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Is Christian Love Altruistic? Questions from the Theology of Paul
Modern notions of altruism (a 19th-century term) have often created a self/other binary, suggesting that any benefit to oneself diminishes benefit to the other. In this framework, one must choose between being selfish or selfless. In Christian theology, Agape has been set against Eros, while in global politics, development aid is praised as disinterested charity—or criticized as exploitation—with the only alternative appearing to be non-intervention.
This lecture argues that Paul’s ethics offer another model: one that gives not away from oneself, but into relationship with others, where reciprocity and solidarity enable shared benefit. Love is not only for the other but also with them, reflecting the self-giving love of God in Christ. For Paul, this provides the foundation and shape of a communal ethos within the church and, by extension, beyond it.
Dr. John Barclay (FBA) is Lightfoot Professor of Divinity Emeritus in the Department of Theology & Religion at Durham University in the UK.