WOF 480: Are We Required to Love Everyone Equally?
03/10/25 • 30 min
1 Listener
Are Christians required to love everyone equally? This question has recently become a matter of public and even political debate. So how should we answer? It seems necessary to ask what “loving thy neighbor” means in practice; for example is the love between friends, the love between spouses, the love within a family, the love among compatriots, and even the love of an enemy all the same kind of love? Do these relationships all entail the same kinds of moral responsibilities? Might it be reasonable to say, for example, that we have a greater obligation to care for our own children over others’ children, our own friends over strangers, and our own country over other countries? If so, however, how can Christians coherently claim that we love all people equally?
A listener asks how to forgive and let go of bitterness. I help my kids return to church?
00:00 | Introduction 01:43 | Bishop Barron’s recent trip to London 02:08 | Understanding love in the great commandments 03:50 | Love for specific relationships 06:13 | Properly framing love of self 06:58 | Love your enemies 08:03 | Critiquing love as granting another’s desires 09:07 | The distinct love for God 11:17 | Who is my neighbor? 12:55 | Ordo amoris: the order of love 17:52 | Equal regard vs. equal treatment 20:36 | Is it ever okay to circumvent ordo amoris? 22:20 | Does the Good Samaritan counter ordo amoris? 23:40 | Does Luke 9:60 counter ordo amoris? 26:52 | The evangelical impact of understanding love 27:43 | Listener question 29:54 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
Links:- Ordo amoris article: https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/first-love-locally-jd-vance-and-ordo-amoris/
- Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.
Are Christians required to love everyone equally? This question has recently become a matter of public and even political debate. So how should we answer? It seems necessary to ask what “loving thy neighbor” means in practice; for example is the love between friends, the love between spouses, the love within a family, the love among compatriots, and even the love of an enemy all the same kind of love? Do these relationships all entail the same kinds of moral responsibilities? Might it be reasonable to say, for example, that we have a greater obligation to care for our own children over others’ children, our own friends over strangers, and our own country over other countries? If so, however, how can Christians coherently claim that we love all people equally?
A listener asks how to forgive and let go of bitterness. I help my kids return to church?
00:00 | Introduction 01:43 | Bishop Barron’s recent trip to London 02:08 | Understanding love in the great commandments 03:50 | Love for specific relationships 06:13 | Properly framing love of self 06:58 | Love your enemies 08:03 | Critiquing love as granting another’s desires 09:07 | The distinct love for God 11:17 | Who is my neighbor? 12:55 | Ordo amoris: the order of love 17:52 | Equal regard vs. equal treatment 20:36 | Is it ever okay to circumvent ordo amoris? 22:20 | Does the Good Samaritan counter ordo amoris? 23:40 | Does Luke 9:60 counter ordo amoris? 26:52 | The evangelical impact of understanding love 27:43 | Listener question 29:54 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
Links:- Ordo amoris article: https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/first-love-locally-jd-vance-and-ordo-amoris/
- Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.
Previous Episode
WOF 479: Bishop Barron on the Theology of Balthasar (10 of 12)
We bring you the tenth lesson of Bishop Barron’s lecture series on one of the most important and influential Catholic theologians of the twentieth century, Han Urs von Balthasar. We will come to understand his life, his theology, and his ongoing impact on the Church and our work to evangelize the culture. Enjoy!
Links:- Full lecture series available at the Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/
- Podcast: WOF 149: Who Was Hans Urs von Balthasar?
- More Resources: https://www.wordonfire.org/topics/hans-urs-von-balthasar/
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.
Next Episode
WOF 481: Bishop Barron on the Theology of Balthasar (11 of 12)
Here is the eleventh lesson of Bishop Barron’s lecture series on one of the most important and influential Catholic theologians of the twentieth century, Han Urs von Balthasar. As we journey through these lectures, we will come to understand his life, his theology, and his ongoing impact on the Church and our work to evangelize the culture. Enjoy!
Links:- Full lecture series available at the Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/
- Podcast: WOF 149: Who Was Hans Urs von Balthasar?
- More Resources: https://www.wordonfire.org/topics/hans-urs-von-balthasar/
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.
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