The Christian tradition offers a robust and compelling vision of what it is for human life to be lived well. The essays in this volume articulate various aspects of that vision in ways that will deepen understanding of the virtues and virtue formation. These essays will also inspire and guide readers, Christian and non-Christian alike, in their efforts to grow in virtue. Topics addressed include the value of studying the vices for moral formation; the importance of emotion and agency in virtue formation; the connections between certain disabilities and virtue; the roles of divine grace, liturgy, worship, and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in Christian virtue formation; the formation of infused virtues, including the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love; the roles of friendship and the communal life of the Church in cultivating virtue; and new philosophical and theological reflections on some largely neglected virtues. Exemplifying an interdisciplinary approach, the contributors to this volume draw on philosophical, theological, and biblical wisdom, along with insights from contemporary psychology and rich narrative examples, in aid of becoming good. By providing deeply insightful and edifying reflections on the prospects, processes, and practices of moral and spiritual formation, this volume demonstrates that when it is at its best moral philosophy not only can illuminate, but also can practically guide and inspire the formation of virtue.
Hope as a Virtue in the Middle Ages