We explain what theological virtues are and the meaning of each one. Also, how they differ from the cardinal virtues.
What are the theological virtues?
Theological virtues or theological virtues are, according to Christian tradition and dogma, the set of behaviors and values that bring human beings closer to divine grace since they have been instilled in him by God to guide his actions. For this reason they are also known as infused virtues.
Traditionally, the theological virtues are considered to be three: faith, hope and charity. They work in conjunction with calls cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice), as moral coordinates to guide the actions of Christians. Life, under these precepts or guidelines, is considered by the faithful as a “state of grace”, that is, as a guarantee of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The three theological virtues were taken by Christian tradition directly from the writings of the apostle Paul of Tarsus (c. 5-c.67 AD), who was an evangelizer and influential figure in the history of the Christian religion. Saint Paul understood these three theological virtues as characteristics of Christianity, which complemented the four cardinal or natural virtues inherited from the pagan tradition.
See also: The 25 most important human virtues
What do theological virtues consist of?
The theological virtues of Christianity are three:
- Charity. Comparable to love (and sometimes referred to by that name), it is the greatest of the three theological virtues and the last one that must prevail in situations where the others fail. It consists of professing love for God above all things, and through this feeling, loving one's neighbor as one loves oneself, exercising the practice of goodness and fraternity. According to Christian theology, charity engenders joy, peace and mercy, is always selfless and friendly, and fosters reciprocity. This is what Jesus of Nazareth was referring to when he instructed his followers: “love one another.”
- Faith. It consists of security and blind trust in God and his teachings, but not from a passive point of view, but rather an active one: as the Christian theologian Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430) formulated it, “you cannot believe if you do not want to.” ” (credere non potest nisi volens). Jesus of Nazareth explained faith as the authority of the revealed doctrine of God, ratified by the miracles that he, his son on Earth, had performed. Therefore, the Christian faith is the desire to submit to the way of God, since no one can be converted to Christianity against their will.
- Hope. It consists of the deep confidence that God's promises will be fulfilled, if not in the earthly world, then in the afterlife. The Christian friar and theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) defined it as the capacity of the human being to “…have confidence and complete certainty of achieving eternal life and the means, both supernatural and natural, necessary to achieve it, supported by the omnipotent help of God.”
Difference between theological virtues and cardinal virtues
Both the theological or theological virtues and the cardinal or natural virtues are important moral and mystical values of Christianity, which are proposed to the faithful to guide their actions towards divine grace. However, they are usually distinguished from each other based on certain historical and theological features:
| Theological or theological virtues | Cardinal or natural virtues |
|---|---|
| They are typical of Christianity and therefore emerged from the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and the gospels of his apostles. | They are common to different ancient religions, which inherited them from the classical Greek tradition. The philosopher Plato (427-347 BC) was the first to formulate them, based on the traditional values of earring Greek. |
| There are only three: faith, charity and hope. | There are only four: temperance, justice, prudence and fortitude. |
| They are considered virtues provided by God to his faithful. | They are considered virtues typical of human beings (hence “natural”). |
| Its purpose is to bring human beings closer to salvation and the grace of God. | Its purpose tends to the common good and the honesty of the faithful. |
Moral virtues
The moral virtues are the set of principles and values with which human beings choose to regulate their behavior whether they come from a religious or philosophical tradition.
Through them, a distinction is made between good and bad actions, that is, those that positively impact the individual and their community, and those that do so in a negative way. In principle, moral virtues seek to control people's behavior and, therefore, promote organized social life.
Thus, both the theological virtues and the cardinal virtues are examples of moral virtues of Christianity.
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References
- “Etymology of Virtue” in the Online Spanish Etymological Dictionary.
- “Catechism of the Catholic Church” on the Vatican website.
- “What are the cardinal virtues” in Cáritas de Monterrey (Mexico).
- “On the moral virtues” by María de la Luz G. Alonso in Sapientia (35, 1980), pp.456-472.
- “Virtue (in Christianity)” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
