
Our True Beloved
Studies in Christianity and History Inspired by The Four Loves
- 146 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
C. S. Lewis's masterpiece The Four Loves, published in 1960, provided the world with a Christian exploration of four dimensions of human love: extolling the divine blessings and warning of the idolatrous distortions in familial belonging (storge), friendship as a common quest (philia), romantic desire for personal union (eros), and concluding with the perfection of divine, unconditional love (agape).Whiting uses the four loves as a framework to interpret the Christian love of God in historical movements across Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Pentecostal/Charismatic churches. He illuminates the often reactionary and competing tensions swinging between emphases on loving God in liturgical ritual and worship (storge), the active moral life (philia), personal spiritual experience (eros), and approaches of faith to suffering (agape). Synthesizing a panoramic view of Christian history with philosophy, literature, and biblical reflection, Whiting shows how the love of God is diminished when the loves become fractured. He advocates for an integrated, holistic love of God that both avoids excesses and challenges the modern narrative of secular progress.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Storge
- Chapter 2: Philia
- Chapter 3: Eros
- Chapter 4: Agape
- Chapter 5: Fractured Loves and the Secular Age
- Afterword
- Bibliography