The argument from love is an argument for the existence of God that suggests the depth, complexity, and universality of love point to a transcendent source or purpose.
Tom Wright suggests that materialist philosophy and scepticism has "paved our world with concrete, making people ashamed to admit that they have had profound and powerful 'religious' experiences".[1] The reality of Love in particular ("that mutual and fruitful knowing, trusting and loving which was the creator's intention" but which "we often find so difficult") and the whole area of human relationships in general, are another signpost pointing away from this philosophy to the central elements of the Christian story.[2] Wright contends both that the real existence of love is a compelling reason for the truth of theism and that the ambivalent experience of love, ("marriages apparently made in heaven sometimes end not far from hell") resonates particularly with the Christian account of fall and redemption.[3]
Paul Tillich suggested (in 1954) even Spinoza "elevates love out of the emotional into the ontological realm. And it is well known that from Empedocles and Plato to Augustine and Pico, to Hegel and Schelling, to Existentialism and depth psychology, love has played a central ontological role."[4] and that "love is being in actuality and love is the moving power of life"[5] and that an understanding of this should lead us to "turn from the naive nominalism in which the modern world lives".[6]
The theologian Michael Lloyd suggests that "In the end there are basically only two possible sets of views about the universe in which we live. It must, at heart, be either personal or impersonal... arbitrary and temporary[7] [or emerging] from relationship, creativity, delight, love".[8]
Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft summarises the argument as "Love is the greatest of miracles. How could an evolved ape create the noble idea of self-giving love? Human love is a result of our being made to resemble God, who himself is love. If we are made in the image of King Kong rather than in the image of King God, where do the saints come from?"[9] Philosopher Alvin Plantinga expressed the argument in similar terms.[10]
According to Graham Ward, postmodern theology portrays how religious questions are opened up (not closed down or annihilated) by postmodern thought. The postmodern God is emphatically the God of love, and the economy of love is kenotic.[11]
Variantsedit
Comparative rationality of belief in God and Loveedit
A variant on the argument is a defence of the rationality of theism by comparing faith in God with love, and to suggest that if it isn't irrational to love someone then it shouldn't be seen as irrational to believe in God.[12] The philosopher Roger Scruton suggests: "Rational argument can get us just so far...It can help us to understand the real difference between a faith that commands us to forgive our enemies, and one that commands us to slaughter them. But the leap of faith itself — this placing of your life at God's service — is a leap over reason's edge. This does not make it irrational, any more than falling in love is irrational."[13]
Suggested compelling nature of God's Loveedit
Another variant of the argument is that the evidence for God's love is sufficiently compelling that people can reasonably believe in it, and hence a fortiori believe in God.[14] This approach is criticised by Richard Dawkins who suggests that it is an "Argument from emotional blackmail".[15]
^Alvin Plantinga (1986), “Two Dozen [or so] Theistic Arguments,” paper delivered at the 33rd Annual Philosophy Conference, Wheaton College, 23-25 Oct. and republished as an appendix to: Deane-Peter Baker (2007), Alvin Plantinga, Cambridge University Press, ISBN0-521-85531-4.
^See e.g. Michael Welker in The Work of Love p131 "in this love God's identity and power are made known" (italics in original). He cites e.g. John 17:26
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The argument from love is an argument for the existence of God that suggests the depth complexity and universality of love point to a transcendent source or purpose Contents 1 Arguments from love to the existence of God 2 Variants 2 1 Comparative rationality of belief in God and Love 2 2 Suggested compelling nature of God s Love 3 Notes and referencesArguments from love to the existence of God editSee also omnibenevolence and Trinity Trinity and love Tom Wright suggests that materialist philosophy and scepticism has paved our world with concrete making people ashamed to admit that they have had profound and powerful religious experiences 1 The reality of Love in particular that mutual and fruitful knowing trusting and loving which was the creator s intention but which we often find so difficult and the whole area of human relationships in general are another signpost pointing away from this philosophy to the central elements of the Christian story 2 Wright contends both that the real existence of love is a compelling reason for the truth of theism and that the ambivalent experience of love marriages apparently made in heaven sometimes end not far from hell resonates particularly with the Christian account of fall and redemption 3 Paul Tillich suggested in 1954 even Spinoza elevates love out of the emotional into the ontological realm And it is well known that from Empedocles and Plato to Augustine and Pico to Hegel and Schelling to Existentialism and depth psychology love has played a central ontological role 4 and that love is being in actuality and love is the moving power of life 5 and that an understanding of this should lead us to turn from the naive nominalism in which the modern world lives 6 The theologian Michael Lloyd suggests that In the end there are basically only two possible sets of views about the universe in which we live It must at heart be either personal or impersonal arbitrary and temporary 7 or emerging from relationship creativity delight love 8 Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft summarises the argument as Love is the greatest of miracles How could an evolved ape create the noble idea of self giving love Human love is a result of our being made to resemble God who himself is love If we are made in the image of King Kong rather than in the image of King God where do the saints come from 9 Philosopher Alvin Plantinga expressed the argument in similar terms 10 According to Graham Ward postmodern theology portrays how religious questions are opened up not closed down or annihilated by postmodern thought The postmodern God is emphatically the God of love and the economy of love is kenotic 11 Variants editComparative rationality of belief in God and Love edit A variant on the argument is a defence of the rationality of theism by comparing faith in God with love and to suggest that if it isn t irrational to love someone then it shouldn t be seen as irrational to believe in God 12 The philosopher Roger Scruton suggests Rational argument can get us just so far It can help us to understand the real difference between a faith that commands us to forgive our enemies and one that commands us to slaughter them But the leap of faith itself this placing of your life at God s service is a leap over reason s edge This does not make it irrational any more than falling in love is irrational 13 Suggested compelling nature of God s Love edit Another variant of the argument is that the evidence for God s love is sufficiently compelling that people can reasonably believe in it and hence a fortiori believe in God 14 This approach is criticised by Richard Dawkins who suggests that it is an Argument from emotional blackmail 15 Notes and references edit Tom Wright Simply Christian p 16 Tom Wright Simply Christian pp 25 33 Tom Wright Simply Christian p 33 Paul Tillich Love Power and Justice Oxford University Press 1954 p4 Paul Tillich Love Power and Justice Oxford University Press 1954 p25 Paul Tillich Love Power and Justice Oxford University Press 1954 p19 Lloyd cites Quentin Smith Michael Lloyd Cafe Theology 2005 ISBN 1 904074 76 6 p 14 Peter Kreeft Your Questions God s Answers Ignatius Press 1994 ISBN 0 89870 488 X p 105 Alvin Plantinga 1986 Two Dozen or so Theistic Arguments paper delivered at the 33rd Annual Philosophy Conference Wheaton College 23 25 Oct and republished as an appendix to Deane Peter Baker 2007 Alvin Plantinga Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 85531 4 The Modern Theologians 3rd ed p 335 This type of argument was made by Alvin Plantinga in God and Other Minds Roger Scruton Dawkins is wrong about God reproduced from The Spectator See e g Michael Welker in The Work of Love p131 in this love God s identity and power are made known italics in original He cites e g John 17 26 The God Delusion p83 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Argument from love amp oldid 1215100286, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
