The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
Week 5: Eros
Read Chapter 4 of The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis ("Eros"). Key theme verse: Song of Solomon 8:6–7; Ephesians 5:25–33.
Previewing Week 5 of The Four Loves
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 8-week guide when you’re ready.
Lewis tackles romantic love with characteristic honesty — refusing both to sentimentalize it and to reduce it to mere biology. This chapter is required reading for anyone who has ever been 'in love' and wondered what exactly that experience is, and what it demands of us.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Lewis distinguishes between 'Eros' (being in love) and 'Venus' (the sexual instinct). Why is this distinction important? Have you ever confused the two?
2.He argues that when Eros is genuine, the lover is uniquely interested not in 'a woman' but in 'the woman' — this particular, irreplaceable person. How does this particularity connect to the dignity and uniqueness of each human being made in God's image?
3.Lewis says that Eros has an inherent tendency toward permanence — lovers naturally say 'forever' — and he argues this makes the vow of marriage not an external imposition on Eros but its natural fulfillment. Do you find this persuasive? How does contemporary culture view the relationship between romantic love and lifelong commitment?