Reviews for Women, Sex and the Church: A Case for Catholic Teaching

The average rating for Women, Sex and the Church: A Case for Catholic Teaching based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2017-12-25 00:00:00 Jelle Nys Women, Sex and the Church is well written and insightful book on the Catholic Church and her teachings on women and sex. This book is divided into multiple essays which each address a topic on the Church's teachings on femininity and sexuality. Topics addressed include: abortion, premarital sex, marriage, contraception, infertility treatments, the reasoning for an all male priesthood and an essay exploring the role of women both in the private and public settings. The points made in this book are all well cited and provide strong arguments against modern secular and feminist claims that the Church is anti-woman and anti-sex. Through the sciences as well as through theological insight these essays explore and address how the Church is actually very pro-woman and how the Church in her wisdom encourages the protection of human dignity through the promotion of teachings which reverence the beauty and power of sex and provide for the common good of each individual and society as a whole. "What is pro-woman? A pro-woman sexuality is one that looks honestly at the female body and the female heart. It does not deny a woman's natural desire for or response to sex, but instead recognizes its beauty within the proper context. A pro-woman sexuality is one that honors both women and sex, and prescribes ways to safeguard their dignity and inherent value. The joy of being a Catholic woman is that we have these safe-guards and moral standards outlined in our faith. And even more, we have the sacramental grace to aid us in our commitment to them." (pg 77) I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to further understand the Catholic Church's teaching related to women, family and sexuality. For those who agree with the Catholic Church in these areas but want to learn more, it provides a wonderful explanation of each of these issues and includes a bibliography which provides a wealth of information to explore in further study. For those who do not currently agree with some (or all) of the Church's teachings regarding sex and women, the arguments provided in these essays would be helpful in further understanding the reasoning behind each teaching as well as demonstrations on how these teachings can be the answer to many of the social problems which continue to plague our society. As the conclusion states: "The Church has always been well regarded, inside and out, for her commitment to the poor, to those who are materially and spiritually burdened. Sociologist and economists of all stripes are now beginning to see the sense in Church teaching on sex and marriage as well." (pg 185)

Review # 2 was written on 2019-10-27 00:00:00 Annell Taylor I found this entire collection to be more "this is what radical feminists believe" more than the actual Catholic teachings. I understand the format: Each essay begins with the apparent worldview on each topic, from reproductive issues (i.e., contraceptives and fertility) to the work/home balance. I learned a lot about radical feminists, but I don't think those views are anything near what your average woman/feminist actually believes. I found them to be presented more for the shock value than an actual basis for comparison. The most informative essay was the one on fertility, which offered natural, Church-okay'ed methods to infertility treatments. The author herself went through it, and you can tell that she knows her stuff. The rest of the essays read like dissertations, which isn't inherently bad, but not exactly what I came here for. But, it does challenge the core of modern-day feminism. It discusses the harmful effects of the sexual revolution a lot, even in those sections that aren't outwardly about sexuality. Because at its root, this "freedom" has caused more problems than solutions, and that affects nearly every facet of today's society.