Morality and Virtues:Cultivating Character

In This Chapter… Virtues: Habits of the Heart

The Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity

The Cardinal Virtues: Hinges Holding Together the Moral Life

A Virtuous Person: A Person of Integrity

Creating Communities of Character

Conclusion: Become a Person of Integrity – Cultivate Character

Major terms

Morality:– Our decision making capacity as it affects

ourselves and others; the way we lead our lives in response to God’s love

Moral:– Positive; promotes human welfare

Immoral:– Negative; harmful and destructive

Amoral:– No sense of right or wrong; insensitive to moral

effects of actions

The Concept of Morality

Morality – a science of what ought to be done in order to become fully developed human beings;

Three sources of knowledge – human reason, human experience, divine revelation.

Morality as Science and Art

Morality involves:

* the science (critical thinking)

* the art (creativity and imagination)

Virtues: Habits of the Heart Character:

Who we are, who we are becoming through our actions and our choices

Vices:– Patterns of behavior that are harmful to one’s

self or others

Virtues

– Character strengths manifested on a consistent basis in decision making

– Habits of the heart that need to be cultivated and developed

– Virtues empower us to grow, develop and fulfill our potential

Theological Virtues

Foundation of Christian moral activity; given to us by God; inner principles which must be strengthened

Faith – Hope – Charity (Love)

Faith – Seeking to Do God’s Will

Faith:– Enables us to believe in God; the virtue

of seeking to know and to do God’s will– Requires openness and trust

Faith-in-Action:– Trying to discover what is God’s will and

then acting accordingly

Hope – A Virtue of Responsibility

Enables us to trust that God is always working for our good – Trusting the promises made by Christ and the

help of the Holy Spirit

Not wishful thinking:– Not passive – trusting in God and cooperating

with his grace, hope intimately tied to responsibility

Having the vision to see things differently and trying to bring about change

Love – The Cornerstone of Virtues

Represents the core of the Christian moral life

Five characteristics of love– Giving / Caring / Responsibility / Respect /

Knowledge

It is by loving that we are able to live moral lives

Cardinal Virtues

Practical common sense virtues: “hinges” to our moral life

Prudence:– Practical judgment

“what is the right thing to do in this particular situation?”

– Common sense

Cardinal Virtues

Justice:– reminds us that others have rights and

basic needs that need to be metFortitude:

– Courage in the face of adversityStanding up for what is right

Temperance:– Self-control; eliminating unnecessary

distractions to living a good moral life

Virtuous Person - Integrity

Integrity:– Being faithful to what one believes;

– Operating in an overall consistent pattern;

– Manifesting wholeness in their behavior;

– Being true to oneself and to God;

Four major aspects of Integrity

– GenuinenessNot hiding behind a role or image; seeking

honest communication with others– Consistency

Sticking to one’s values – turning stated values (claim as imp.) into lived values (demonstrate in our actions)

– Openness - honest with ourselves – Empathy

Identifying the joys and sorrows of others as our own

Communities of Character

Community of good character:– A community that exhibits an

environment where virtue is the norm among its members;

– Promotes the common good and provides the conditions such as peace and respect that allow its people to grow and develop.

Steps of Living a Moral Life

1) Appreciating the gift of being human;

2) Using our intellect;3) Looking to the law to guide one’s

freedom4) Imitating Jesus

Steps of Living a Moral Life

5) Forming, informing, and following one’s conscience;

6) Repenting and seeking forgiveness;7) Loving God above all;8) Loving oneself;9) Loving one’s neighbor.