On Love and Responsibility

It may come to be written that Pope John Paul II is best known for his body of work known as "Theology of the Body," but in fact this series of theological writings find its origin in a work he produced based on his pastoral experiences as a priest, "Love and Responsibility."

In this work, a reader finds Fr. Wojtyla, the man the world would later come to know as Pope John Paul II, setting forth the fundamental principles of human dignity and the nature of man and woman set forth. Fr. Wojtyla elaborates in accessible, easy to read language on the naturalness of relationships between men and women, much like the symbiotic nature of the Trinity -- Father, Son, and Spirit. Fr. Wojtyla views love and responsibility as the centerpieces of this nature-driven dynamic.

If you haven't read "Love and Responsiblity," do yourself a favor and check it out. It is available through Ignatius Press as well as at Pauline Book and Media Centers. Apparently it also now available in e-book format. You won't regret it -- reading "Love and Responsibility" provides a really meaningful insight into the man and priest who'd become the 27 year leader of the Roman Catholic Church and provides a basic introduction to the theological and philosophical principles of mutuality that underlie so much of Pope John Paul II's words and thoughts.