Ask Christopher West

How does taking testosterone as a man differ from a woman taking hormonal birth control or a person who identifies as transgender using hormone injections to “transition” into the opposite sex? How are we to be selfless while maintaining our dignity as persons? Can you explain more about "the new ethos" mentioned in your book "Our Bodies Tell God's Story"? Ask Christopher W...

When it comes to praying for a spouse, to what degree should I expect God to fulfill my checklist? I read in a protestant book for women that we have no right to expect our husband to stay sexually pure if we constantly pull away. Can you give a TOB perspective on this? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife...

Is it immoral to cohabitate with your fiance due to COVID if you are not engaging in intercourse and taking measures to avoid scandal? Do you have any wisdom for overcoming the struggle with pornography after a relapse? How do we know John “leapt for joy” in the womb? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife We...

If we won't be married in heaven, will we still be together as a family? How does God's command to "be fruitful and multiply" apply to us today? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholi...

Why did God create a patriarchy for the human family and for the hierarchy of his church? Why is there no gender complementarity at the altar during mass or in the organization of the church? Can you shed some light on the sacrament of confession? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor...

How can I experience Christ through love making? Is the path of holiness a return to Eden? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President 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 Theol...

What is your opinion on the negative impact popular music has on the way men treat women? Are women responsible for presenting themselves in a way that does not arouse lust? My husband refuses to be intimate with me because of my dedication to the faith. What should I do? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wif...

How do I help my sister who feels she is pansexual and struggles with suicidal thoughts? Is it wrong to marvel at the beauty of someone's sexuality? Does sickness in the body relate to anything spiritually? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions abou...

How do I understand the part of the Litany of Humility that says "from the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Jesus"? Aren't we made for love? How was your experience homeschooling your children? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions abo...

How do I forgive my perpetually dysfunctional family? What do you think about the Latin Mass? How do I understand the part of the Litany of Humility that says "from the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Jesus"? Aren't we made for love? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their...

My wife works for Planned Parenthood; how do I talk to her about this? Is it possible to get too "into" books, movies, and music? How did the Fall happen if we already experienced the supreme love of God? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions...

Are humans fundamentally "not good"? My husband needs to be intimate to feel close, and I need to feel close to be intimate. How do we resolve this disparity in our marriage? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships,...

What is the difference between attraction and lust? My friend is considering using IVF to try to conceive. How can I help her? My son is going through marriage prep and has asked me for reading recommendations. What do you recommend? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, a...

I want to practice the spiritual disciplines of the saints and mystics, but they get in the way of my being a joyful wife and mother. How do I achieve balance here? I take pride in working out, but how do I keep this from straying into vanity? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and...

What does the church teach about organ donation? How do I remain faithful to Church teaching on contraception while dealing with sexually abused youth? How do I deal with an abusive and dismissive husband? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about mar...

I'm very saddened by the loss of the Eucharist in quarantine. What do I do? God created man (male and female) in his own image, but God is not biological. How does this work? How do I deal with deep feelings of rejection after divorce and annulment? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their...

I have been waiting for an annulment of my previous marriage for years. Do you have any advice? Is it appropriate to say that for intersex people, God created them that way? Do you ever use the four temperaments to talk about personality and the relationships between people? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved...

For a non-Catholic, what is "transubstantiation"? Is my "heart" the same thing as my soul? I'm about to have my sixth Caesarean section. My doctor wants me to undergo a tubal ligation. Is this licit? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering q...

Is taking communion spiritually the same as taking communion physically? Can we experience the true communion of persons in Eden here on Earth? As a woman, I struggle with the number of men who watch porn. I feel like I should be more thoughtful about the way I dress as a result. What do you think? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christoph...

This week, Christopher and Wendy talk about struggles within families. How do I deal with my dad's pornography use? How do I help my mother be at peace with my upcoming marriage? As a disabled person, how do I find a spouse who loves me for me? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humo...

Why do people hoard toilet paper? How do I help my wife deal with my past of pornography addiction? Why is polyamory wrong? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President 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...

Christopher and Wendy talk about the experience of a global pandemic. Can I confess over videochat? I want to get married but I lost my virginity to a previous boyfriend before understanding the church's teaching. How should I approach this in a relationship with my future husband? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute Director Christopher West and hi...

My father is divorced from my mother and in a new relationship, and is now receiving the Eucharist. Should I say something? My husband has a form of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. How do I handle this issue within our marriage? In some Christian circles, it's believed that husbands may be justified in cheating if their wives aren't sexually available enough. Where did this mentality co...

My boyfriend is recovering from a pornography addiction, and I'm worried about its effect on our future marriage. Should I be? Do all Catholic weddings have to take place in a Catholic Church? What is the theological/spiritual similarity between life and death? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute Director Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy...

Christopher and Wendy take a break from listener questions this week to discuss Christopher's recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land. What does it mean to be a pilgrim? What was walking in the footsteps of Jesus like? What does the Holy Land tell us about the scandal of the "HIC"? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute Director Christopher West a...