The Moral Virtues and Theological Ethics, Second Edition

INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION

1 INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION In order to explicate what Christians believe about the moral life, theological ethics has long employed both the vocabulary and the rhetoric of virtue theory. Arguably, one can discover the substance of a well-developed theology of virtue even in the earliest patristic writers. But a fourth-century Christian apologist, Lactantius, gave the subject of virtue in the Christian life its first embellished treatment in his Divinae Institutiones.1 Of course, justification for this practice derives from the New Testament itself. Even a casual perusal of the Gospels and the writings of the apostles reveals the specificity of Christian teaching on the virtues. In general, the New Testament presents virtue as an interior principle of the moral life which directs the individual’s relationship with God and with neighbor. As such, Christian virtue remains a stable reality, something which firmly establishes in the believer the capacity to accomplish those deeds which are worthy of the Kingdom of God. To cite but a single example, consider the parable of the wise and foolish maidens (Mt 25:1–13). Jesus compares those ready to welcome the reign of God with five prudent maidens, whose virtuous character primed them even for the unexpected arrival of the bridegroom. The principal point of the parable illustrates the kind of preparedness Jesus expects of his disciples, but the wise or prudent maidens also represent all those who possess the ensemble of Cessario_FINAL.indd 1 Cessario_FINAL.indd 1 9/9/2008 9:55:53 AM 9/9/2008 9:55:53 AM 2 Introduction virtues which characterize a complete Christian life. The burning oil lamps which they carry into the wedding feast symbolically portray Christian wisdom, the crown of the other gifts of the Holy Spirit and of the infused moral virtues. This Christian wisdom empowers all those who embrace prudence and the other moral virtues to fulfill the requirements of an integral and holy life. At the same time, the wise maidens present themselves as both qualified and eager to enter into the company of Christ. As a biblical symbol, the marriage feast represents beatitude, the definitive embrace of divine love for the creature, which constitutes the final perfection that Christian belief and practice achieve in each one of us. The New Testament authors may use the term “virtue” sparingly, but, as in so many similar cases, the substance of the concept pervades their moral teaching. Moreover, ample documentation exists to show that some of the earliest moral instruction in the Church uses the language of virtue . In fact, St. Augustine spoke about the virtue of Christ himself as the principal support of the believer’s whole life.2 This justifies his confidence when, commenting on the verse of the psalm, “My mouth is filled with thy praise, and with thy glory all the day” (Ps 71:8), St. Augustine asks: “What does it mean ‘all the day’?” He gives this reply: “It means without interruption: In good times, because Christ consoles us; in bad times, because he corrects us; before we came to be, because Christ made us; as long as we exist, because he has given us salvation; when we sin, because Christ ignores it; when we are converted, because Christ urges it; when we shall have endured, because Christ crowns our perseverance.”3 Clearly, St. Augustine understood the controlling truth of the Christian religion, namely, that our lives find fulfillment only by following the rhythm which Christ himself establishes. This book provides a general introduction to the study of the Christian moral virtues. It is a practical book, which purports to help the interested reader establish the rhythm of Christ-centered virtue in his or her own life. Cessario_FINAL.indd 2 Cessario_FINAL.indd 2 9/9/2008 9:55:53 AM 9/9/2008 9:55:53 AM Introduction 3 By and large, Christians are accustomed to examine their conscience by referring to the Decalogue and, for Roman Catholics, to the commandments of the Church. Contemporary debate about the principles of moral theology, the role of an ecclesiastical Magisterium, the prerogatives of personal conscience, and other matters have surely altered the manner in which the believer undertakes this examination of conscience. Even though revisionism interprets rules differently from the procedure endorsed by preconciliar casuistry, revisionist moral theology still remains rule-centered.4 Because neither casuistry nor revisionism figure largely in the present study, this book...