Surely, at some point in our lives we have felt, expressed or given love to the people around us. This is the purest, strongest and most complex feeling that exists. For this reason, many people throughout history, including philosophers, psychologists and researchers, have tried to explain what true love is.
Have you ever heard of agape love? In this Psychology-Online article we will explain in detail what agape love is and its characteristics. In addition, you will also discover some examples so that you understand the reasons why it is considered the purest, unconditional and benevolent form of love that exists in the world.
What is agape love
Agape love is a powerful and selfless feeling that causes people who express it to give everything without expecting anything in return. It is a love that is far from romanticism, sexual or physical desire and that only focuses on achieving the well-being and tranquility of the loved one.
This concept comes from the Greek word “ἀγάπη”, which translates as pure and reflective love. One of the main characteristics of agape love is that it responds to will and moves away from desire. In turn, in the book The Four Loves, CS Lewis describes agape love as “the highest level of manifestation of love that people can give.”
Therefore, it is a sincere and pure love in which people are accepted as they are. Likewise, this type of love involves the voluntary sacrifice of time and resources necessary for the other person to achieve balance and well-being, even if this means giving up one’s own ego and personal desires.
What is agape love according to the Bible
In the Bible, reference is made to agape love on many occasions, both in the Old and New Testaments. These texts express God’s love for living beings and present a kind of fraternal gathering in which believers take care of each other. This can be seen in chapters such as John 4:8, Luke 10:27, Matthew 6:24, among others, in which allusion is made to the pure manifestation of love that God professes towards people.
Likewise, the Bible reflects agape love as the highest feeling of affection to which we all have the right, not because we deserve it, but because God promised it. Therefore, the Bible describes agape love as the most merciful love, which human beings should practice among themselves.
Examples of agape love
One of the best-known examples of agape love in the Christian community is the one that appears in the biblical passage John 3:16, which tells how God gave his only son to be sacrificed to save humanity. This was an example of love that surpasses any demonstration of any other possible.
In daily life there are also many examples of agape love, such as:
- The feeling of dedication of many parents towards their children and that they can do whatever it takes to make them happy and well.
- He community service that many organizations and institutions do for unknown people, where they can provide support with food, health, medical care and other services so that they are well cared for.
- The couples who love each other deeply and whose love is based on respect, understanding, solidarity, acceptance and patience.
Types of love according to Greek philosophers
In addition to agape love, ancient Greek philosophers used three other terms to refer to love. This is because they considered that love was not a single feeling, but that there are a series of ways in which this feeling can present itself. We show them to you below:
Love Philia
According to the Greek philosophers, philia love seeks promote the well-being of others and implies affection, friendship and affection. In this type of love, admiration is also very important and is related to the feeling of friendship.
In this sense, Aristotle and Nicomachus described this type of love to refer to the admiration they felt for the achievements of their fellow thinkers. It is a feeling that can cross the barrier of generations, just as happens with family love.
Love Eros
For the ancient Greeks, Eros represents passion, desire and fertility. For this reason, agape love refers to passionate people with great sexual attraction. Eros love is a more conditioned type of love because in order to satisfy pleasure it is necessary to receive something in exchange from the other person.
Love Storgé
Finally, Storgé love is the love that it consolidates over time and that is based on the natural affection that grows with the ties that exist between people. In turn, this type of love has to do with the need to protect the loved one.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Duplá, LR (2012). The essence and forms of love according to Max Scheler. Philosophical Yearbook, 69-96.
- Pascual Fernández, A. (2016). About the myth of romantic love. Cinematographic loves and education.
- Scheler, M. (1996). Ordo amoris (Vol. 23). Caparrós editors.