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christian-anthropology-ethicsfeatured in 40 works

Love (Agape / Charity)

The greatest commandment and the summit of every virtue: self-giving love

Agape, or charity, is self-giving love of God and neighbor, named the greatest commandment and the summit of the virtues. Jesus joins love of God and neighbor in Matthew; Paul exalts love in First Corinthians; and the First Letter of John declares that God is love. Augustine made love central to the Christian life. Across traditions this love is held to be the heart and goal of holiness.

How it traveled

  1. James
    Jerusalem · 62
    explains
  2. 2 Corinthians
    Philippi · 67
    explains
  3. 1 Corinthians
    Ephesus · 67
    explains
  4. Romans
    Corinth · 67
    explains
  5. Mark
    Rome · 68
    explains
  6. Matthew
    Antioch · 80
    explains
  7. Luke
    Rome · 84
    explains
  8. 1 John
    Ephesus · 100
    explains
  9. John
    Ephesus · 100
    explains
  10. The Letters
    Caesarea (Cappadocia) · 379
    explains
  11. On the Duties of the Clergy
    Milan · 397
    explains
  12. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  13. Homilies on First Corinthians
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  14. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  15. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  16. The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and Ephesians
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  17. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  18. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  19. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  20. Homilies on Second Corinthians
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  21. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  22. The Letters of St. Jerome
    Bethlehem · 420
    explains
  23. Expositions on the Book of Psalms
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  24. Letters of St. Augustin
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  25. The Confessions
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  26. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  27. Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  28. City of God
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  29. On Christian Doctrine
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  30. Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  31. On the Morals of the Catholic Church
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  32. On the Holy Trinity
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  33. The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret
    Cyrrhus · 458
    explains
  34. The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the Great
    Rome · 604
    explains
  35. Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great
    Rome · 604
    explains
  36. Book Third. the Mode of Obtaining the Grace of Christ. the Benefits It Confers, and the Effects Resulting from It
    Geneva · 1564
    explains
  37. A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, in Three Parts
    Northampton, Massachusetts · 1758
    explains
  38. Seventeen Occasional Sermons
    Northampton, Massachusetts · 1758
    explains
  39. A Dissertation on the Nature of True Virtue
    Northampton, Massachusetts · 1758
    redefines
  40. Thoughts on the Revival of Religion in New England
    Northampton, Massachusetts · 1758
    explains

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Modern teachers who discuss this idea

Modern and living teachers whose books take up Love (Agape / Charity). These works are still in copyright, so we can’t show the text here — each links out to the book.