodies as in a temple, sad. It harms the body of the Church of which every one of the baptised is an integral member.

Pornography falls disastrously short of the great good that is sex; it twists the truth about sex - which is good, normal, and healthy - and makes it a secret compulsion, prone to all manner of deviation, and ultimately unhealthy and de-humanising. Research has shown that what begins as 'soft core' becomes increasingly 'hard core', as one's threshold for sexual titillation incrementally pushes the boundaries. Pornography has been shown to be addictive, and every addict needs more to achieve a 'high'.  Some people might think I am overstating the point and regard pornography instead as just some 'harmless fun'. But as C. S. Lewis noted back in 1955, "everyone knows that the sexual appetite, like the other appetites, grows by indulgence... There are people who want to keep our sex instinct inflamed in order to make money out of us. Because, of course, a man with an obsession is a man who has very little sales-resistance."

Others argue that pornography celebrates the body and our sexuality, or that sexual enjoyment of the body does not harm our soul or person. However, Pope Benedict XVI, in his letter on God's love (Deus caritas est), has noted that "Eros, reduced to pure 'sex', has become a commodity, a mere 'thing' to be bought and sold, or rather, man himself becomes a commodity. This is hardly man's great 'yes' to the body. On the contrary, he now considers his body and his sexuality as the purely material part of himself, to be used and exploited at will. Nor does he see it as an arena for the exercise of his freedom, but as a mere object that he attempts, as he pleases, to make both enjoyable and harmless. Here we are actually dealing with a debasement of the human body: no longer is it integrated into our overall existential freedom; no longer is it a vital expression of our whole being, but it is more or less relegated to the purely biological sphere" (para.5). For a Christian, then, the body communicates and our bodily actions are like sacramental signs. It is body language that, at best, reveals the self-gift of love.

The ever-burgeoning sales figures of the pornography industry, and the increasing numbers of young men and women who casually engage in viewing and participating in internet pornography, both testify to the truth of what the Holy Father and C. S. Lewis have said. The statistics also point to the deep loneliness and desire for love that lies at the core of our humanity. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta called this loneliness, so prevalent in the West, the greatest poverty in the world. Such profound loneliness cannot be assuaged or solved by a retreat into pornography or casual sex. Indeed, this only deepens the wound and widens the gap between persons. A person who is ensnared by pornography needs to be rid of this false love and learn how to connect with people in real relationships, to experience the vulnerability of loving another person, and to give himself in love rather than take and possess via the realm of pornographic fantasy. So, fr Timothy Radcliffe OP says that "the first step in overcoming lust is not to abolish desire, but to restore it, liberate it, discover that it is for a person and not an object."

Ultimately, the fundamental human desire is for God. As the psalmist says: "O God, you art my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where no water is" (Ps 64:1). To our bodies which long for God, Jesus gives us his body and blood in the Eucharist and his Spirit as living water to vivify our souls. Fed by his body, we become part of his body, the Church, and our bodies - now united to Christ in the Church - become temples of the Holy Spirit. Hence, St Paul strongly reminds the Corinthians about the Eucharist and Christ's gift of his body to us. He also reminds them of the meaning of communion and the fellowship of love that the Eucharist entails. Thus, the Eucharist teaches us how to love. Communion in the Church teaches us how to love. Christian friendship, which is the basis of our communion with God and one another, teaches us how to love. Learning how to love and be loved is not easy, but it can be done. There are examples of love and friendship all around us, not least in one's parents.

fr Timothy exhorts us to "have the nerve to live through the crises of love, the turmoil of infatuation, the piercing of our heart, through into the deep and calm water of mature, adult, holy love". Pornography is not 'adult material'. It is for emotional infants, caught in a world of fantasy and false relationships, who dare not set out on this adventure of love and journey into the heart of a God who desires us more than we could ever imagine. Mature, adult, holy love communicates the gift of a person to another, glorifying God with one's body so that, at the end, God may glorify that body at the resurrection of all the baptised.

Therefore, Pope John Paul II said, "'Rise, let us be on our way.' "Let us go forth full of trust in Christ. He will accompany us as we journey toward the goal that he alone knows." It's never too late; now is the acceptable time of our salvation and liberation from the chains that may still bind us.

