Charity as Love of Friendship

Abstract

This article tries to explain just one aspect of the thomistic conception of charity. Let us first, take into account the Aristotelian theory in relation to friendship, as it is specified in Ethics to Eudemo and in Ethics to Nicomaco. We submit to Aristotle because he is at a peak level in connection with the concept of friendship. St Thomas follows Aristotle’s idea of friendship in order to be able to explain charity as love from friendship. He explains that charity lets us have a deep friendship with God and our fellow beings. Charity in itself, as well as the internal and external effects to this act can be deeply understood as many other acts relating to friendship.