Hey Erik! Great question and something that has been front and center to me as I have worked through CS Lewis’s works with the Landmark Lewis Bookclub. Lewis likes to put things in order, including LOVE. And, ordering Love of God above all helps me love others better. I have realized I believe God is Love and in loving ourselves and others we find an experience unlike any other experience that is the closest thing I can approximate to an experience of coming to know God.
As far as Lewis goes, he often talks of this natural longing we all experience that only God can fill. And I naturally think to myself it’s really Love filling that longing. That I can fill that “hole” if you will when I love my spouse, my kiddos with that deep unconditional love. But really I have to love God first. What a shame it would be to forget our creator who gave us this Eden of Earth, our life and our fellow humans and this ability to love. And our job as humans is to extend that deep love to God and others. I fail often but every day is a new opportunity to try again!
I am currently reading St. Augustines, City of God. I would say that the title is as close to the first principle of the work. There is a lot packed into the phrase, 'City of God'.
As for me, this is not a question, as it is stated, that I have given much thought too. I would agree that God is definitely my first principle. But in what way I don't know yet. God is love, that is probably a good first principle. Let me get back to you after I have given it some thought.
Hey Erik! Great question and something that has been front and center to me as I have worked through CS Lewis’s works with the Landmark Lewis Bookclub. Lewis likes to put things in order, including LOVE. And, ordering Love of God above all helps me love others better. I have realized I believe God is Love and in loving ourselves and others we find an experience unlike any other experience that is the closest thing I can approximate to an experience of coming to know God.
As far as Lewis goes, he often talks of this natural longing we all experience that only God can fill. And I naturally think to myself it’s really Love filling that longing. That I can fill that “hole” if you will when I love my spouse, my kiddos with that deep unconditional love. But really I have to love God first. What a shame it would be to forget our creator who gave us this Eden of Earth, our life and our fellow humans and this ability to love. And our job as humans is to extend that deep love to God and others. I fail often but every day is a new opportunity to try again!
I am currently reading St. Augustines, City of God. I would say that the title is as close to the first principle of the work. There is a lot packed into the phrase, 'City of God'.
As for me, this is not a question, as it is stated, that I have given much thought too. I would agree that God is definitely my first principle. But in what way I don't know yet. God is love, that is probably a good first principle. Let me get back to you after I have given it some thought.