What is agape love and its characteristics

Surely, at some point in our lives we have felt, expressed or given love to the people around us. This is the purest, strong and complex feeling that exists. For this reason, many people throughout history, including philosophers, psychologists and researchers, have tried to explain what true love is.

¿You have ever heard of love agape? In this Psychology-online article we will explain in detail What is agape love and its characteristics.In addition, you will also discover some examples so that you understand the reasons why it is considered the most pure, unconditional and benevolent form of love that exists in the world.

1. What is love agape
2. What is agape love according to the Bible
3. Agape Love Examples
4. Types of love according to Greek philosophers

What is love agape

Agape love is A powerful and selfless feeling which causes the people who express it to give everything without expecting anything in return. It is a love away from romanticism, sexual or physical desire and that only focuses on achieving the well -being and tranquility of the loved one.

This concentration comes from the Greek word “Ἀγάπη", that 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, C.S. Lewis describes love agape 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. Similarly, this type of love implies the voluntary sacrifice of time and the necessary resources so that the other person reaches its balance and well -being, even if this means renouncing ego itself and personal desires.

What is agape love according to the Bible

In the Bible, agape love is made on many occasions, both in the old and in the New Testament. These texts express God's love towards living beings and presents a kind of fraternal meeting in which believers take care of each other. This can be seen in chapters such as Juan 4: 8, Lucas 10:27, Matthew 6:24, among others, in which the Pure manifestation of love that God professes towards people.

Likewise, the Bible reflects love agape as the highest feeling of affection to which we all have the right, not to deserve them, but because God promised it. Therefore, the Bible describes love agape as The most merciful love, which human beings must practice among them.

Agape Love Examples

One of the best known examples by the Christian community for agape love is the one that appears in the biblical passage John 3:16, who tells how God gave his only Son to be sacrificed to save humanity. This was an example of love that exceeds any demonstration of any other possible love.

In daily life there are also many examples of agape love, such as:

• The feeling of delivery of many parents towards their children and that they can do anything to get them happy and that they are fine.
• He community service that many organizations and institutions do for unknown people, where they can provide support for food, health, medical care and other services so that they are well served.
• The couples who love 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, the ancient Greek philosophers used three other terms to refer to love. This is because they considered that love was not a unique feeling, but there are a number of ways in which this feeling can occur. We show you below:

Love Philia

According to Greek philosophers, love Philia seeks Promote the welfare of the other and implies love, 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 Nicómaco 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 transfer the barrier of generations, as with family love.

Love Eros

For the ancient Greeks, Eros represents passion, desire and fertility. For this reason, love agape refers to passionate people and with great sexual attraction. Eros love is a more conditioned type of love because to satisfy pleasure it is necessary to receive something in exchange for the other person.

Love storgé

Finally, love Storgé is the love that It is consolidating over time and that is based on the natural affection that is growing with the ties that exist between people. In turn, this type of love has to do with loyalty and the need to protect the loved one.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is agape love and its characteristics, We recommend that you enter our category of feelings.