Ask Christopher West

Latest Episodes:

Our Kids Have Two Parents, and You're One of Them | ACW8 Feb 25, 2019

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Do I have to be a "slave" to God? As a minister, how do I figure out the balance between work and life balance? What role does male/female complementarity play in parenting? Christopher and Wendy answer these questions in this week's episode of Ask Christopher West!

Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute Director Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

This week’s questions:

Q1: Why do the saints and mystics put such an emphasis on being a “slave” to Jesus, while we know that God is not a slavedriver?

Q2: As a minister, how do I balance the demands of ministry and family?

Q3: How should the complementarity of man and woman fulfill God’s plan in the context of parenting?

Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com.

Resources mentioned this week:

Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation: Gaudete et Exsultate
Parenting with Grace by Greg and Lisa Popcak

Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram.
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute.

If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening!

Produced by Sounder and Key.

Getting Un-Stuck | ACW7 Feb 18, 2019

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Why all the emphasis on dressing modestly? Why are we focusing on that and not on seeing others as people, not objects? As a youth minister, how do I help my teens see the beauty of Theology of the Body? Why does the Church seem to be overly concerned with virgins and virginity? Christopher and Wendy dive into these questions, as well as Christopher's hair regimen, in this episode.

This week’s questions:

Q1: If our ultimate goal is to be able to look at one another without any sense of sin or lust, why is there such an emphasis on dressing modestly? Shouldn't we be focused on developing the ability to see one another as people rather than objects? - Anonymous

Q2: I'm a youth minister. How do i convince youth that are mentally stuck in the sin of impurity to understand and live out the church's teaching on sexuality? And by stuck I mean totally unmoved after three weeks of talks/discussions with a respected and effective clergy member. - Ryan

Q3: When we talk about Catholic saints, it’s common to hear them described as virgins. But, I’ve noticed that we only ever describe Female saints as virgins! To a modern woman like myself, frankly, that comes off as creepy and sexist. If we value virginity, why do we only brag on female virgins and not male ones? - Veronica

Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com.

Resources mentioned this week:

Ephesians Chapters 5 and 6

Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram.
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute.

If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening!

Production by Sounder and Key.

The Fridge is Dead, but My Soul is Alive | ACW6 Feb 11, 2019

Show notes

Cake or pie? Seriously, that's a question this episode. Also, do you have any advice for my husband and I as we give a talk about NFP to a group of engaged couples? How do we begin to teach some TOB principles to our young children? Christopher and Wendy share some personal stories as they answer these questions.

This week’s questions:

Q1: My husband and I have been asked to give a talk on NFP to a group of couples preparing for marriage. What wisdom can you share from TOB that might add some fuel to our fire?

Q2: How do we begin to teach some of these principles to young children? What are some techniques you’ve used with your own children?

Q3: Cake or Pie. Which is the superior dessert?

Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com.

Resources mentioned this week:

The Good News about Sex and Marriage Especially Chapter 6!
The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality
Beyond the Birds and the Bees by Greg and Lisa Popcak
Beyond the Talk: Christopher West

Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram.
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute.

If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening!

Produced by Sounder and Key.

The Best a Man Can Get? | ACW5 Feb 04, 2019

Show notes

A few weeks ago, Gillette released an ad commenting on masculinity and its place within society. Christopher and Wendy answer questions people have submitted on this particular topic.

This week’s questions:

What does it mean for a person to be masculine? Is there such a thing as "toxic masculinity"? Conversely, is there such a thing as "toxic femininity"? Are men inherently more sinful than women?

Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com.

Resources mentioned this week:

Gillette Ad: We Believe: The Best A Man Can Be
Christopher and Matt Fradd's Facebook Live Conversation on the Ad

Information on the TOB Institute Head and Heart Immersion Course happening March 17-22!
More on other TOB Institute courses here.

Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram.
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute.

If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening!

Produced by Sounder and Key.

May Your Joy Be Complete | ACW4 Jan 28, 2019

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I'm a gay Catholic woman, living a chaste life. Why did God make me this way? Why should Theology of the Body matter to me as much as it does to you? What do I tell my teen who wants to have sex with her boyfriend? Christopher and Wendy answer these questions on today's episode of Ask Christopher West.

This week’s questions:

Q1: I'm a gay Catholic woman living a chaste life. Why did God make me this way?

Q2: Why should Theology of the Body matter as much to ME as it does to Christopher and Wendy West?

Q3: What do I tell my teen who wants to have sex with her boyfriend?

Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com.

Resources mentioned this week:

The Good News about Sex and Marriage

Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram.
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute.

If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening!

Produced by Sounder and Key.

The Man Can Whistle | ACW3 Jan 21, 2019

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As a teenager, how can I share my love for TOB with my peers and friends? How can a wife continue to love a husband who seems increasingly distant? What acts outside of intercourse are appropriate in marriage? This episode contains content that may be inappropriate for young listeners.

This week’s questions:

Q1: I’m a teen who is excited about the Theology of the Body. How do I share this with people around me, even if they might be resistant to it?

Q2: What about a couple that gets married and are very much in love, but then the husband’s love seems to wane. The wife suffers because she doesn’t feel loved by the husband. How can TOB help this couple?

Q3: So if we are trying to abstain, but I still want to enjoy my spouse, why are other sexual acts not approved by the Church?

Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com.

Resources mentioned this week:

The Good News About Sex and Marriage

Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram.
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute.

If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening!

Produced by Sounder and Key.

Wendy's in the House | ACW2 Jan 14, 2019

Show notes

Does my own broken sexual past mean I can't talk to my kids about virtue? How do I talk and pray with my teen daughter who identifies as a lesbian? How do we overcome poor father figures in our lives? Christopher and Wendy lend their wisdom to these questions regarding teenagers and adolescence.

Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute Director Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Cathlic faith all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

This week’s questions:

Q1: I want to share the truth about sexuality with my children, but I have not had a virtuous sexual past. Does this make me a hypocrite?

Q2: How can a mother talk and pray with her 15 year old daughter who identifies as a lesbian?

Q3: How can girls with bad father figures know what healthy desire is, when all they have is bad examples?

Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com.

Resources mentioned this week:

On Golden Pond

Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram.
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute.

If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening!

Produced by Sounder and Key

I Love the Way You Crack an Egg | ACW1 Jan 11, 2019

Show notes

Should there be a Theology of the Body dating site? Do people in committed marriages need to understand TOB? What about people who are really struggling with life issues? Christopher and Wendy plunge into these questions and more on the first episode of the Ask Christopher West Podcast.

This week’s questions:

Q1: If you launched a TOB dating site, what features would you want included?

Q2: Do I still need to learn about TOB if I’m in a committed, monogamous marriage?

Q3: How do you share the beautiful message of TOB with people who are held up with legitimate struggles? For example, those who are in poverty or very ill?

Q4: As a person who never received affirmation when I was young, how can I move forward to understanding that God knows, loves, and desires relationship with me?

Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com.

Resources mentioned this week:

Humanae Vitae - Pope Paul VI

Find Christopher West on Facebook and Instagram.
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute.

If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review. Thanks for listening!

Produced by Sounder and Key.

Trailer | ACW0 Jan 07, 2019

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