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Morality and Virtues: Cultivating Character

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

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Morality and Virtues: Cultivating Character

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  1. Morality and Virtues: Cultivating Character

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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.

  5. Morality as Science and Art Morality involves: * the science (critical thinking) * the art (creativity and imagination)

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. Theological Virtues • Foundation of Christian moral activity; given to us by God; inner principles which must be strengthened • Faith – Hope – Charity (Love)

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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;

  15. 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 the joys and sorrows of others as our own

  16. 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.

  17. Steps of Living a Moral Life Appreciating the gift of being human; Using our intellect; Looking to the law to guide one’s freedom Imitating Jesus

  18. 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.

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