By Kathleen Gilbert
EXTON, Pennsylvania, September 9, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – At the end of a six-month sabbatical undertaken to pursue “deep, prayerful examination,” controversial chastity speaker Christopher West has announced plans to address critiques that have been aimed at his method of presenting Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body.
In a statement posted on his website, West thanked all who encouraged him and helped make the sabbatical possible, saying that following “a graced time of renewal and reflection” he would return to his work “with a humble awareness that, as Christians, we carry a treasure in earthen vessels.”
“The professional, personal, and family needs that required my attention during this time have helped me understand all the more that we must never boast of anything except the cross of Christ,” stated West.
“Among other things, I have come to see a need for greater balance in my life. All who have been impacted by my lack of balance have been beautiful witnesses to me of God's tender patience and mercy. I cannot thank you enough.”
The speaker said that he plans to publish insights gained during the sabbatical in a series of upcoming articles that will also address criticisms aimed at his Theology of the Body ministry, which some have said uses a pedagogical approach that is too irreverent and dismissive of human concupiscence.
One of West's most prominent critics is Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, wife of the late Catholic theologian Dietrich von Hildebrand. She has said that West “does not seem to grasp the delicacy, reverence, privacy, and sacredness of the sexual sphere” and “underestimates the effects of Original Sin on the human condition.” Von Hildebrand also recently expressed her “sincere and prayerful hope” that West would use his sabbatical to consider criticism of his work and “renew his approach.”
Chastity speaker Dawn Eden, another prominent West critic, published her Master's thesis this year, in which she similarly questioned what she said is West's apparent disregard for “custody of the eyes,” and promotion of behavior that Eden criticized as tempting to lust.
In his latest statement, West took the opportunity to thank his critics for their help in honing his message with “constructive feedback.”
“My critics have helped me a great deal to refine my work over the years, and prayerful reflection during my sabbatical has shown me even more ways in which they have offered constructive feedback and advice,” he stated. He also added that he believes some critics “continue either to misunderstand or misrepresent my work in substantial and serious ways.”
“With love and gratitude, I will do my best to address these criticisms as this new series of articles unfolds in the weeks and months ahead,” he said.