Agape

This study is the most comprehensive account to date of modern treatments of the love commandment. Gene Outka examines the literature on agape from Nygren’s Agape and Eros in 1930. Both Roman Catholic and Protestant writings are considered, including those of D’Arcy, Niebuhr, Ramsey, Tillich, and above all, Karl Barth. The first seven chapters focus on the principal treatments in the theological literature as they relate to major topics in ethical theory. The last chapter explores further the basic normative content of agape and discusses some of the most characteristic problems. “The book is in my judgment the best recent work in religious ethics. Outka brings together analytic moral philosophy and theological ethics, providing a masterly survey of views and issues arising in the past forty years. . . . I can think of few books of interest to scholars in both philosophy and theology, but Outka’s is one. Unlike some scholars who are at home in continental theology, Outka is also at home in secular analytic philosophy; he brings them together in a mutually illuminating way.”—Donald Evans “Outka has mastered this vast literature on love, and has brought a critical and clarifying analysis to bear upon it. This is a most important book on a most important subject, and brings the whole discussion into a new phase.”—John Macquarrie “The first thing to be said about Outka’s book quite simply is that it is excellent; in fact, it is probably the very best available book about contemporary Christian ethical theory.”—The Humanities Association Review

William Gaddis published four novels during his lifetime, immense and complex books that helped inaugurate a new movement in American letters. Now comes his final work of fiction, a subtle, concentrated culmination of his art and ideas. For more than fifty years Gaddis collected notes for a book about the mechanization of the arts, told by way of a social history of the player piano in America. In the years before his death in 1998, he distilled the whole mass into a fiction, a dramatic monologue by an elderly man with a terminal illness. Continuing Gaddis's career-long reflection on those aspects of corporate technological culture that are uniquely destructive of the arts, Agape Agape is a stunning achievement from one of the indisputable masters of postwar American fiction.

The tradition of agape, or unconditional love, is not exclusive to any religion. It is a primary underlying principle found in religions worldwide. The concept of altruistic love challenges the spiritual person to "love your enemies" or to "love without thought of return." It is a love that flows out to others through compassion, kindness, tenderness, and charitable giving. Buddhists have a path of compassion, where caring for others becomes the motivating force behind existence. Hindus have a branch of yoga, the heart-centered path, that leads to enlightenment through an overwhelming love for God that takes the form of loving all humanity. Eastern religions, such as Taoism and Confucianism, see transcendent love as essential to true wisdom. Love is a universal theme of love found in all religious traditions, Buddhist, Christian, Islam, or others. As we realize that all religions have this spiritual principle of love at their core, we can develop a sense of shared humanity. The religious tradition of agape love examined in this book will inspire those who are learning to grow in compassion and love for all people.

Chuck and Nancy Missler share principles for learning to love and be loved, a principle they see as epitomizing the essence of the will of God. They call their program, "The Way of Agape".

In a provocative essay, philosopher Jeffrie G. Murphy asks: 'what would law be like if we organized it around the value of Christian love, and if we thought about and criticized law in terms of that value?'. This book brings together leading scholars from a variety of disciplines to address that question. Scholars have given surprisingly little attention to assessing how the central Christian ethical category of love - agape - might impact the way we understand law. This book aims to fill that gap by investigating the relationship between agape and law in Scripture, theology, and jurisprudence, as well as applying these insights to contemporary debates in criminal law, tort law, elder law, immigration law, corporate law, intellectual property, and international relations. At a time when the discourse between Christian and other world views is more likely to be filled with hate than love, the implications of agape for law are crucial.

In a world full of hopelessness and despair, there is one thing that people need more than ever: love. Within the core of every human being, there is a longing to feel and to truly know what love is. Many think that love is based on subjective emotions and feelings; however, nothing could be further from the truth. The objective truth of what it really means to love goes far beyond any emotion or feeling. The truth is that we must choose to love rather than feel it. When this is achieved, the love of Christ is made clear in a profound and powerful way. John 15:13 says, 'Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.' This simple verse carries incredible depth as author John Marcus helps readers discover the love it takes to make a complete self-sacrifice in Agape: What is it? This convicting study provokes deeper biblical understanding of what it means to be a mature Christian and to grow with agape love. Christians will be challenged to think about what they define as 'love' as John gives insight from his own testimony to help readers to love sacrificially. Topics covered include: overcoming with longsuffering, casting out fear, being able to cover the sins of others, and loving in truth. Learn how to apply these solid principles in everyday life. Start the adventure of growing in the love of Jesus Christ and sharing it with the world. Marriages, friendships, families, and so many more can be transformed by this love. Discover how in Agape: What is it? Author John Marcus has grasped what it means to love with agape love after growing up in a home full of selfishness, pride, and substances abuse.

The philosophy of loveFor centuries, popular writers and respected scholars have written about and analyzed the phenomenon of love without exhausting its potential for contemporary debate. By representing the three major traditions in the philosophy of love--Platonic eros, Christian agape, and Aristotelian philia--editor Alan Soble has not only examined the intellectual problem of what "love" is, but has designed a dialogue among the three traditions in genuine philosophical style. "Eros is acquisitive, egocentric or even selfish; agape is a giving love. Eros is an unconstant, unfaithful love, while agape is unwavering and continues to give despite ingratitude. Eros is a love that responds to the merit or value of its object; while agape creates value in its object as a result of loving it... Finally, eros is an ascending love, the human's route to God; agape is a descending love, GodÆs route to humans... Philia is caught between eros and agape."--From the Introduction to Eros, Agape and Philia ISSUES EXPLORED: --What is the state of love today as seen through the eyes of Plato, Aristotle, and Paul? --How do relations between the sexes illustrate the difficulties of love? --What are the nature and effects of exclusivity, reciprocity, and constancy? --What are the conceptual and psychological ties between sex and love? --Does it make any sense to think of love in moral terms?

As a way of infusing participants with a sense of God's unconditional (agape) love, tangible signs of agape are everywhere during a Walk to Emmaus or a Chrysalis weekend. This book explains the various forms of agape and anonymous acts of servanthood that are vital to communicating unconditional love during each 3-day event.

The rich variety of world religions is a testimony to the essential spiritual nature of our human existence. And yet, within this amazing and sometimes fascinating diversity can be found an equally amazing unity, the basis of which is love. All the world's great religions both teach and assume the priority of love in religious practice, and any religion or system of beliefs that teaches or tolerates hatred towards others does not deserve to be considered a religion in the first place. Agape love is not directed towards a single person or small group of friends but towards all humanity, even all of creation. It is altruistic love, love that is given for its own sake without expecting anything in return, it is pure love, and the kind of love in which the religions of the world may find basis for unity.