God is Love (Deus Caritas Est)- (Catholic Theology)
With Pope Benedict XVI the Church is gifted with another pontiff who brings his unique voice and theological gifts to the printed page. In his first encyclical, God Is Love, promulgated on Christmas Day, 2005, Benedict XVI expounds on the reality of love. He knows that the word “love” has been distorted and its meaning tarnished and this letter calls us back to the foundational truths about love. In the first part, Pope Benedict, ever the professor, provides some philosophical background as he instructs on the three kinds of love: philia (family, friends), eros (sensual), and agape (unconditional, self-sacrificing). In the second half, a seamless unity emerges between the contemplation of love and the action it requires as Pope Benedict XVI teaches about the Church’s role in communicating Christ’s love to a wounded world. Throughout we are invited to a deeper relationship with Christ through prayer and devotion to the saints who precede us in the path of love.
To download a God Is Love promotional flyer: click here.
Endow Groups with Study Guide
Connect in faith and friendship with other women through an 8-week group experience with trained facilitators.
Explore the topic with a study guide that thoughtfully combines Catholic teaching, Church history and sacred Scripture to enrich your everyday life and spiritual journey.
Registration: $80
Author – Sharon van der Sloot
Sharon van der Sloot is a “woman in the pew” whose love of God has inspired her to continue to dig deeper in exploring the riches of the Catholic faith. She launched Endow in Canada in September, 2008, and since that time has been involved in Endow as a writer, editor, and facilitator. She is the author of the Endow study guide On the Christian Meaning of Suffering.
Sharon would like to thank her husband, Henry, for his love, his encouragement, and his unfailing support. His suggestions and insights have been a source of much inspiration. She would also like to thank her children, Quillan, Caitlin, and Paul for their love and their support. The gift of my family is a visible reminder to me each day of how blessed I am: “God is love!”