On the Areopagus - 3 Reflections on Hope

Pope Benedict XVI, in a greeting to young people in 2008, challenged them as Christ’s disciples to “show the world the reason for the hope that resonates within you. Tell others about the truth that sets you free.”

One of the pastoral roles undertaken by Dominican students in Oxford is to guide a youth group in the Oxford Priory known as 'Catholics Anonymous'. In Advent 2008 the young people of this group took up the Holy Father's challenge and they shared their reflections on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary during the course of a service of prayer in Blackfriars priory church. The service consisted of readings from the scriptures for each mystery, followed by a reflection, and the praying of the mystery itself accompanied by appropriate musical accompaniment that was conducive to prayer and meditation.



The youth group shared their reflections on the mysteries of our faith which were a fruit of their contemplation. These reflections were insightful and thought-provoking, often concentrating on the theme of the hope which our faith in the new-born Christ gives us. One reflection spoke of “the very fragility of this hope, of this state of life, the fact that hope, and patience is often all we have”. Going on to wonder about how the great saints appear so secure in their faith and knowledge despite their human limitations, the reflection went on to say: “But these ultra-pious Saints lived in Advent too, they didn’t know either. Perhaps theirs was an example of astonishing hope, or astonishing trust, but it was not a sign of divinity… Hope then, is the only true compass and our need to live in hope, rather than doubt, seems to lie at the centre of both the Christian life and, when I look again, the Joyful Mysteries”.

Looking at the Visitation, another reflection spoke about the audacity of Mary’s hope: “Doing and proclaiming true good in a society which may frown upon it would make politicians and princes shrink, but filled with the Holy Spirit, Mary proclaims it with fervour, conviction and joy, sure in the hope that all generations will call her blessed”.


We thank our young people for their generosity in giving their time and efforts into organising such a wonderful and prayerful service, which was an inspiration to the friars and laity who attended and which helped us to look afresh at the mystery of the Incarnation.

fr David Barrins OP who has guided the youth group since it began in 2007

St Paul concludes his letter to the Philippians - the community he seemed to love more than any of the others - encouraging them as follows: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7).

On the Areopagus - 2 We have a Gospel to proclaim!

On 6 January 2009, the British Humanist Association launched its 'atheist bus advertising campaign'. Originally intended for just a few buses, with a budget of just £5,500, the Association rapidly received over £130,000, enabling 800 buses around the country to carry the slogan: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life". 

What has prompted this campaign? Ariane Sherine, who created the campaign, said that she was moved to respond in this way by certain high-profile Christian campaigns that declared that "failing to believe in Jesus will condemn you to hell". She added: "There's no doubt that advertising can be effective, and religious advertising works particularly well on those who are vulnerable, frightening them into believing."

Much has been made of the slogan's lack of certitude, that there is probably no God, which some say is, technically, agnosticism rather than atheism. However, what bothers me is the second half of the slogan, for it is based on the premise that belief in God, or even the existence of God (however probable), gives rise to anxiety and fear, and is a barrier to enjoying life. If this is true, then the Gospel is bad news rather than good news, and I am in the wrong place! 

On the contrary, those of us who have just celebrated Christmas - the feast of Love incarnate - know that our God is a God of unconditional love and it is He who causes us to enjoy life even more. Ironically, the atheist bus campaign began on the feast of the Epiphany, the day when the Gentile wise men came in search of Love incarnate and found him in the babe of Bethlehem, cradled in the arms of his mother. Those magi who scanned the heavens looking for portents and signs recognized Jesus as the Sign, the sacrament of divine Love. Those who would be wise, who sought meaning and happiness in life, discerned that our humanity was graciously elevated by the coming of Christ, who by his incarnation has joined us to divinity and so assured us eternal life, happiness and peace with God. 

Like those magi, all humanity still seeks to love and be loved. We seek happiness, the enjoyment of life, goodness, truth and beauty. In this we are in agreement with Ms Sherine. And why not? For all human beings are born with this longing for love. However, where we may differ from Ms Sherine is where we find this life-fulfilling love. St Augustine said, "You have made us for yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you". So, we Christians find love in God. It is He who holds us in being and brings us to perfection, fulfilling our deepest desires. 

