Crossing The Threshold Of Love: A New Vision Of Marriage [Paperback]

The papal encyclical Humanae Vitae predicted the disintegration of marriage and family life, partly as a result of the widespread use of contraception. Pope John Paul II has since addressed the problem by articulating a fresh understanding of marriage, love, and sexuality which takes account of the dignity of the human person, and especially of women.

In this most exhaustive and scholarly assessment of John Paul II's Christian anthropology ever written, Mary Shivanandan examines the scientific data and the theological analysis that underlie his teachings on marriage and sexuality. Her book will be an essential text for the study of the development, meaning, and implications of Catholic doctrine in this controversial area. It is both lucid and multi-disciplinary. Its appearance marks a new stage in the debate over sexuality in the modern world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Shivanandan, STD, is a professor at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

Mary Shivanandan has successfully accomplished a daunting task: the distillation of John Paul's profound and complicated vision of the essence of man and the meaning of marital love.... [A] very valuable presentation of the thought of John Paul on human sexuality, marriage, and the family. Anyone who wants to understand the Pope on these matters must have Shivanandan's book as part of his personal or formal curriculum. -- New Oxford Review

An exceptionally brilliant study, Shivanandan very accurately and clearly sets forth the major ideas developed at length by Pope John Paul II in many of his writings.... She has entered into serious dialogue with contemporary thinking regarding the nature of the human person, the meaning of the human body, and the meaning of human sexuality, relating and contrasting this thinking with that of John Paul II. --Prof. WilliamlÃI