Eros and Chastity before Marriage：A Catholic and Anthropological Viewpoint

• Main Authors: Lei, ching-mei,Rosemary, 雷靜梅
• Other Authors: 詹德隆神父
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/29651713673896308237

碩士 === 輔仁大學 === 宗教學系 === 94 === This study is about eros and chastity before marriage, discussing and comparing the Catholic and anthropological viewpoints. The two viewpoints have four areas of basic consensus: a) a high quality love relationship must be altruistic and committed; b) altruistic love with commitment leads to fruitful sex; c) persons must have moral responsibilities in the field of eros; d) chastity before marriage has positive meaning for eros. These areas of consensus finally lead to the conclusion that chastity before marriage is an important factor for people who want to acquire a high quality heterosexual relationship. A high quality relationship comprises high quality love and sex. A high quality love relationship is altruistic and committed. Consequently, before marriage, heterosexual relationships should put more emphasis on the spiritual dimension, as this will help them foster an altruistic love with commitment. In contrast, passion or physical satisfaction do not guarantee a stable, deep-going and lasting relationship; on the contrary, it may become a negative factor, making the relationship unstable. On the other hand, if someone wants to have good sex, his/her sexual behavior should be inside marriage, where altruistic love and commitment are found. Marital sex normally gives the greatest sexual satisfaction, for it includes physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual interaction of two persons. Furthermore, marital sex can lead to very fruitful and concrete outcomes, as well as providing a harmonious love experience. But in order to acquire a high quality heterosexual relationship, persons must accept moral responsibilities. When someone can offer true and altruistic love, and show one’s commitment, loyalty, care, responsibility and respect in eros, it means that she/he has good love-power, good conducts and virtues, which are key factors in building mature love and fruitful sex. In other words, when someone can keep chastity before marriage out of one’s own free will, then these characteristics appear. One will probably have a high quality heterosexual relationship, a successful marriage and will lead a constructive life style. In fact, the reason why Catholic doctrine and anthropology have a consensus on eros and chastity before marriage, is because they see that human beings do not have physical needs only. Sexual satisfaction highly depends on several important factors: physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual aspects, whereas love and spiritual factors are more important than physical satisfaction. When people see the positive meaning of chastity before marriage, then they support the ideal of chastity before marriage deeply from their heart and put it into practice. On the other hand, Christian faith can help people not only to avoid getting hurt, but also to have a happy ending in a love relationship, through the fostering of altruistic love and virtues.