In John Paul II's Theology of the Body, the sexed human body speaks a language revealing God's creative design and heralding humanity's ultimate goal in the nuptial union of Christ and the Church. In a similar way, the Church, the body of Christ, anticipates her future nuptial union with Christ here and now through the "body language" of her public worship. Holy Eros combines insights from the great Pope's theology of the body with traditional and contemporary liturgical studies, allowing each to shed light on the other. It shows how the various rituals of the Church, and the "shape" proper to the liturgical gathering, engage us as performative, physical enactments which actuate the spiritual and divine realities they signify, making heavenly marriage real on earth.

"Inspired by the work of St. John Paul II, Adam Cooper succeeds in uncovering new and profound meanings in both liturgy and theology of the body." -- David L. Schindler, author of Ordering Love

"Drawing together metaphysical, semiotic, and theological reflection, Adam Cooper's eloquent book shows us what the best of the new generation of Ressourcement theology looks like." -- Matthew Levering, author of The Theology of Augustine

"This little book is brimming with profound insights, which carry one gracefully into the heart of the Church's liturgy." -- D.C. Schindler, author of The Catholicity of Reason

"Those with an interest in liturgy and the theology of St. John Paul II will find Holy Eros to be an exciting contribution to both fields." -- Tracey Rowland, author of Culture and the Thomist Tradition