Theology of the Body

Theology of the Body Testimony: A Protestant Defends Marriage with TOB
By Andy C.

I was first introduced to Theology of the Body while working with my evangelical ministry in 1998. I met Christopher West at a Conference in Denver, and we immediately hit it off. Even though I am not Catholic, we both saw clearly that our common faith in Jesus Christ was the best context for the restoration of sexually broken persons. He handed me an unabridged copy of Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body. As a theologically-aware Protestant, I poured myself into it...and John Paul II knocked me out.
This Pope had a keen grasp of masculinity and femininity, and proclaimed the truth that no matter how far we have fallen, the gift of self remains and needs to be given, whether single or married. John Paul II's mastery on the subject won me over; he wove strands related to gender and sexuality into a beautifully rich tapestry.
Eleven years later, Christopher and I reengaged on the "gay marriage" issue, and he invited me to attend the "TOB 1: Head and Heart Immersion Course." I might have re-titled it: "Full Protestant Immersion into All Things Distinctly Catholic." I loved it! Not only was I surrounded by earthy, funny and serious Roman Catholics, I began to grasp how fundamentals of the Church like a high view of the Eucharist, Mary, and the communion of saints were key to the healing of persons. Most importantly, I grasped the sacramental nature of the union of male and female — the gift and the grace of whole heterosexual unions upon all who encounter them. The course reminded me of why we must make our marriages work and keep fighting to retain marriage's true definition in the culture!
After the week-long "Head and Heart Immersion Course," I was tremendously impacted by this heightened awareness of marriage as sacrament. I dreamt for two weeks of the heavenly consummation to which marriage points. It was awesome. I have rarely woken up as heavenly-minded, and as ardently in love with my wife. The courses I have been able to take with TOB Institute have had a profound impact on the work I lead, Desert Stream Ministries. Studying the Theology of the Body has benefited us enormously, in both our pastoral and prophetic emphases. In setting forth John Paul II's work clearly, TOB Institute has helped our ministry secure a more whole and integrated theology for our task of training the laity to heal the sexually broken in the context of the local church. One intern of ours returned to her native Thailand emboldened to restore marriages broken by sexual sin; another will return to Puerto Rico in order to bring TOB to youth and young adults.
Theology of the Body is helping to assemble a prophetic army of truth-tellers and intercessors who now have tools to engage meaningfully with the culture. I am happy to say that my fellow TOB 1 students from last year's June course have been among the most responsive of the few thousand who join us twice a year in our 40 days of prayer and fasting for marriage. As we fight for its true definition throughout the U.S. and in the nations of the earth, I am honored to partner prayerfully with my new friends from the extended TOB family. Our ministry lives out the message that these things can only be done by prayer and fasting.
Andrew Comiskey is the Founder and Executive Director of Desert Stream Ministries. Please visit http://www.desertstream.org/ for more details.
Desert Stream Ministries provides Christ-centered help for those struggling with sexual and relational problems. He has written several books based on his experience with avoiding homosexual relationships and behaviors, and gives seminars to those who wish to be free from such relationships and behaviors. He is considered to be a prominent ex-gay leader, and has appeared as a guest on the 700 Club. Andrew and his wife have four children.