The Higher Gifts- Why These Virtues Are Theological

How often it is that teachers learn as much from the lesson as the students do? Preparing for RCIA class last month, I read over the section on virtue in the students’ textbook. There they were, the theological and the cardinal virtues. I recalled those terms from my Catholic school religion classes. The theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity, and the cardinal virtues, are prudence, justice, courage, and temperance.

But wait, why are they identified as such? I’m unsure if I never learned the reasons for the titles “theological” and “cardinal”, or if I simply forgot over the years. But it was worth an investigation.

Cardinal vs. Theological Virtues

The cardinal virtues are admirable human tendencies, inclinations, or habits. People can grow in these virtues through their own efforts. Virtues help people to live good lives, to be content, and to get along with others. Certainly, prayer can help individuals grow in virtue. The Holy Spirit brings virtue to a higher level so that the virtues help people spiritually, as well as in worldly, practical matters.

On the other hand, the theological virtues are gifts of God. Without God’s grace, we would not have faith, we would have no hope for salvation, and we would have no real charity. More importantly, I read that without the theological virtues, we would not be able to have a relationship with God.

Theological Virtues and Our Relationship with God

I had to think that through. By definition, faith is essential in order to know God. It stands to reason, also, that hope is a necessary component for a relationship with God. If we merely believed but had no hope in his promises, what kind of a relationship would that be? Finally, charity moves us to adore God, seek intimacy with him, and obey his commands. The theological virtues, then, are like a cornerstone in the believer’s life. The world may identify other values such as kindness, justice, courage, and perseverance as more practical and necessary than believing and hoping in God. Christians realize, though, that those cornerstone, theological virtues enhance, or even make possible all of the other virtues.

I’ve long been convinced that humans have an innate need to believe in God. Like so many of our needs, people often do not realize the need for faith, any more than they realize the need for sleep or vegetables or to change a toxic relationship. But the need remains, nonetheless.

Faith as Justice Toward God

Scott Hahn defines this human need for God as the virtue of religion, which is related to justice. This concept was new to me. In his book, It Is Right and Just, Hahn explains that faith is actually justice toward God. The very idea of God being the recipient of justice opens a new door for me. We tend to think of God as the judge, not one to whom we owe justice. And yet it makes sense: justice is so closely related to truth, and God is truth. Hahn points out that at every Mass we say aloud that “It is right and just” to lift up our hearts to the Lord. These are words from ancient times, and the human need to be right and just in our relationship with God has not changed.

While humans desperately need faith, it is only available by the grace of God. Truths that God gives us through revelation are not those which we can know by reason. Without Scripture, Tradition, and Church teaching, we would not automatically know about God’s word to the ancient prophets, or about our Savior, his death and resurrection. These facts of our salvation history we know only through faith in the messengers God sends us, the apostles, the evangelists, and the Church (Groeschel 94).

Faith is different from reason. With reason, we figure out what is so. We determine how a flower grows, calculate electric bills, and create rules to manage traffic. With faith, we accept that God exists, that he loves us, that he commands us to act morally. Cardinal John Henry Newman explains that reason can bring us to the conclusion that there are sufficient grounds for believing, but our actual belief is the gift of grace (Groeschel 99). At some point, with God’s grace, we consent to believe the truths God reveals to us (Groeschel 95). Faith is a gift. Our acceptance of this gift is us doing our duty to God.

Regarding Non-believers

It is perplexing when we know of people who have no faith, or who have lost their faith. Those with loved ones in this situation may take comfort as they pray for their loved ones. In Lumen Gentium, the Vatican Council fathers acknowledge the possibility of salvation for those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ. For people may do God’s will by following the dictates of conscience (Groeschel, LG 16). If the opportunity arises to discuss faith with a non-believer, we may always suggest that they pray for faith, just in case there really is a God. As a grammar teacher, I may call this praying in the subjunctive case (Groeschel 100).

The Helmet of Hope

By the virtue of hope, we rely on Christ’s promises, rather than on our own strength (CCC 1817). Closely related to faith, hope inspires and gives courage. The basis for Christians’ hope is Christ’s death and resurrection, which have restored our relationship with the Father (Groeschel 123).

The Catechism offers an interesting image of hope. Quoting the New Testament, the Catechism calls hope a “helmet”, while faith and charity are the “breastplate” (CCC 1820). Think of that. Hope is so important that it protects the head, the mind, which carries the knowledge of Jesus, our reason for hope.

True Charity Gives Freedom

Charity may be one of the most misunderstood virtues in contemporary society. The theological virtue of charity differs from natural human sentiments of affection or sympathy. Christian charity is a gift from God that enables us to love our enemies, to go out of our way, even to suffer, for others. More than a vague benevolence, charity puts the other first and enables one to go against his selfish inclinations and to sacrifice for the good of others and out of love for Christ.

Charity gives Christians a kind of spiritual freedom, that belongs to the children of God (CCC 1828). Without charity, good deeds can actually be self-serving. Avoiding evil out of fear of punishment makes a person a slave while doing so for the love of God makes an acceptable sacrifice. St. Basil noted that pursuing goodness solely for the benefits one will receive in this life or the next is simply like workers seeking a wage (CCC 1828). Only when charity accompanies the good works and avoidance of evil does the person act freely, out of love rather than self-ism.

We should always seek to increase our faith, hope, and charity. We succeed in this not by our own striving, but by prayer. The theological virtues are gifts God will give to greater degrees when we humbly ask for them.

Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church. New York: Doubleday, 1995. Print.

Groeschel, Benedict. The Virtue Driven Life. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, 2006.

Hahn, Scott and McGinley, Brandon. It Is Right and Just. Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road Publishing, 2020.

Newman, John Henry. Discourses to Mixed Congregations. “Faith and Private Judgment.”