Biblical approaches to marital sexuality -- St. Paul's unwitting contributions to the church's negative thinking on marital intercourse -- Early church leaders defend marriage against gnostic attacks -- Augustine : the man who carved in stone the church's conditional acceptance of marital intercourse -- Monks, theologians, bishops, and popes disparage marital intercourse -- The law of clerical celibacy embodies the bias against marital intimacy -- Canon law sees nothing spiritual in marital intimacy -- Marriage recognized as a sacrament -- St. Thomas Aquinas : modifications and qualifications -- Some attempts to see other values in marital intercourse -- The Council of Trent : motives for marrying and motives for abstaining from marital intercourse -- A new development : spousal "affection" related to "love" -- Confessing sins related to sexual activity -- Pope, bishops, theologians, and Canon law stress procreation as the primary purpose of marriage -- A new vision : love related to marital intercourse -- The teaching of Pope Pius XI : bodily union as the "direct purpose" of marital intercourse -- The break with St. Augustine : Pope Pius XII accepts the rhythm method -- The effects of papal teaching : frustration and tears -- The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) recognized the value of marital love -- The postconciliar work of the "Birth Control Commission" and its culmination in Humanae vitae -- Pope John Paul II : old assertions and new perceptions -- Conscience and fidelity to church teaching.
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