In Jesus Christ who is God incarnate, "perfect love made flesh and blood", the wise men sought and found what all humankind seeks. Others who refused to see this truth sought to kill Him or to deny His existence. Why? Rowan Williams says that "in a world of blocked choices, wrong turnings and drastically false accounts of who and what we are, love of this sort is not going to look obvious or natural. It will seem to be against the grain." And so, frightened by such perfect love and goodness, some seek to kill it while others deny it.

The reality of our human condition is that we live in a world of fear, uncertainty and worry. In a time of war and terrorism, famine and drought, climate change and economic volatility, it is somewhat naive and blase to say, 'stop worrying and enjoy your life'. Clearly, we all live with suffering and hardship, human wickedness and fear. In a sense, we already live in 'hell', that is to say, a world where God is absent because sinful humanity excludes Him. The atheist campaign seems to take the proverbial ostrich-like approach in answer to our woes: pretend it is not so, live it up, take refuge in fleeting pleasures and enjoyment. The Christian approach is to acknowledge the reality of God-given life which is essentially good but because of sin is lacking in truth, goodness and beauty. The reality of our estranged human condition is called original sin, and God Himself has come to free us from sin and give us a share in his divine life: this is good news! 

Christians down the ages have all lived in times of upheaval and been persecuted for their faith. It is not so much failure to believe in Christ that condemns one to hell, but often Christians who have faith have suffered 'hell' on account of their faith; many still die for following the Gospel. In doing so, they imitate Jesus Himself who "descended into hell" for our sakes. Moreover, they remained steadfast in faith and knew a deep unshakeable joy that overcame all temporal worries because they knew the love of God for them. St Paul thus said: "I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38f). Therefore, as Herbert McCabe OP puts it, "Christianity is a wisdom concerned with how to love oneself, and how to rejoice in being". We rejoice in being alive and we learn to love ourselves because we recognise that we are first loved into being by God. I repeatedly experienced this joy in the lives of destitute Filipino Catholics living in the most terrible slums of Manila, and their example of love, peace and happiness amazed me and deepened my faith. 

We believe that Christ has come to give us fullness of life. Life itself and all enjoyment, pleasure and the goodness of creation are held in being by God and come from God. Faith in Jesus Christ and knowing Him as our Saviour, our Brother, and our Friend does not threaten our enjoyment of life. On the contrary, Jesus brings our life to perfection, gives us lasting happiness, and fills us with God's goodness. Hence, Aquinas said that the pleasures we experience on earth will be even more pleasureable in heaven: with God, we enjoy life more! 

This, surely, is the Gospel that we believe, and we need to proclaim it. The atheist bus campaign suggests that all too often some Christians have not been preaching good news but scare-mongering. Let us stop doing that, and proclaim a gospel that liberates us from fear, makes us more fully human, offers certain hope and brings true peace and happiness. 

On the Areopagus - 1 A New Series

Godzdogz has been marking the Year of St Paul in a number of ways including, the A-Z of Paul which we published last year. During February 2009 we will publish a new series called 'On the Areopagus'. This refers to Paul's preaching at Athens, recounted in Acts 17. The Areopagus was, like the Forum in Rome, a central meeting place for business, discussion and civil affairs. We are told that Paul there spoke to the philosophers and citizens of Athens, trying to make connections between their convictions and worship and the gospel of Christ.

His preaching went well for a long time, they were curious and interested, but it broke down when he began to speak about judgement and the fact that God had appointed one man, Jesus, to be judge, confirming his role as judge by raising him from the dead. At that point many laughed, others said they would listen again sometime, and a handful came to believe.

Our idea in 'On the Areopagus' is to try to imitate Paul in his preaching at Athens, making connections between the convictions and concerns of people in various areas of life and the gospel of Christ. Our hope is to show how Catholic teaching responds to contemporary questions in culture, politics, science, etc. starting, where possible, with texts of Paul himself. We want to show how the gospel sheds a distinctive light on human problems. We hope that it will be of interest to you and that it will offer answers, or at least further food for thought, about many of the questions you send our way.

The Areopagus as it is today

In launching the Vatican's YouTube channel, Pope Benedict referred to St Paul's preaching on the Areopagus. 'So that the Church and its message continue to be present in the great Areopagus of social communications as defined by John Paul II', he said, 'and so that it is not a stranger to those spaces where numerous young people search for answers and meaning in their lives, you must find new ways to spread voices and images of hope through the ever-evolving communications system that surrounds our planet' (see here).