Seven virtues

Short description: Seven virtues in Christian tradition

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Catholic philosophy

Aquinas, Scotus, and Ockham

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Philosophers

Ancient

* Ambrose
* Athanasius the Great
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Postclassical

* Pseudo-Dionysius
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* Bede
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* Catherine of Siena
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Modern

* Baltasar Gracián
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Contemporary

* Pope Benedict XVI
* Pope John Paul II
* Mortimer J. Adler
* G. E. M. Anscombe
* Robert Barron
* Hans Urs von Balthasar
* G. K. Chesterton
* Yves Congar
* Edward Feser
* Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange
* Étienne Gilson
* René Girard
* Romano Guardini
* Dietrich von Hildebrand
* Faustina Kowalska
* Peter Kreeft
* Felicité de Lamennais
* Bernard Lonergan
* Marshall McLuhan
* Alasdair MacIntyre
* Gabriel Marcel
* Jacques Maritain
* Désiré Mercier
* Thomas Merton
* Oswald von Nell-Breuning
* John Henry Newman
* Erich Przywara
* Karl Rahner
* Antonio Rosmini
* Edith Stein
* Eleonore Stump
* Charles Taylor

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In Christian history, the seven heavenly virtues combine the four cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude with the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity.

The seven capital virtues, also known as seven lively virtues, contrary or remedial virtues, are those opposite to the seven deadly sins. They are often enumerated as chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, kindness, patience, and humility.

## Contents

* 1 Seven heavenly virtues
* 1.1 Cardinal virtues
* 1.2 Theological virtues
* 2 Seven capital virtues
* 3 See also
* 4 References

## Seven heavenly virtues

### Cardinal virtues

Main article: Philosophy:Cardinal virtues

The term "cardinal virtues" (virtutes cardinales) was first used by the 4th-century theologian Ambrose,[1] who defined the four virtues as "temperance, justice, prudence, and fortitude".[2] These were also named as cardinal virtues by Augustine of Hippo, and were subsequently adopted by the Catholic Church. They are described as "human virtues" in the Catholic Catechism.[3]

Prior to Ambrose, these four qualities were identified by the Greek philosopher Plato as the necessary character traits of a good man, and were discussed by other ancient authors such as Cicero. They can also be found in the Old Testament Book of Wisdom, which states that wisdom "teaches moderation and prudence, righteousness and fortitude, and nothing in life is more useful than these."[4]

### Theological virtues

Main article: Philosophy:Theological virtues

The theological virtues are those named by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13: "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love."[5] The third virtue is also commonly referred to as "charity", as this is how the influential King James Bible translated the Greek word agape.

The traditional understanding of the difference between cardinal and theological virtues is that the latter are not fully accessible to humans in their natural state without assistance from God.[6] Thomas Aquinas believed that while the cardinal virtues could be formed through habitual practice, the theological virtues could only be practised by divine grace.[7]

## Seven capital virtues

The seven capital virtues or seven lively virtues (also known as the contrary or remedial virtues)[8] are those thought to stand in opposition to the seven capital vices (or deadly sins).

Prudentius, writing in the 5th century, was the first author to allegorically represent Christian morality as a struggle between seven sins and seven virtues. His poem Psychomachia depicts a battle between female personifications of virtues and vices, with each virtue confronting and defeating a particular vice.[9] However, Prudentius did not base his allegory on the cardinal and theological virtues, nor did he use the traditional list of capital vices. The combatants in the Psychomachia are as follows:

Virtue | Latin | Sin | Latin

|
|
|

Chastity | Pudicitia | Lust  | Sodomita Libido
Faith | Fides | Idolatry[10] | Veterum Cultura Deorum
Good Works  | Operatio | Avarice  | Avaritia
Concord  | Concordia | Discord  | Discordia
Sobriety  | Sobrietas | Indulgence  | Luxuria
Patience | Patientia | Wrath  | Ira
Humility | Mens Humilis | Pride | Superbia

The success of this work popularised the concept of capital virtues among medieval authors. In AD 590, the seven capital vices were revised by Pope Gregory I, which led to the creation of new lists of corresponding capital virtues. In modern times, the capital virtues are commonly identified as the following:[11]

Virtue | Latin | Sin | Latin

|
|
|

Chastity | Castitas | Lust  | Luxuria
Temperance | Temperantia | Gluttony  | Gula
Charity | Caritas | Greed | Avaritia
Diligence | Diligentia | Sloth  | Acedia
Kindness | Humanitas | Envy | Invidia
Patience | Patientia | Wrath | Ira
Humility | Humilitas | Pride | Superbia

