Loving relationships and a praxis of love

ABSTRACT

Loving relationships are crucial to psychological and spiritual wellbeing. In this content analysis study, the centrality of loving relationships to a praxis of love framework is examined. This framework draws upon the works of Jane Addams, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Jr., Jean Vanier, and Mary Jo Leddy, five notable innovators in spirituality and public initiatives. Faith was important to these five, and they endeavored to live out their spirituality in their interpersonal relationships. I highlight three relationship dimensions from the framework—whole relationships, community, and hospitality—to demonstrate how they understood relationships and how they lived out what they knew.

KEYWORDS:

• Religion and spirituality
• love
• praxis
• whole relationship
• community
• hospitality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.