Virtue Christianly Considered

(Transl. by A.Bronk SVD & B. Matuszczyk)

Abstract

We begin the article by criticizing views of the moral life which depend on the existence of a special sphere of moral obligation. As Christian theologians, we admit our preference for virtue thinking, for it considers not only what we do but who we are. Nonetheless, while virtue thinking is gaining popularity among Anglo-American philosophers, we have doubts about whether its proponents recognize that virtues make sense only when imbedded in particular historical communities. The philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre understands this, but as John Milbank's criticisms reveal, his thought ultimately is more firmly rooted in Greek theories of virtue than in Christian beliefs, particularly those articulated by Aquinas regarding the centrality of charity, and its implications for Christian peacemaking.