The Moral Virtues and Theological Ethics, Second Edition

1. THE MORAL VIRTUES AND CHRISTIAN FAITH: ISSUES IN PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY

12 1. THE MORAL VIRTUES AND CHRISTIAN FAITH ISSUES IN PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY The present relevance which Aristotelian ethics holds for Christian moral theology derives in large measure from breakthroughs in British scholarship within the analytical tradition.1 Peter Geach, for instance, provides a complete account of classical virtue theory in his small book, The Virtues,2 treating the four cardinal virtues—prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance—as well as the three theological virtues—faith, hope, and charity. Notwithstanding the inclusion of the theological virtues, Geach’s work remains a philosophical text. “Faith is God’s gift,” he writes, “I try here only to remove obstacles to faith.”3 A bona fide theological text must aspire to do more than simply remove rational objections to revealed truth. If theology is to remain true to its character as a holy teaching, a sacra doctrina, its practitioners should ensure that every element of the instruction proceeds from and depends upon revealed wisdom. This standard applies equally to both moral theology and what we have become accustomed to call dogmatic theology.4 It remains a safe generalization to say that virtue theory occupies small place in the current renewal of moral theology, at least in Roman Catholic circles.5 Of course, developments in philosophy usually require some time to influence theological discussion. Still, it is useful to inquire Cessario_FINAL.indd 12 Cessario_FINAL.indd 12 9/9/2008 9:55:53 AM 9/9/2008 9:55:53 AM The Moral Virtues and Christian Faith 13 why the virtue tradition that once dominated so much of Christian thinking on moral matters scarcely receives attention today, even from those whose stated purpose includes the revision of Roman Catholic moral theory and practice. Consider how Thomas Aquinas planned his treatment of “moral matter” in the Summa theologiae. “After a general consideration of virtues and vices and other points pertaining to moral matter in general,” he writes in the prologue to the secunda secundae, “it is necessary to consider each of these one by one.”6 Aquinas devoted more space to the virtues, gifts, and beatitudes than to any other single topic in his textbook for beginners in theology, yet today few people would recognize these tractates as part of moral theology. When theologians debate such basic issues as the mode in which theology depends upon divine revelation and faith and no clear agreement exists even about theological method, it is not surprising to discover that moral theologians generally have chosen to ignore the precedent set by Aquinas and other medieval authors when they developed their moral theories within a framework of virtues and vices. Today, efforts to revise moral theology often employ ethical models based upon divine command or rule theories , usually moderated by the principle of proportionate reason. Admittedly, the meanings and functions of “proportion” differ according to the usage of the various authors. Still, in the final analysis, proportionalist authors identify the moral life with ethical obligations concretized in norms or precepts, although, as is well known, they have relaxed the rigid moral legalism which the various systems of moral casuistry had highly developed. Casuistry refers to the kind of moral argument which dominated Roman Catholic theology for nearly four hundred years before the Second Vatican Council. Since revisionist moral theologians want to distance themselves from a narrow view of moral law, they recommend moral regulations with a Cessario_FINAL.indd 13 Cessario_FINAL.indd 13 9/9/2008 9:55:53 AM 9/9/2008 9:55:53 AM 14 The Moral Virtues and Christian Faith certain flexibility depending on such factors as the weighing of results, the urgency of a particular situation, or the establishment of a hierarchy of moral values.7 Self-determination and even imagination figure prominently in the way many moral theologians work out theories for decision making. Whatever success these techniques may promise for solving difficult cases of conscience, such trends offer little hope for restoring virtue to the place it should maintain in Christian moral theory. Curiously, there does exist a similarity between the project of revisionist moral theologians and that of the earlier casuistry: both have shown little more than passing interest in the place of virtue in the moral life. As shown by the Belgian theologian Servais Pinckaers,8 casuistry rejected the optimistic program set forth by such high medieval theologians as Aquinas. In his Summa theologiae Aquinas proposed to devote a tractate in turn...