Love as a principle and philosophy as salvation: assumptions of a secular spirituality

Abstract

At a time when faith and religious institutions seem to have lapses we have as opposed moving the appreciation of spirituality, at least with regard to the philosophical proposal of Luc Ferry. Secularising Christian love, the author presents us with a philosophy that is able to save man through the sense given to life, that is not expected to be saved by an existing absolute outside of the world, but salvation depends only on man. In this sense, as we make choices and individual projects, we liquidate all forms of deterministic thinking. In this respect, it is the task of the spirituality to awaken man to the need to assert itself as a subject while leaving himself toward the other, as confirmation of a secular spirituality guided by compassion and love. However, it is not a sentimental spirituality, but rather a spirituality in accordance with the philosophical tradition and the humanistic rationality. Thus, the spirituality will not be relegated to the private sphere, but will reach even the political action and social life. Finally, we realize that this secular spirituality that underlies humanitarian actions and its own family relationship is similar in many ways to the agapic proposal of Christian love.