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Theological virtues - in theology and Christian philosophy, are the character qualities associated with salvation, resulting from the grace of God, which enlightens human mind^[1].

In the Bible edit

The three theological virtues are:

Faith - belief in God, and in the truth of His revelation as well as obedience to Him (cf. Rom 1:5:16:26)^[2]^[3]
Hope - expectation of and desire of receiving; refraining from despair and capability of not giving up
Charity - selfless, unconditional, and voluntary loving-kindness such as helping one's neighbours.

They occur in the Bible at 1 Corinthians 13:13:

"And now abideth faith, hope, and love, even these three: but the chiefest of these is love". (Geneva Bible, 1560).

The English word love for the third and greatest of the virtues, ἀγάπη (agapē), was used by all of the English translators of the Bible in the 16th Century, including Tyndale (1534), the Bishops' Bible (1568) and the Geneva Bible (1560). It is also used by almost all current translations of the Bible, including the New King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the New International Version.

The King James Version (1611) and the Challoner Douay Rheims Bible (1752) prefer the more theological term Charity for the same idea of specifically Christian love.

Catholic theology edit

In Catholic theology, it is held that these virtues differ from the cardinal virtues in that they can not be obtained by human effort. A person can only receive them by their being "infused"—through Divine grace—into the person.

The three Virtues in Bom Jesus, Braga

The theological virtues are so named because the object of these virtues is the divine being (theos). Other virtues have vice at their extremes, and are only virtues when they are maintained between these extremes. In the case of the Theological Virtues, they do not contribute to vice at the positive extreme; that is, there is no vice in having an unlimited amount of faith, hope, or love, when God is the object of that virtue.

More than one vice can be the opposite of each theological virtue:

Lack of faith may give place to incredulity (as in atheism and agnosticism), blasphemy or apostasy.
Lack of hope may give place to despair or cynicism.
Lack of love may give place to hatred, wrath or indifference.

Symbolism edit

Theological Virtues are often depicted in art as young women. The symbols most often associated with them are:

Faith - cross, pointing upward, staff and chalice, lamp, candle
Hope - anchor, harp, flaming brand, palm
Love - flaming heart, with children, gathering fruit

For an example of this, the stained glass at St. Martin's Church in Brampton^[4]

The theological virtues on the Tomb of Antipope John XXIII by Donatello and Michelozzo

Philosophical parallels edit

The Transcendentals, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, first popularized by Plato in the 4th Century BCE, appear to parallel the Virtue themes of Faith, Hope, and Love, but with a focus on the object of the virtues instead of the virtuous practices themselves. While Truth and Beauty (or the perception thereof) can be easily recognized as the objects of Hope and Love, Goodness and Faith are perhaps less easily connected. An intersection can be understood, however, through the unifying theme of Power. While Scripture commonly associates Faith with Power (e.g. 1 Corinthians 2:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 1 Peter 1:5), the concept of Goodness has also been explained by Immanuel Kant and similar thinkers as the favorable or "good" outcome of applied Power (i.e. one's actions).^[5] This also fits with the biblical paradigm that "faith without works is dead" (James 2). Interestingly, 2 Thessalonians 1:11 connects these terms in a single statement: "I pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power." Thus, the Virtues and the Transcentals can be understood as the elementary realities of Truth, Beauty, and Power and respective appropriate responses of Hope, Love, and Faith-resulting in Goodness.

The motto, "Truth, Beauty, and Power", was adopted by the 19th Century Scottish artist, designer, and central figure of the Aesthetic Movement, Christopher Dresser. His application of the concepts related specifically to design methodology, with Truth referring to the "honesty" of materials used, Beauty referring to design that is “lovable” and “tireless”, and Power as expressing “energy” in his creations.^[6]

The Psychoanalytic Theory of Sigmund Freud posits a triune human psyche of 1) passionate Id impulsively seeking sensual "beauty", 2) powerful SuperEgo generating motivation toward and faith in "goodness", and 3) mediating / moderating Ego rationality navigating realistic decisions based on perceived truths. Eric Berne's Transactional Analysis theory similarly parallels the Virtues with its post-psychoanalytic ego state framework of 1) child ego state (Id / Love), 2) parent ego state (Superego / Goodness or Power), and 3) adult ego state (Ego / Truth or Hope). Dialectical Behavior Therapy also articulates a three-fold model of 1) emotional mind (id / child), 2) rational mind (ego / adult) and 3) wise mind (superego / parent).

