

Amor Mundi: Unchained from Our Sun / Part 1, Miroslav Volf's 2025 Gifford Lectures
Jul 30, 2025
Miroslav Volf, a renowned theologian and public intellectual, kicks off his 2025 Gifford Lectures by asking how belief in God can transform our relationship with a chaotic world. He passionately argues that the world needs both improvement and genuine love. Drawing from Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, and Arendt, Volf challenges listeners to consider how unconditional love can thrive even amidst despair. His insights on the beauty and complexities of existence encourage a deeper emotional commitment to our planet, advocating for faith as an anchor in turbulent times.
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Faith Shapes Love for World
- Belief in God of Jesus Christ powerfully shapes our relationship to a chaotic and ambivalent world.
- Loving the world should be analogous to God's unconditional love despite its horrors and beauties.
Love World, Not All Forms
- We can reject and even hate one form of the world while still loving the world itself unconditionally.
- Distinguishing the world as such from its many forms prevents confusion in our emotional stance.
Death of God’s Double Edge
- The "death of God" opens vast horizons yet risks chaos and loss of meaning.
- This liberation challenges traditional values but unleashes new human freedom and creativity.