Wonderfully Made: Seeing Yourself as God Sees You

I’ve just finished reading Dr. Kleinig’s recent book, “Wonderfully Made: A Protestant Theology of the Body” (Lexham Press, 2021). It’s not a long or difficult book, though it is rich and meaty in its content, but I’ve taken my time in reading through it, savoring each chapter, rather than reading it quickly and lightly. It is indeed, as Dr. Kleinig describes, a “rhapsody” on the human body in the light of God’s creative design and good intent. Eloquent in both style and substance, it is both lucid and lyrical in its prose, profoundly theological, yet also straightforward, down-to-earth, and thoroughly practical. I cannot praise this little book highly enough, nor would it be possible to overstate its value and importance in these gray and latter days of such confusion.

A number of people have questioned and/or commented on the subtitle, “A Protestant Theology of the Body,” wondering at this description. From what I understand, that was the publisher’s decision, likely made in part for marketing purposes, but also in part to distinguish the book from John Paul’s Roman Catholic “Theology of the Body” (which Dr. Kleinig references positively toward the end of the book). The present work would have been more accurately described as “A Lutheran Theology of the Body,” or, even better, “A Biblical Theology of the Body.” I’ve been told that Dr. Kleinig himself intended the subtitle to be, “Seeing Yourself as God Sees You,” which fits very nicely with what he says so beautifully and well in the concluding chapter. In any case, if the actual subtitle, as published, invites more Christians to pick up the book and read it, so much the better. It really is a must-read in the face of so much gnostic misunderstanding and perversion of the human body.

So typical of Dr. Kleinig, he “lights a candle” rather than “cursing the darkness” throughout this little book. He does not shy away from addressing the sins that permeate our fallen flesh and surround us in this fallen world, but he does so in the process of extending a winsome call to repentance, to faith in the Gospel, and to the beautiful life for which we have been created in the Image and Likeness of God. That perspective animates every chapter, every page, every paragraph and sentence of the book. Consequently, it is both humbling and encouraging, directing the Law not at “those other people” but at the reader’s own heart, mind, and life, but so also directing the reader to the realization of all God’s purposes and promises in Christ Jesus. As Dr. Kleinig describes the ways in which both marriage and celibacy point to Christ as Savior and Lord, as Husband and Head of His Church in heaven and on earth, so does his treatment of the human body from a variety of angles consistently return to the Lord’s good and gracious gift of life.

There is so much to love about “Wonderfully Made,” I can hardly do it proper justice in a blog post. There are quotable passages on every single page, each one insightful and thought-provoking. Broadly speaking, the things I loved best were Dr. Kleinig’s description and discussion of the personal unity of body and soul in each human being; his emphasis on the Church as the Body of Christ and our Christian identity as members of that Body, along with the priority of the Church as the household and family of God, taking precedence over and finally superseding our temporal families and other relationships on earth; and his lovely treatment of the three “homes” in which he has lived in the safety and peace of Christ, namely, his childhood home with his mother and father, his family home with his wife and children, and ultimately his eternal Home with his Father in heaven. Although Dr. Kleinig’s life and circumstances differ in many details from those of other Christians, his words are poignant and resonate deeply with me. I believe that what he has to say offers a similar blessing and benefit to anyone who takes the time to read this book.