Thursday, January 09, 2014

Studies in Christian Ethics: Andrew Louth, "Virtue Ethics: St Maximos the Confessor and Aquinas Compared" (pdf)

Aquinas distinguishes the cardinal virtues from the theologial virtues, as Louth points out, but he also distinguishes between the infused virtues and the acquired virtues, a distinction which is missed by Louth in his essay. The infused cardinal virtues are subordinate to the theological virtues (also infused) but they cannot be acquired through practice, though it would seem that they can be strengthened to practice. (Does St. Maximus make this distinction between infused and acquired virtues?) The infused cardinal virtues are distinguished from the theological virtues by reason, but united in exercise, through grace and charity. If Louth were to take this distinction between the infused and acquired virtues into account, how would his treatment of Aquinas differ?

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