About the show
Since the early 90's, author and speaker Christopher West has devoted his life to spreading John Paul II's revolutionary teaching on human life, love, and sexuality: The Theology of the Body. His beloved wife Wendy, mother of their five children, has served as his confidante, friend, and support through these long years of ministry. In this podcast, Christopher and Wendy combine their wisdom to tackle the toughest questions dealing with vocation, sexuality, marriage, and the Catholic faith.
Support the mission of Christopher and Theology of the Body Institute by becoming a Patron! Join our Patron Community at TOBPatron.com.
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Episodes
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Is NFP Sinful?, Diving Into the Mystery of Your Spouse, and Battling Unfaithful Thoughts as a Woman | 299
September 23rd, 2024 | 57 mins 2 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- I’m part of a conservative Catholic group on Facebook. I was surprised to find that many Catholics there believe NFP is contraceptive except in the gravest circumstances. When I questioned this philosophy, they said that the fact that God gave them each of their many children is that it would've been sinful if they had abstained during those fertile times. This didn’t sit right with me. I've always felt that NFP gave me and my husband a profound respect for my body, our fertility, and spacing our family in a way that is respectful of everyone’s needs. I think it's responsible to abstain when you know you cannot take care of another baby. What are your thoughts?
- I am in college and I've never dated. However, I'm trying to build my bank of knowledge so I can be as ready as I can when God entrusts a woman to me. That said, my question is about the metaphors you used in your Jordan Peterson & Ben Shapiro reaction video. I don't understand how one can dive into your spouse’s soul and find undiscovered treasures during sex. How can one do that without using words. How is that possible outside of prayer?
- I am a 31 year old mother of two beautiful girls and wife to a loving husband. I've struggled with porn and masturbation for many years. Recently I’ve grown deeper in my Catholic faith; doing my best to purify my heart further by diving into my hidden thoughts. I find myself daydreaming and thinking about other men more from emotional fantasy, than from physical attraction. I want to stay mentally faithful to my husband. How can I as woman battle the temptation to have unfaithful thoughts?
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Bringing Jesus Into the Marital Embrace & Struggling to Find My Wife Attractive | ACW298
September 16th, 2024 | 1 hr 1 min
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- How can I bring Jesus into the marital embrace without envisioning him sexually and in a pure and holy way?
- I’ve been struggling to find my wife attractive. Am I justified expecting my wife to shape up for looks’ sake or even for health’s sake? How much of this is the impact that porn has had on me and my perception of beauty?
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When Jesus Doesn’t Have a Body, Balancing Family Worldviews, and Cremation | ACW297
September 9th, 2024 | 50 mins 48 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- How can we love Jesus on earth when he doesn’t have a body? How can prayer feel more like a full relationship and not just long distance communication
- I was homeschooled and raised in a close knit immediate family. We never spent much time with relatives or friends and my parents always sought to solely invest in each other and their children. On the other hand, my husband was raised in a large family where relatives and friendships were very important and he still likes to get together with them. He’s also always willing to get involved with our community and it is hard for me to relate to that. To me, his desire for connection outside our immediate family feels unnatural. How can we embrace these two apparently differing worldviews in our marriage?
- Is cremation ever acceptable in the Catholic Church?
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Ordinary Mysticism, Done Having Kids?, and Buying Catholic Books | ACW296
September 2nd, 2024 | 40 mins 16 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- What does JPII mean when he talks about Ordinary Mysticism?
- What would your answer be to when people ask “are you done having kids?”
- Is there a preferred method when buying books from Catholic authors?
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Christian Know Thyself, Homosexuality in Nature, and Nuptial Union with Christ | ACW295
August 26th, 2024 | 57 mins 52 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- I’ve heard Christoper say many times “Christian know thyself” and thought I knew what it meant but have been searching for the quote and can’t seem to find it. Where does this quote come from and what does it mean?
- How do you respond to the arguments about how homosexuality, masturbation and pedophilia are natural because animals do it?
- I’ve heard you mention that when a christian prays, he’s seeking nuptial union with Christ. How can we position our hearts to lean more into this? What would be the fruit of this union?
