Defining Love

Some scientific studies suggest that human beings are innately selfish and that Christian virtues life self-sacrifice are a delusion. In this intriguing volume, esteemed theologian Thomas Jay Oord interprets the scientific research and responds from a theological and philosophical standpoint, providing a state-of-the-art overview of love and altruism studies. He offers a definition of love that is scientifically, theologically, and philosophically adequate. As Oord helps readers arrive at a clearer understanding of the definition, recipients and forms of love, he mounts a case for Christian agape and ultimately for a loving God.

Some scientific studies suggest that human beings are innately selfish and that Christian virtues like self-sacrifice are a delusion. In this intriguing volume, esteemed theologian Thomas Jay Oord interprets the scientific research and responds from a theological and philosophical standpoint, providing a state-of-the-art overview of love and altruism studies. He offers a definition of love that is scientifically, theologically, and philosophically adequate. As Oord helps readers arrive at a clearer understanding of the definition, recipients, and forms of love, he mounts a case for Christian agape and ultimately for a loving God.

Recently I was thinking of a way to define love. I will use a visual illustration to look at love. There are many different inaccurate uses of the word love as it applies to the material world. From the "heartfelt love", I see that there are two ways to define love. (One) To fill a void in our lonely lives, we find a kind of love that I refer to as a "superficial" love. To illustrate this I will use a glass of water. Once the water is consumed the glass is empty as is life and the lonely heart returns to find another glass of water. That is why the divorce rate in the world is so high. This kind of love is very definable as you can see. (Two) Again, I will use the same glass of water to illustrate this second kind of love. The glass is full of water as before; however, when the water is consumed the glass is still full. It does not matter how much water is consumed the glass remains full, there is no way to explain or define the reason why this phenomenon exists. It is a kind of meaningful everlasting love. You can live this love through the deep feelings from an unknown source within our hearts and our inner beauty. (Inner beauty is defined as living life from the heart). These deep feelings of love remain undefinable. We feel this love, but we will never know why and we really do not need to know why. This love is just there and all the relationships last until death do us part. For centuries, philosophers, sages and countless other individuals have tried to define these inner unknowing feelings of love. All efforts have failed and will continue to fail for as long as time exists. These words I have written here, I hope will inspire the readers to look at life a little differently.

LOVE IS RELATIVE (Defining Love, Book One) When the one thing they want is the only thing they can't have, how far will Danny and Emily go to convince themselves that love is all that matters, even if it's forbidden? When Emily Winters returns home she thinks she knows what she's getting into. She's had three years to accept the fact that her former best friend/ love of her life/ boyfriend of exactly one day, Danny Donovan, is no longer any of those things to her. In fact there is a good chance he hates her. There is an even better chance that he is her half-brother. She thinks she knows what she is coming home to, but what she finds is the utter devastation that Danny's life has become thanks to the chain of events that Emily's mother set in motion three years ago. Danny has lost everything and Emily doesn't recognize the cold-hearted bad boy that Danny has become. She can only resist his temptation for so long before the line that separates right from wrong becomes blurry and negotiable as she and Danny try to navigate around it. When life in the small town of River Bluff becomes too much to handle, Danny and Emily are finally forced to deal, not only with their present, but also their past. When the truth of their sibling status is revealed will it tear them apart or allow them to finally be together in the only way they know how? Contains adult content. Suited for ages 17 and up.

A New York Times bestseller and enduring classic, All About Love is the acclaimed first volume in feminist icon bell hooks' "Love Song to the Nation" trilogy. All About Love reveals what causes a polarized society, and how to heal the divisions that cause suffering. Here is the truth about love, and inspiration to help us instill caring, compassion, and strength in our homes, schools, and workplaces. “The word ‘love’ is most often defined as a noun, yet we would all love better if we used it as a verb,” writes bell hooks as she comes out fighting and on fire in All About Love. Here, at her most provocative and intensely personal, renowned scholar, cultural critic and feminist bell hooks offers a proactive new ethic for a society bereft with lovelessness--not the lack of romance, but the lack of care, compassion, and unity. People are divided, she declares, by society’s failure to provide a model for learning to love. As bell hooks uses her incisive mind to explore the question “What is love?” her answers strike at both the mind and heart. Razing the cultural paradigm that the ideal love is infused with sex and desire, she provides a new path to love that is sacred, redemptive, and healing for individuals and for a nation. The Utne Reader declared bell hooks one of the “100 Visionaries Who Can Change Your Life.” All About Love is a powerful, timely affirmation of just how profoundly her revelations can change hearts and minds for the better.

The past decade has witnessed a renaissance in scientific approaches to the study of morality. Once understood to be the domain of moral psychology, the newer approach to morality is largely interdisciplinary, driven in no small part by developments in behavioural economics and evolutionary biology, as well as advances in neuroscientific imaging capabilities, among other fields. To date, scientists studying moral cognition and behaviour have paid little attention to virtue theory, while virtue theorists have yet to acknowledge the new research results emerging from the new science of morality. Theology and the Science of Moral Action explores a new approach to ethical thinking that promotes dialogue and integration between recent research in the scientific study of moral cognition and behaviour—including neuroscience, moral psychology, and behavioural economics—and virtue theoretic approaches to ethics in both philosophy and theology. More particularly, the book evaluates the concept of moral exemplarity and its significance in philosophical and theological ethics as well as for ongoing research programs in the cognitive sciences.

Marriage should be based on love, right? But does it seem as though you and your spouse are speaking two different languages? #1 New York Times bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman guides couples in identifying, understanding, and speaking their spouse's primary love language-quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, or physical touch. By learning the five love languages, you and your spouse will discover your unique love languages and learn practical steps in truly loving each other. Chapters are categorized by love language for easy reference, and each one ends with simple steps to express a specific language to your spouse and guide your marriage in the right direction. A newly designed love languages assessment will help you understand and strengthen your relationship. You can build a lasting, loving marriage together. Gary Chapman hosts a nationally syndicated daily radio program called A Love Language Minute that can be heard on more than 150 radio stations as well as the weekly syndicated program Building Relationships with Gary Chapman, which can both be heard on fivelovelanguages.com. The Five Love Languages is a consistent New York Times bestseller - with over 5 million copies sold and translated into 38 languages. This book is a sales phenomenon, with each year outselling the prior for 16 years running!

Dr. Asa Don Browns insightful message of unconditional love will transpire your way of thinking. Dr. Brown reveals a profound way of looking at life, forgiveness, and happiness. He explores with the reader the concepts of love and forgiveness. He has a poignant way of evoking the internal and spiritual side of life. His message will inspire you to begin living today. Why are you Waiting to Live?