Theology of the body in adolescent girls : cultural challenges and Christian formation

Abstract

The theology of the Christian life is based on the belief, grounded in revelation, that the human is created in the image of God. Christians cannot live their sexuality in total dignity unless they appropriate and live in the faith the teaching that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God (Gen1:27) -and that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19). However, this strongly embodied theological anthropology has been a point of contention in Christian history and cannot be taken for granted in today’s culture of the “discarnate”, technological human. Communicating this faith to youth and making them understand the importance of such beliefs is crucial, but we seem to fail in forming our youth effectually. Data was gathered through passive participant observation of Form 1 PSCD classes in a girls’ Catholic school and a focus group session with the same group of eleven (11) girls. The research tried to understand what influences shape the contemporary Maltese female adolescent’s notion of the body, and whether adolescents have an understanding of the human as created Imago Dei. Results showed that adolescents have a limited understanding of the human as Imago Dei. It is proposed that young people are accompanied by a team made up of a youth minister and other professionals such as the religion teacher, the school councillor and others involved in the school’s pastoral team to help them continue discover oneself as a Christian and as created Imago Dei in order to shape a healthier body-image and a healthier approach to sexuality.