"There has been little interest in friendship in the history of Christendom"

 Leonard Sweet:

There has been little interest in friendship in the history of Christendom. The move from philia to agape in the Christian tradition was so dramatic that philia was almost left behind. 'A book on friendship now means, quite often, a collection of little sayings, attractively illustrated, meant as a gift, and sold in a drugstore' is how Gilbert  Meilaender puts it. About the only forms of relationships that have received sustained theological reflection in Christian literature are the two missing from this book: the erotic dimensions of relationships and marriage. Page 11 of 11: Indispensable Relationships You Can't Be Without