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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 met
 Fortitude:
– Courage in the face of adversity
 Standing
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
– Genuineness
 Not
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
as our own
the joys and sorrows of others
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)
2)
3)
4)
Appreciating the gift of being
human;
Using our intellect;
Looking to the law to guide one’s
freedom
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.