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Not Being Desired, Uncleanliness & Burial of the Body, and Is Love Always Worth the Risk? | ACW294
August 19th, 2024 | 53 mins 15 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- How can I show my nieces and nephews my true delight in them and help them feel truly loved and desired in the way that I never felt growing up?
- I would like to prepare my husband’s body for burial after death. I think I misunderstood the biblical teaching of uncleanliness and handling the dead. Can you help me sort out the fear of being unclean by touching a dead body?
- Is love worth the risk all the time? If yes, do you have a word of advice for someone who wants to love but at the same time is scared of expressing it?
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TOB & Racism, Kissing & Arousal, Temptation While Sleeping | ACW293
August 12th, 2024 | 1 hr 5 mins
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- Can TOB shed any light on the sin of racism?
- Is it wrong to give a kiss if there’s even the slightest bit of arousal present as a dating couple?
- I’ve struggled with the sin of masturbation for the past 10 years. It comes and goes in seasons. Recently, I’ve experienced great temptations while I’m asleep. I awaken in the night with urges I can’t control. Do you have any advice?
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Anything Goes In the Marriage Bed?, Morality of Boudoir Photoshoots and Chastity Book Recommendations | ACW292
August 5th, 2024 | 50 mins 50 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- I’ve always heard that as long as the sexual union ends in intercourse anything goes but I’ve never heard any guidance on what happens next and what could be considered masturbation in marriage. Do you have any guidance?
- Are boudoir photoshoots immoral?
- I’d like to go deeper into the topic of chastity. Which book would you recommend?
- I’ve always heard that as long as the sexual union ends in intercourse anything goes but I’ve never heard any guidance on what happens next and what could be considered masturbation in marriage. Do you have any guidance?
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Dating Before the Fall, Secrecy of Past Sexual Encounters, and Josephs & Mary’s Virginity | ACW291
July 29th, 2024 | 47 mins 17 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- Would there have been dating and discernment of marriage in the garden before the fall?
- I’m a young woman soon to be engaged. Before I started dating the man I’m currently with, I had sexual encounters with 2 other guys. He is aware of the first but not the second. Do you have any advice?
- Why is the word “until” in the verse “He had no relations with her until she bore a son and he named him Jesus” in the Gospel of Matthew?
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Children and the Second Coming, Sexual Healing in Marriage, and Glorifying God Through Teaching | ACW290
July 22nd, 2024 | 49 mins 52 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- What happens to children and infants in the Second Coming?
- My husband and I have been married for over a year. He’s in his early 50’s and I’m in my early 40’s. Even though we’ve been married for a year, we still haven’t had intercourse because of my husband’s sexual trauma. What would you recommend for our healing?
- As a future high school English teacher, what are some ways I can glorify God in a public classroom setting?
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Comparison, Original Sin and Pain & Work from Home Mama | ACW289
July 15th, 2024 | 45 mins 35 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- I struggle with comparison. I feel like I don’t have the joy that other christians have. This makes me wonder why I feel like I should have more than what the Lord has already given to me. Why do I think I’m so special as to receive more?
- If there was no original sin, could we still feel pain in our bodies?
- I’m a wife & mother. For a while I’ve been feeling resentful towards having to work and I’ve thought about turning a personal hobby into a small business so that I could work form home. How can I discern if this desire is God’s will for my family and not an expression of over tiredness and maybe even a struggle with laziness towards working?
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Archetypes of Masculinity and Femininity, Dating Someone Recovering from Sex Addiction & Christopher's Return to Catholicism | ACW288
July 8th, 2024 | 47 mins 34 secs
catholic, catholic answers, catholic podcast, catholic questions, christian, christopher west, faith formation, faith questions, john paul ii, jpii, theology of the body, theology of the body institute
- What does TOB have to say about folks whose natural personality don’t always line up with archetypes of male and female?
- I’m in a relationship with a man who is in active recovery from sexual addiction. How can I support him as his girlfriend?
- What led you (Christopher) to return from protestantism to Catholicism?