Deus Caritas Est (Latin: God is Love, subtitled De Christiano Amore, "of Christian love") is a 2006 encyclical—the first written by Pope Benedict XVI, in large part derived from writings by his late predecessor, Pope John Paul II. Its subject is love, as seen through a Christian perspective, and God's place within all love. The encyclical begins with a reflection on the forms of love known in Greek philosophy —eros (possessive, often sexual, love), agape (unconditional, self-sacrificing love), philia (the word) —and their relationship with the teachings of Jesus.