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The Four Loves,
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Robert Irish
Charity is not an act for Lewis, as in "acts of charity" rather it is a type of love, the highest form, built upon the other three types of "natural" love. Charity is a kind of self-giving love (he distinguishes "gift-love" from "need-love") but one which comes from the purest of places. Ultimately, charity is God's love to humanity. As we become like Christ through Christian maturity, we also begin to express charity to others. Our love to God is always a mix of such gift-love, but also of need-love of the being who acknowledges its utter dependence on its creator.
Andrew Corrie
"Charity" is a somewhat archaic English translation of the Greek word "agape" (pronounced, more or less, a-ga-pay). As in 1 Corinthinans:
nuni de menei pistis, elpis, agape" = "and now remain faith, hope and charity".
Agape implies the kind of sacrificial, self-giving love referred to by Jesus in John 15:13 ("greater love has no man...." or that exemplified by Jesus himself.
nuni de menei pistis, elpis, agape" = "and now remain faith, hope and charity".
Agape implies the kind of sacrificial, self-giving love referred to by Jesus in John 15:13 ("greater love has no man...." or that exemplified by Jesus himself.
Ellie
I recommend you read Lewis' book "Mere Christianity" for his definition of charity. :)
Alex V
I am not sure if he answers it in a way that you can accurately classify an act as one of charity or not. If anything I would assume that acts based upon the belief that they are beneficial will be classified as a form of charity.
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