Love Love Love

‘All you need is love, all you need is love
All you need is love, love, love is all you need’

Over the next few weeks the RRC will be exploring ‘Love’.

According to the Beatles “love is all you need”. According to Deon Jackson ‘Love makes the World go around’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDV6ZZxEasc&feature=youtu.be). But what kind of love has the power to do that?

Love is a broad word in English and it is meaning is determined by the context:
Consider the following:
She loves him too much
He loves ice cream
They love playing football
I love my cat

In each case we can argue that the word love is differently loaded – that there are subtleties the word itself, in English, cannot denote.

This was less of an issue for the ancient Greeks who had a variety of words to describe different expressions of love (think Eskimos and ‘snow’!) Some of these have found their way into our everyday culture, one of them underpins the interpretation of love in the New Testament.

Over the next few weeks the RRC will be exploring the various types of love identified by the Greeks and considering how they may be illustrated in the Bible.

The aspects we will be exploring are:
Eros – Erotic Love
Philia – Affectionate Love
Storge – Familiar Love
Ludus – Playful Love
Mania – Obsessive Love
Pragma – Enduring Love
Philautia – Self Love
Agape – Selfless Love

By examining these we are hoping to equip ourselves (and you!) to answer the age old question:
“What kind of love could make the world go around?”

As we go along you might want to join us by considering if one of these forms of love have (or still are!) affecting you. You may be able to give us examples from other faiths or cultures, you may want to challenge our Biblical examples… In any event please do feel to join in the discussion or pose questions of your own!

• Forums for discussion of the topic

In the meantime do enjoy the Beatles ode to love…

Do take part – we’d love to know what you think!

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