Ordo amoris
Ordo amoris is a concept in Catholic theology concerned with the proper ordering of Christian love. It is sometimes conflated with the related ordo caritatis
Deriving from the Augustinian works The City of God and On Christian Doctrine, and expanded upon by Thomas Aquinas in Summa Theologica, the concept has been interpreted as establishing an interconnected hierarchy in terms of which "special regard" is to be paid to those persons who, "by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstance, are brought into closer connection" with the Christian individual. In modern philosophy, ordo amoris has primarily been associated with the German philosopher Max Scheler and his work on emotional life.
Historical background
Philosophical ladder of love
The concept of ordo amoris was preceded by the Platonic idea of the "ladder of love" or "ascent of love" described in Plato's Symposium, particularly through the character Diotima:- Ascent in love: Diotima describes love as a journey from physical beauty to the appreciation of beauty in all forms, eventually leading to the love of beauty itself. This ascent is a progression from lower to higher forms of love, mirroring the prioritization in Scheler's ordo amoris.
- Philosophical and spiritual growth: Both concepts suggest that love should lead to personal transformation, deepening one's understanding of value and reality.
- Educational and ethical implications: In both philosophies, the journey or ordering of love is not only personal but has implications for how one should live ethically, educating one's emotions and affections towards what is truly valuable.
Theological order of love
Love is, for Thomas Aquinas, "a benevolential actuality of wishing some good to some person" similar to Greek agape. However the ordo amoris does not necessarily imply a competition between rival loves:
The order of charity
For Aquinas, charity is "essentially a sort of friendship, which consists of a mutual rational love founded on some'communication of eternal happiness'" similar to Greek philia: distinguished from amoris because "a friend loves the possessions and other things of his friend, but he does not have friendship with these things."
Thomas Aquinas wrote:
Applying this to practical issues of the order of charity, opportunity gives responsibility:
For Aquinas, the degree of connection must be prudentially balanced against the degree of need:
Ethical theory of value
In his work Formalism in Ethics and Non-Formal Ethics of Values, Scheler expanded on the ordo amoris concept by integrating it into his theory of value. Scheler posits that:- Values are intrinsic: They exist independently of human recognition and are ordered according to their nature.
- Love as a cognitive act: Love, for Scheler, is not just an emotion but a way of knowing; it discerns values and ranks them in an ordo amoris.
- Hierarchy of values: Scheler describes four levels of values – the sensible, vital, spiritual, and the holy. The correct ordo amoris involves loving higher values more than lower ones.
Applications
Psychology and ethics
Contemporary thinkers in psychology and ethics might interpret "ordo amoris" in terms of how individuals should prioritise their affections to achieve psychological health or ethical integrity. Thus, the French philosopher Albert Camus was influenced in his first philosophical work on the absurd by Scheler’s book on sympathy, and especially his notion of ordo amoris. Albert Camus relied on the ethics of sympathy developed by Scheler to provide the theoretical framework within which he rethinks Nietzsche’s ethical and political project of overcoming nihilism.Religious thought
In theology, the concept continues to be relevant in discussions about the proper orientation of love towards God, others, and the self, often reflected in pastoral teachings or spiritual guidance.Cultural theory
The idea of ordo amoris can also be applied to critique modern culture's valuation systems, examining how societies might misorder their loves towards materialism or superficiality over deeper values.Criticism and debate
Refuting self-love as an ordered love
The notion of ordo amoris in theology was first challenged in the 16th century. Since the Protestant Reformation, figures such as Martin Luther have rejected the notion of self-love and thereby refuted the structure of the ordo amoris. Matt Jenson writes that:Rejecting a prescriptive hierarchy
Critics might argue that Scheler's rigid value hierarchy can be overly prescriptive or fail to account for individual or cultural differences in value perception. Moreover, debates occur around the practical application of such a hierarchy in everyday life where values often compete rather than align neatly.2025 theological controversy
Vice President of the United States JD Vance, on 30 January 2025, referenced the concept of ordo amoris in an interview with Sean Hannity in defending the foreign aid policies of the second Trump administration, saying "We should love our family first, then our neighbors, then love our community, then our country, and only then consider the interests of the rest of the world."Vance's remarks drew praise and criticism. The controversy precipitated the publication of a letter from Pope Francis to the bishops of the United States of America, in which the Pope stated that: