The Heythrop Institute Theology Seminar: The power of (divine) love

All three Abrahamic faiths teach that God loves those who love God, and divine love for the individual is a common theme in Christian practice and literature. But what does it mean to say that God loves humankind? And how can believers know that they are loved by God, given sinfulness and suffering? I argue that, in the Abrahamic faiths, divine love has four key components: Firstly, it has an ethical component; ‘God is love’ (I John 4: 16) means that God provides us with an ethical standard which promotes human flourishing. Secondly, God is not only an ideal standard but also empowering love, a source of power which enables our own loving actions. Thirdly, divine love is mediated through the love of others. And, fourthly, divine love is shown in forgiveness of repentant sinners, in the Christian tradition by means of the atonement. This offers hope of a new beginning and a more successful attempt to follow the way of love, motivated and supported by the power of divine love.