Description
These Beautiful Bones: An Everyday Theology of the Body - Emily Stimpson - Emmaus road (Paperback)
It was St. John Paul II’ s greatest gift to the Church: The theology of the body.
A window into who we are, the theology of the body is a theology for the rooms where we make love. But it’ s also a theology for the rooms where we work, where we eat, where we laugh, and where we pray. These Beautiful Bones takes you on a walk through those rooms. With both humor and practical wisdom, it sheds light on what the theology of the body has to say about life beyond the bedroom, about the everyday moments of life, helping you discover how to let grace enter into those moments and make of them something extraordinary.
After providing the “Context and Content” of the theology of the body, author Emily Stimpson applies this Catholic approach to everything from work, spiritual parenthood, manners, clothing, the gift of food, prayer, and the “culture of distraction.”
A truly distinct contribution to the ongoing explanation of St. John Paul II’ s profound teaching on the human person, These Beautiful Bones is a book unlike any other.
About the Author
Emily Stimpson Chapman is a contributing editor to Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly and a blogger for Catholic Vote. Over the years, her writing has also appeared in First Things, Touchstone, Franciscan Way, the National Catholic Register, Faith and Family, and elsewhere. It has been honored by both the Catholic Press Association and the Associated Church Press, and was included in Loyola’s Best Catholic Writing series. She is the author of The Catholic Girl’s Survival Guide for the Single Years, These Beautiful Bones, and The Catholic Table.
Endorsements
“As a writer, Emily Stimpson always brings to her readers a unique combination of deep wisdom, practical insight and personal experience. In These Beautiful Bones, she uses the sacramental lens of the liturgy to explore a wide range of activities in daily life. Whether it’s your eating habits or clothing styles, the dignity of hard work or the pitfalls of pop culture, you will find in this book lots of graceful guidance in living out the physical side of being spiritual.”
— Dr. Scott Hahn, Internationally Renowned Author and Biblical Theologian
“These Beautiful Bones is the book that lovers of the theology of the body have been long awaiting! It answers questions which have been asked for years now, such as ‘ What does the theology of the body mean for how we eat and take care of our bodies?’ or ‘ What implications does it have in our technological world? ’ Applying concepts from John Paul II’s deep work to the questions and concerns of everyday life, it helps the reader to see life with a ‘ sacramental worldview.’ Simple, funny and easy to read, I recommend Emily Stimpson’s book to everyone! Those versed in the theology of the body will appreciate its practical relevance, while those who are not yet familiar with John Paul II’s message will learn about it the easy way!”
—Anastasia Northrop, President of Theology of the Body International Alliance
“Emily Stimpson is to be commended for taking the theology of the body beyond the bedroom and applying the sacramental worldview to all aspects of life. Whether it’s mowing the lawn, doing the laundry, sitting on the porch with friends, or cleaning lice out of her house (one of many humorous stories she tells), Emily shows how the theology of the body is for ‘ every body’ in all the circumstances of life. Her writing is sharp, humorous, engaging, personal, and encouraging. Give this a read!”
—Christopher West, Author and Speaker
“In this book Emily Stimpson makes a real contribution to our reception of the theology of the body. She shows that this original catechesis of John Paul does not just concern sex but concerns everyday life; it concerns living sacramentally, living the truth of our embodiment, living so we remain connected through our bodies with the higher meaning of existence. In an age in which we have become dangerously estranged from our bodies, she offers wise and practical reflections on how to recover a more integrated, sacramental way of living. She helps us to cultivate a Christian lifestyle that reaches into the smallest corners of our lives—how we eat, how we manage our cellphones, how we work with our hands. May many readers be blessed by the down-to-earth wisdom of Emily Stimpson.”
—Dr. John Crosby, Director and Professor of Philosophy, Franciscan University of Steubenville
“In trademark style, Stimpson draws us into a winsome conversation about the profound impact a theology of the body can have in ordinary, everyday life. Deftly moving from the deepest theological truths to their most practical life examples, this is one of those ‘ ah-hah’ books that gives non-theologians access to the sublime reality of the sacramental worldview. Among the many noteworthy musings, the sections on spiritual fatherhood and spiritual motherhood are some of the best I have ever read.”
—Damon C. Owens, Executive Director, Theology of the Body Institute
“Think you already know about the theology of the body? Think again. Emily Stimpson cracks open John Paul II’s revolutionary teachings in a way that few others have done, revealing layers of depth and richness that many of us never knew were there. Whether you’ve been studying this subject for years or are only beginning to explore it, These Beautiful Bones is a must-read.”
—Jennifer Fulwiler, Convert, Author, and Speaker
