The Four Loves

Love—a strong affection for another that enables us to see things from another’s perspective. The Bible commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. According to C. S. Lewis there are four types of love:

·      Storge (empathy bond)—liking someone through the fondness of familiarity, family members or people who relate in familiar ways. An example is the natural love and affection of a parent for their child.

·      Philia—the love between friends who share common values, interests or activities. The friendship between David and Jonathan in the Bible is an example of philia.

·      Eros—sexual love that is not exploitative lustful or rapaciously animal-like.

·      Agape—unconditional “God” love that exists regardless of changing circumstances. This selfless love is a specifically Christian virtue.