- Lexham Press
- 256 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1683594673
- ISBN-13 : 978-1683594673
Talking
about the body is talking about ourselves. Although many times we do not want
this issue to be dealt with, because there are some things in us that we would
like to improve or change, possibly due to the concept of beauty and
distinction in society.
However,
whether we did not like something about ourselves, we must remember, as Dr.
Kleining writes that “we do not just have bodies; we are bodies. They are not
just what we are as people but an essential part of who we are. That is why the
body is so important. It has been designed to be a temple of the Holy Spirit
rather than an amusement park.” (pp. 4)
“Wonderfully
Made: A Protestant Theology of the Body”, is a landmark work in the theological
understanding and study of our bodies. Dr. Kleining, using multiple biblical
references, citing great writers of yesterday such as C.S. Lewis, and with an
almost poetic and direct style, leads us to consider various aspects in
relation to our body, such as, "the created body", "the redeemed
body", "the spiritual body", "the sexual body", "the
spousal body" and "the living body".
The author
tells us “this book is a pastoral-theological meditation written from a
Lutheran perspective. Its purpose is to consider the body theologically and
anthropologically in light of what God says about it in his word, and to
contribute some all-too-little-known insights from the classical Lutheran
tradition for the ongoing ecumenical discussion of this topic.”(pp.17)However,
Lutherans or not, we will benefit from reading this book that has and will be
very valuable when studying biblical anthropology.
Unlike
other books that address this topic, Kleining does not briefly interact with
other views such as Orthodox or Catholic, but focuses on the Protestant
position on what the body is. On the other hand, it is very important to also
mention, the thematic breakdown made by the author, starting first from our
body as God's creation, to finally reflect the glorious truth that as
Christians we always have "life in the body, from its inauguration to its
consummation. It is the life of faith in Jesus who lives in us”(pp.217)
Finally, I
must add that this book addresses issues such as sex, marriage, divorce, the
perception of oneself, which are exposed with the utmost pastoral and biblical
care.
“Wonderfully
Made: A Protestant Theology of the Body”, is a comforting and practical book that
reminds us that our bodies were created by and for God.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. You can get this book here.
