The Primacy of Love

by Ilia Delio

In an age of anxiety where reason is deified, what is the role of love? This short book centralizes love as the core reality of all cosmic life. From the cosmological to the theological dimensions of existence, love is shown to be the irresistible force of attraction that leads straight into the heart of God. The book is divided into three short chapters based on a metaphysics of we are born out of divine love, we exist in love, and we are oriented toward the fullness of love. In a world of evolutionary convergence and global consciousness, love may be the singular ethic that binds us together, heals our wounds and draws us into a new unity of planetary life.

In the My Theology series, the world’s leading Christian thinkers explain some of the principal tenets of their theological beliefs in concise, pocket-sized books.

Genres: Spirituality, Theology, Nonfiction

48 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2022

About the author

Ilia Delio, OSF is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, D.C. and American theologian specializing in the area of science and religion, with interests in evolution, physics and neuroscience and the importance of these for theology. She was born in Newark, New Jersey and is the youngest of four children.


Fordham University
Ph.D., Historical Theology
M.A. Historical Theology

Rutgers University Healthcare and Biomedical Sciences
Ph. D., Pharmacology

Seton Hall University
M.S., Biology

DeSales University
B.S., Biology

Reviews

[David]

This is a very small but powerful book. Her thesis is simple, Love is the source and energy of the universe. I would recommend this book to everyone. It is a bit deep at times but well worth the time to read and study.

[Neil]

A small book on a subject close ty heart from an author I was excited to read, that I cannot finish. Terribly vague, broad, and unpersuasive - even to a reader who shares many of the convictiond central to the text. Poetic writing, to be sure, but much clarity is lost in this amorphous sauce of platitudes and over-broad assertions. Yuck. Three stars because I like the ideas but found the presentation utterly wanting. Disappointed.

[Elizabeth Andrew]

I'm appreciating reading this series of slender volumes from Fortress Press, just as I imagine its authors appreciated the invitation to write them. What a nice challenge, to articulate a theology in 80 pages. This is quintessential Delio.

[Markwoods]

** was generous.

[Annarella]

I read the biography of the author and wanted to read this book. Women spirituality is always fascinating and full of food for thought.
Even if I'm not Christian I found a lot of food for thought and I will surely read other books by this author.
It was an interesting and emotional read.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Theresa]

Brief explanation of the author's theology.