THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON THE INTEGRITY OF THE HUMAN BODY AND ITS APPLICATIONS IN NIGERIAN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

  • Anthony B. C. Chiegboka
  • Damian-Mary Chukwunenye Moneke
Keywords: Phenomenology, Interconnectedness, Catholic Church

Abstract

In recent years, the domain of theology of the body has seen an increased interest not only in how the state and the church conceive the integrity of the body and sacredness of human life but also in the relation between divine and human dimensions of the human body. The concept of integrity of the human body cuts across the diverse realms of theology, philosophy, ethical thoughts, and psychology. In other words, it is an interdisciplinary subject. It’s observable that Nigerians have not appropriated the sacredness of the human body from a Roman Catholic perspective. Hence the thrust of this research is the awakening of the consciousness of Nigerians on the integrity of the human body. The research makes use of oral interviews, survey questionnaires, and both secondary and primary sources of data. Physical and electronic modes of data collection are used to build up the arguments and evidence in this research. The collected data are phenomenologically interpreted and inductively applied. This research uncovered some startling realities, dimensions and implications of this area of scholarship often ignored; such as the interconnectedness of the human body, the human life and the human person; and the theological, ethical and ecological implications of abuse of the human body. John Paul II’s theological thoughts gave useful insights and information on the integrity of the body, the sacredness of life, and the dignity of the human person, which are intertwined. The Literature review undertaken reveals the intelligent works of some scholars in this area of scholarship, which demonstrate that the area is researchable. Nevertheless, the originality of this research remains identifiable in the title, content, methodology, logical presentation of data, and critical analysis of collected data. The study concluded that despite the apparent abuse in all ramifications of the body in contemporary Nigerian society a reshaping of the thinking of people in the light of the Roman Catholic Church perspective will contribute to the solution of the problem.

Published
2023-04-02
Section
Articles