Although some medieval authors attempted to contrast the capital vices with the heavenly virtues, such efforts were rare.[12] According to historian István P. Bejczy, "the capital vices are more often contrasted with the remedial or contrary virtues in medieval moral literature than with the principal virtues, while the principal virtues are frequently accompanied by a set of mirroring vices rather than by the seven deadly sins".[13]

## See also

* Aristotle's list of virtues
* Cardinal and Theological Virtues, painting by Raphael

## References

1. ↑ Bejczy, István P. (2011). The Cardinal Virtues in the Middle Ages. Boston: Brill. p. 12. ISBN 978-9004210141. https://books.google.com/books?id=VgPRu0CJ_sQC.
2. ↑ Just, Arthur A., ed (2003). Luke. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. InterVarsity Press. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-8308-1488-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=Gh6sFDUfq8cC&pg=PA104.
3. ↑ "Catechism of the Catholic Church 3.1.1.7". St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c1a7.htm.
4. ↑ Wisdom of Solomon 8:7
5. ↑ 1 Corinthians 13:13
6. ↑ Waldron, Martin Augustine (1912). "Virtue". Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15472a.htm.
7. ↑ Marbaniang, Domenic (May 2019). "Theology and Ethics: An Introduction". Revive 12 (5): 6.
8. ↑ Bejczy 2011, p. 225.
9. ↑ Wieland, Gernot (1986). "Aldhelm's 'De Octo Vitiis Princip Alibus' and Prudentius' 'Psychomachia'". Medium Aevum 55 (1): 85–86. doi:10.2307/43628952.
10. ↑ Young, S.. "From the desert to the university: Parisian theologians and the seven deadly sins". Scholarly Community at the Early University of Paris: Theologians, Education and Society. Cambridge University Press. pp. 168–207.
11. ↑ Siker, Jeffrey S. (2015). Jesus, Sin, and Perfection in Early Christianity. Cambridge University Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-107-10541-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=1yFTCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA46.
12. ↑ Bejczy 2011, pp. 228–229.
13. ↑ Bejczy 2011, p. 233.

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Seven virtues in Christian ethics

Four
cardinal virtues|

* Prudence (Prudentia)
* Justice (Iustitia)
* Fortitude (Fortitudo)
* Temperance (Temperantia)

* Sources: Plato
* Republic, Book IV
* Cicero
* Ambrose
* Augustine of Hippo
* Thomas Aquinas

Faith, Hope and Love, as portrayed by Mary Lizzie Macomber (1861–1916)

Three
theological virtues|

* Faith (Fides)
* Hope (Spes)
* Love (Caritas)

* Sources: Paul the Apostle
* 1 Corinthians 13

Seven deadly sins|

* Lust (Luxuria)
* Gluttony (Gula)
* Greed (Avaritia)
* Sloth (Acedia)
* Wrath (Ira)
* Envy (Invidia)
* Pride (Superbia)

* Source: Prudentius, Psychomachia

* People: Evagrius Ponticus
* John Cassian
* Pope Gregory I
* Dante Alighieri
* Peter Binsfeld

Related concepts|

* Ten Commandments
* Great Commandment
* Eschatology
* Sin
* Original sin
* Old Covenant
* Hamartiology

* Christian philosophy

* v
* t
* e

Seven deadly sins

* Lust
* Gluttony
* Greed
* Sloth
* Wrath
* Envy
* Pride

Persons categorizing
and describing the sins|

* Evagrius Ponticus
* John Cassian
* Pope Gregory I
* Dante Alighieri
* Peter Binsfeld

Hieronymus Bosch – The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things

In art and culture|

* Divine Comedy
* Inferno
* Purgatorio
* The Seven Deadly Sins (1585 play)
* The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things (painting)
* The Seven Deadly Sins (1933 ballet)
* The Seven Deadly Sins (1952 film)
* The Seven Deadly Sins (1962 film)
* The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence (1975)
* Seven (1995 film)
* Fullmetal Alchemist (manga series)
* Fullmetal Alchemist (2003 anime)
* Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009 anime)
* The Seven Deadly Sins (manga series)
* The Seven Deadly Sins of Modern Times (painting)
* Jack (webcomic)
* Four Last Things (video game)
* Shazam!

Related|

* Seven Heavenly Virtues
* Seven Social Sins
* Sin
* Christian views on sin
* Christian views on the Old Covenant
* Hamartiology

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