Abstract

The best starting point to study the theme of love of God and neighbor from the Christian point of view is found in 1Jn 4:7-21. Any consideration of love must part from the fact that God loved the world by giving us his only Son and that he gave his life for us. In this way, one can get to the "definition" of God as love and to the development of Trinitarian theology, in which the profound meaning of such definition is revealed. The unity of the love of God and that of neighbor finds its ultimate foundation in the Incarnation of the Son of God. Jesus became our brother and our neighbor and is present especially in lowly and poor people. God, however, continues to be the privileged object of our love. The love of God has its own consistency; it is not simply the love of neighbor. Finally, the love comes from God and only because of his precious gift to humanity, we can love him and the others