This paper examines Saint Teresa of Avila's treatment of love in her poetry, analyzing the distinction between agape (divine love) and eros (erotic love) within a mystical framework. The essay traces how these two forms of love differ philosophically and spiritually, discusses Teresa's role as a Spanish mystic reformer during the Reformation, and closely analyzes her famous poem "I Live without Living in Myself" to reveal how she expresses ecstatic devotion and the paradox of spiritual union with God. Through Teresa's work, the paper demonstrates how erotic love and divine love can border one another in mystical experience, offering insight into sixteenth-century Catholic mysticism and the role of contemplative prayer in experiencing God's unconditional love.
The subject of love continues to generate heated debate in scholarly and theological discussions. Scholars and theologians differ on how love is expressed and understood. Literature and studies of human relations reveal that love takes many forms. Above all, there exists the love that God shares with His people, and the love that people express toward one another. These two forms differ fundamentally, as revealed in many literary examples and works on human relationships. It is common to find arguments about how these different expressions of love function, how we recognize them, and how they are communicated to their recipients (Ward 22). Love is a vast subject and draws mixed attention and opinions. It is also difficult to discuss because it carries several different meanings in the English language. Therefore, to understand the role of each form of love and how it is expressed, one must first understand what each type entails.
The statement that "God is love" is remarkably common in the Christian faith—so common, in fact, that it has become almost invisible to believers. The love that God prescribes for His people is distinctive. It is a love that never tires, a love that surpasses human capacity (Agape: What Is It?: Learning to Love 17). According to the Holy Scriptures, God presents Himself as an object of love and as the source of all love. For instance, in reviewing the Bible, Paul—the author of many letters—writes to the Corinthians about the love that God expects of His people. He describes the quality of love that God expresses toward His creation: love that is patient, kind, selfless, peaceful, forgiving, never rude, haughty, or unjust. Paul writes of a love so comprehensive that it encompasses all other commandments. This level of understanding defines agape love.
Eroticism derives from the word Eros, which describes sexual love—the love between beings of the same kind (Ludy & Leslie 11). The Greek word Eros in its basic form refers to desire. Erotic love, therefore, entangles the desires that beings have toward one another. Eroticism refers to a state of sexual arousal or the anticipation of it—an insistent sexual impulse that seeks satisfaction. This desire involves a pattern of thoughts, philosophically contemplated through the aesthetics of expressing sexual desire. It is sensual and romantic. Erotic love depends on various factors, including personal sexual morality, culture, and the historical period in which a person lives. In ancient times, the expression of erotic love differed from modern expressions. Additionally, the objects of arousal vary. However, it is important to note that erotic desire is not limited to attraction to a beautiful body. Rather, erotic love is a strong desire to engage deeply with another person, to form a relationship without boundaries. It incorporates understanding of the other.
The understanding of erotic love reveals an external and invading force that overwhelms the physical body. It moves the person and carries sexual desire to levels of affliction. As depicted in literature and philosophy, erotic love is inherently jealous and breeds distrust among rivals. It brings a perspective of possessing the object of love. Sexual love can turn cruel and angry, and it may lead to vice. It is not just, as it expresses deep discrimination between the beautiful and the ugly. It creates disadvantageous hierarchies between the strong and weak, the young and old. Erotic love is remarkably jealous and cannot rejoice when a rival succeeds (Marion 37). This is why a person can commit murder for the object of love. This demonstrates the dangers to which people expose themselves when they embrace erotic love. When embarking on this path, it threatens social order; hence, lovers often present themselves furtively, concealing their true feelings, especially when they fear the world will reject their attachment.
