Gift and Communion offers a critical presentation of John Paul II's theology of the body, understood in the light of Christian theological tradition. The main thesis of the book is that John Paul II's theology of the body forms a new, inspiring approach to Christian ethics and the theology of marriage and family, as well as to theological anthropology. A central thrust of Gift and Communion is to treat theology of the body-as it deserves-in all its philosophical and theological seriousness and to present it as an important stage in the historical development of Catholic theology. This new approach combines a hermeneutical, post-modern reading of the holy scriptures with an attempt to interpret the biblical text in the light of important currents of Western philosophy as well as Catholic theological tradition. Gift and Communion critically evaluates the method, fundamental notions, and significance of John Paul II's thought, places his thought in the context of contemporary challenges to Christian belief and presents it as an important stage in the historical development of Catholic tradition.

In this compelling new work, Jaroslaw Kupczak, O.P., presents a complete introduction to John Paul II's theory of the human person. Both enlightening and accessible, the book traces the development of Karol Wojtyla's theology from his earlier and lesser-known writings -- The Habilitation Thesis and Lublin Lectures -- to his more popular writings -- Love and Responsibility and The Acting Person. The author finds that Wojtyla is a remarkably consistent thinker. Unlike many of his contemporaries, his thought has never undergone any intellectual revolution or change. His earlier writings thus make possible a fuller appreciation of the more popular texts and Papal encyclicals.

Throughout the entire book, the author patiently guides the reader through the complexity of Wojtyla's thought. Kupczak presents analytical commentary of Wojtyla's key philosophical texts, most of which are still not available in English. Given his access to the original Polish texts, he provides a missing link between the moral teaching of John Paul II and the early stages of his intellectual career.

Kupczak carefully examines the main sources of Wojtyla's moral theory: the mystical theology of St. John of the Cross, the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, and modern phenomenology, especially that of Max Scheler. Among the key anthropological concepts presented and analyzed are: ethical values and human freedom, the relation between freedom and truth, the conscience and consciousness, the human body, and the process of human cognition.