| Synopsis: |
We all know the saying, "Love can change the world." When science looks at love, it considers; cosmology, socio-biology, psychology, neurology, sex and romance and the role of emotions as each relates to love. It, also, explores religious, ethical and philosophical issues such as virtue, creation ex nihilo, divine action, agape, values, religious practices, pacifism, sexuality, friendship, freedom and marriage. All affect the ways in which people understand each other and interact with one another. In this book, Oord explores these varied dimensions of love, illuminating the love science symbiosis for both scholars and general readers. His definition of love is: "to act intentionally, in sympathetic response to others (including God), to promote overall well being. Love acts are influenced by previous actions and executed in the hope of attaining a high degree of good for all." He begins his study with an exploration of the role love plays in all major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. He explains how divine love in action can be viewed as consonant with the Big Bang theory and the continual creation of the universe.He looks at pacifism and concludes that non-violence is not always the most loving thing (sometimes violence must be used to rescue victims or prevent holocausts). He explores the Kingdom to see how creatures work together with the Creator to make the world a better place. And he analyses the fundamentals of love, the basic characteristics of existence that must be present for love to be expressed. He concludes with the important argument that progress can be made when religion and science work together to both understand and promote love. |