In comparing agape love with erotic love, the projection of erotic love differs and is almost opposite to agape love. Erotic love directs itself toward an embodied subject. This raises a question: does erotic love direct itself solely toward physical features? The idea that erotic love is an embodiment between the objects of love opens room for discussion. In this context, the solution to erotic desires is not their gratification but their retention. It is not a struggle to overcome desire, but rather to focus it so that it bears spiritual fruit. In the embodiment of lovers, love reproduces itself, as occurs when a child is born. Thus, the redemption of erotic desires lies at the heart of social order (Ward 52). Social order defines how this arousal is expressed and how it connects to traditional beliefs and practices. For instance, traditional religions regard sexual union as a rite of passage involving society and producing an existential change in those joined. This union enters the spiritual realm when the joining occurs in a religious context and receives a blessing to lift that love from mere appetite to a greater spiritual union between souls. This correlation between God's love and erotic love indicates the cross-border aspect of defining erotic love from the perspective of agape.
Understanding God's love and the relationship a person experiences with the divine involves a mystical paradigm. God's love is unconditional (Ludy & Leslie 27). He does not require human performance to express His love. However, in relations of erotic love and other forms of love, only conditional love dominates interactions among people. God's love surpasses the understanding of all beings. It does not depend on human activities undertaken to please Him. By contrast, the Genesis account of creation portrays erotic love as an original blessing. It states that after finding Adam had no suitable partner among the created creatures, God created Eve from Adam's rib. This has various implications for understanding love. In his expression, Adam said that Eve was "flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone." This indicates acceptance of the other person. Similarly, erotic love involves the acceptance of the other party. Then the command to be fruitful and multiply enabled the fulfillment of erotic desire. This is the origin of erotic fulfillment in love, and it forms the basis of the marriage institution in religion.
From the beginning of humanity through creation, there exists a love shared between God and humans, and between beings themselves. Agape love and erotic love border the lines of God's infallible plan for humanity. Erotic love existed from creation, and its purpose was for humans to become fruitful (Ludy & Leslie 81). However, developments in the modern world propagate erotic love as the fulfillment of sexual desires. Contemporary society promotes sexual arousal through various media and activities. The style of dress is increasingly seductive. Images propagated on social media and through other channels promote the fulfillment of sexual desires. Movies, videos, and the internet continue to spread images of arousal. This causes confusion about the true nature of erotic love. Additionally, many young people who do not understand the essence of erotic love continue to pursue its fulfillment. This presents a challenge to society, as people engage in excessive behavior in the name of erotic love. Cross-border activities affect relationships between people who ought to experience pure erotic love. Confusion in these matters also affects people's relationship with God. The relational love between humans and God remains the greatest and strongest love, for it is unconditional, eternal, and self-sustaining.
Teresa was a mystical reformer and writer born in Spain in the early sixteenth century. She entered the Carmelite convent at eighteen years of age and focused on establishing a relationship with God. As a devout nun, she possessed a special relation with God through which she experienced the unfathomable love of God (Mujica 9). She experienced divine visions that allowed her to write many poems and quotes expressing the love she experienced in her relationship with God. In her later years, she founded a convent and wrote several significant works, including The Way of Perfection, a book for her nuns. She lived during a time of significant turmoil in the wake of religious reforms. She demonstrated qualities of a strong and inspired leader. Despite the challenges women faced in her society—where women occupied only passive roles—she remained visible and influential. Teresa was a mystic who reportedly levitated off the ground, her face illuminated. In her Christian life, she founded a movement advocating for simplicity, humility, and spiritual life over the increasing corrupt worldly practices that dominated other communities of monks and nuns. Through her social activities, she engaged in battles within the world of politics, legal disputes, exhausting travels, and letter campaigns.
Among her virtues was her obedience to her calling despite opposition from the Catholic world due to the Protestant Reformation. Mystical movements were regarded as heresy and had no place in society at that time. However, her spiritual commitment sustained her through the spiritual value of freeing individual feelings from self-will and the trap of personal ego (Mujica 67). Despite the challenges she faced, she remained committed to her mystical life, sharing a spiritual connection with John of the Cross. Her observation that prayer is nothing less than being in a friendship with God expresses her mysticism as communion with the divine. She shared a close relationship with God, as expressed in her poem Christ Has No Body, in which she offers herself wholly to the service of God.
"Close reading of Teresa's poem revealing ecstatic love for God"
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