Biblical parallels edit

Numerous passages in Scripture list the faith, hope and love Virtues together, or more often the essential realities of power, truth, and beauty or love from which they emerge, revealing the triad's embedded presence in both Christian and pre-Christian biblical consciousness, as well as the historical roots that precede their articulation in ancient Greek philosophy.

Proverbs 3:3-5 - "Do not let love and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. . . Trust [i.e. faith, power] in Yahweh with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding."
Ephesians 1:18-19 - "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be opened so that you will know what is the hope of His calling [related to truth, significance], the glorious riches of His inheritance in the saints [a reference to loving community], and the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."
2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power [Gk dunameos] and love [Gk "agapes"] and a sound mind [Gk sophronismou, i.e. truth".

Theological parallels edit

Trinity - The members of the divine Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - are emphatically, though not exclusively, characterized in Scripture by the respective themes of Love, Truth (i.e. Hope), and Power (i.e. Faith). Both the Apostle John's Gospel and first Epistle highlight Love as the emphatically central aspect of the Father's character (e.g. John 3:16, 35; 5:20; 14:23; 15:9; 16:26-27; 17:26; 1 John 3:1; 4:7-10). The Son (i.e. Jesus) is introduced by the Apostle John in the first chapter of his Gospel as the logos, a Greek term meaning "word" that was commonly understood in first century Greco-Roman thought as a reference to the ideal of knowledge and truth. Other biblical passages that emphasis this aspect of Christ's person include John 8:31-32; 14:6; 18:37; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Ephesians 4:21. Finally, the Holy Spirit is commonly emphasized as the Spirit of power and the means by which God accomplishes His will (e.g. Zechariah 4:6; Luke 1:35; 4:14; Acts 1:8; 10:38; Romans 1:4; 15:13, 19; 1 Corinthians 2:4; Ephesians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:7). While not biblically exclusive (i.e. the Bible credits all the virtues to all members of the Trinity), and while not reductive of the oneness of God, the commonality with which the members of the divine Trinity are credited with these respective virtues is unique.

References edit

^ Cf. Second Council of Orange ch.5-7; H.J. Denzinger Enchiridion Symbolorum et Definitionum, 375-377
^ Pickar, C. H. (1967 (reprint 1981)). "Faith". The New Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. Washington D.C. p. 792. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
^ Catechism of the Catholic Church n. 2087
^ Visitcumbria.com
^ Kant Critique of Pure Reason (tr. Smith N.K., Macmillan, London) pp.87,107,113
^ Taylor, D. (1998). Truth, beauty, power: Dr. Christopher Dresser, 1834-1904: exhibition October 15 to December 19, 1998. (Historical Design, New York).

External links edit

Theological Virtues from Catholic Definitions
The Virtues - Catechism of the Catholic Church
Contrary, Heavenly, and Cardinal Virtues
The Three Theological Virtues at About.com

Category:Virtue Category:Christian ethics Category:Christian theology Category:Thomism Category:Christian terms

[1] Cf. Second Council of Orange ch.5-7; H.J. Denzinger Enchiridion Symbolorum et Definitionum, 375-377

[2] Pickar, C. H. (1967 (reprint 1981)). "Faith". The New Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. Washington D.C. p. 792. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)

[3] Catechism of the Catholic Church n. 2087

[4] Visitcumbria.com

[5] Kant Critique of Pure Reason (tr. Smith N.K., Macmillan, London) pp.87,107,113

[6] Taylor, D. (1998). Truth, beauty, power: Dr. Christopher Dresser, 1834-1904: exhibition October 15 to December 19, 1998. (Historical Design, New York).

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