A Grace of Sense - theological aesthetics

 The Swedish theologian Anders Nygren wrote some 90 years ago his groundbreaking study Den kristna kärlekstanken genom tiderna (Engl. "Eros and Agape"). The basic idea of Nygren is simple: There are two main forms - or motives - of love. The first is eros, that means human desire for fulfillment. Love as eros is aimed at the person/thing that I am wanting, that satisfies my longing and fills the empty space in my heart. The second form of love is agape, that does not seek for its own, but is generously giving itself to the other. This, precisely, is the Christian love promoted by St Paul in 1 Corinthians 13. The cross of Christ unfolded the meaning of agape: self-surrender until death. "In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins." (1 Jn 4,10) In Nygren's view, eros appears as the selfish kind of love, whereas agape has a more divine and disinterested aura. Nygren, the Lutheran bishop, finds the

Je me considère comme une non-croyante. Mais si le lien à Dieu est celui du Cantique des cantiques, je suis prête à le partager. (Julia Kristeva) "How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful!" (Sgs 4,1) What we do know about this little book called Shir ha-Shirim in Hebrew, according to the modern Biblical scholarship? Three things could be pointed at. First, Song of Songs is a book that does not mention the name of the Lord (Jahweh) at all, except for a vague implication in 8,6. Second, it boldly celebrates the sexual love between a man and a woman. Third, it has neither a moral agenda nor a doctrinal teaching, but exhibits pure joy of sensuous love. Still, this ancient erotic poem is, according to many great theologians of Christianity, the very book that tells most about God! Its being a part of the Holy Scripture would perhaps have been contested, was it not of an ancient origin (and, supposedly, Solomonic authorship). Nevertheless, the idea that it contains mo