What is "agape"

Agape \Ag"a*pe\, n.; pl. Agap[ae]. [Gr. 'aga`ph love, pl. 'aga`pai.] The love feast of the primitive Christians, being a meal partaken of in connection with the communion.

Agape \A*gape"\, adv. & a. [Pref. a- + gape.] Gaping, as with wonder, expectation, or eager attention.

Dazzles the crowd and sets them all agape.
--Milton. [1913 Webster] ||

c.1600, from Greek agape "brotherly love, charity," from agapan "greet with affection, love," which is of unknown origin. Agape was used by early Christians for their "love feast" held in connection with the Lord's Supper. In modern use, often in simpler sense of "Christian love" (1856, frequently opposed to eros as "carnal or sensual love").

1660s, from a- (1) + gape (v.).

Etymology 1 a. 1 Being in a state of astonishment, wonder, expectation, or eager attention; as with mouth hanging open. 2 wide open. adv. 1 In a state of astonishment, wonder, expectation, or eager attention. 2 open wide. Etymology 2

n. 1 (context Christianity English) the love of God for mankind, or the benevolent love of Christians for others. 2 spiritual, altruistic, beneficial love which wills good for others. 3 a love feast, especially one held in the early Christian church in connection with the eucharist.

1. adj. with the mouth wide open as in wonder or awe; "the gaping audience"; "we stood there agape with wonder"; "with mouth agape" [syn: agape(p), gaping]

2. n. (Greek) love (especially love that is spiritual and selfless in nature)

3. a religious meal shared as a sign of love and fellowship [syn: love feast]

Agape (, agápē) is "love: the highest form of love, charity; the love of God for man and of man for God." Not to be confused with "philēo" – brotherly love – agápē embraces a universal, unconditional love that transcends, that serves regardless of circumstances. The noun form first occurs in the Septuagint, but the verb form goes as far back as Homer, translated literally as affection, as in "greet with affection" and "show affection for the dead." Other ancient authors have used forms of the word to denote love of a spouse or family, or affection for a particular activity, in contrast to philia (an affection that could denote friendship, brotherhood or generally non-sexual affection) and eros, an affection of a sexual nature.

In Christianity Agape is considered to be the love originating from God or Christ for humankind. In the New Testament, it refers to the covenant love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God; the term necessarily extends to the love of one's fellow man. Although the word did not have a specific religious connotation, it has been used by a variety of contemporary and ancient sources, including biblical authors and Christian authors."The love racket: Defining love and agape for the love-and-science research program", Zygon, vol. 40, no. 4 (December 2005), pp. 919-938 Defining Love (PDF)

The notion of agape has been examined as to traditions, whether Judeo-Christian or other world religions, religious ethics, and science.

Agape is commonly used by Christians to describe God's love, defining it as unconditional love.

Agape may also refer to:

• Agape feast, certain meals celebrated by early Christians

Agape is a genus of moths in the Erebidae family.

Agape is Zhang Liyin's third overall single, released on August 2, 2014 in China and August 6 in Korea. The song is dedicated to the victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Co-written by Zhang Liyin and Taiwanese lyricist Tina Wang, the song is about a mother who allows her child to live at the expense of her own life. The single's B-side track "Back Then" is a cover of the title song from Taiwanese film You Are the Apple of My Eye.

Dave Scherer, better known by his stage name Agape, is an American rapper and musician. He has been touring full-time since 2000, performing in the United States and in six other countries. He has recorded six CDs, including Many Rooms with producer Ant (Atmosphere, Brother Ali). On his recent CD Rise Up he worked with Chris Brown's producer Ra Charm as well as Grammy-award winning singer Billy Steele (Sounds of Blackness, The Steeles). He has performed in front of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Toby Mac, David Crowder, Tony Campolo, and gospel singer Kirk Franklin. In 2001, he co-founded "JUMP" (Joint Urban Ministries in Praise), a ministry dedicated to helping urban youth unleash their leadership skills through the arts. In 2009, he received the Tom Hunstad Award for excellence in youth ministry and his contribution to the lives of young people. He has also inspired many of the youth with his touching songs.

Agápē is the second mixtape by American pop-R&B singer JoJo. It is of EP length, unlike the previous mixtape. The mixtape was announced in early November 2012. JoJo recorded material specifically intended for the mixtape as she did not want to keep her fans waiting for new music any longer. Released on her 22nd birthday on December 20, 2012, it marked the follow-up to her 2010 mixtape Can't Take That Away from Me, which spawned the single and video for " In the Dark". The mixtape's first single "We Get By" was released for free online on November 15, 2012 on JoJo's official Soundcloud with a limited number of downloads, with JoJo stating that "there's a limit on the download because we want you to download the entire mixtape once it's released". She recorded the song with a group of her friends known as The Backpackkids who all got together to create what they call "genre-less music".