Dave

I would be hesitant placing any ‘type’ of love over and above another. After all, they are all related. I believe it was Stanley Grenz in his book “Sexual Ethics” who presented a very strong case as to why eros also applies to God and His love for us. Sounds warped? Hear him out!

Grenz says that at the heart of eros is “the desire to possess and be possessed”. This is NOT limited purely to what we know as either “romance” or “sexual intercourse”. What does Grenz have to back up where he is coming from? Among other things the OT that is very rich in imagery presenting Israel as the people that God desires to possess and be possessed by. This is highlighted through the prophets in no greater way than when Israel is compared to a harlot, an adulterous wife and one prophet even being commanded by God to marry an adulterous woman.

I guess my point is that I think it does not reflect an accurate understanding of eros to limit it in the way it has been limited in this conversation. It should also be noted that Grenz’s definition (to possess and be possessed) is very symetrical!

Thanks for the warm welcome back peeps!!