Back to Virtue: Traditional Moral Wisdom for Modern Moral ConfusionIgnatius Press, 1992 - 195 pages We have reduced all virtues to one: being nice. And, we measure Jesus by our standard instead of measuring our standard by Him. For the Christian, explains author Peter Kreeft, being virtuous is not a means to the end of pleasure, comfort and happiness. Virtue, he reminds us, is a word that means manly strength. But how do we know when we are being meek--or just cowardly? When is our anger righteous--and when is it a sin? What is the difference between being virtuous--and merely ethical? Back to Virtue clears up these and countless other questions that beset Christians today. Kreeft not only summarizes scriptural and theological wisdom on leading a holy life, he contrasts Christian virtue with other ethical systems. He applies traditional moral theology to present-day dilemmas such as abortion and nuclear armament. Kreeft restores to us what was once common knowledge: the Seven Deadly Sins have an antidote in the Beatitudes. By setting up a close contrast between the two sets of behaviors, Kreeft offers proven guidance in the often bewildering process of discerning right from wrong as we move into the questionable mores of the twenty-first century. He provides a road map of virtue, a map for our earthly pilgrimage synthesized from the accumulated wisdom of centuries of Christians, from Paul and the early Church Fathers through C.S. Lewis. |
Contents
Foreword by Russell Kirk | 11 |
The Beatitudes Confront | 83 |
Poor in Spirit vs Proud in Heart | 97 |
Giving Mercy vs Getting Things Avarice | 109 |
Blessed Mourning vs Mourning | 121 |
Other editions - View all
Back to Virtue: Traditional Moral Wisdom for Modern Moral Confusion Peter Kreeft Limited preview - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
addicted agape anger angry Augustine avarice Beatitudes become believe blessed blessedness body C. S. Lewis Christ Christian Church civilization commandment death desire divine earth envy eternal ethics evil fact faith Father feel forgive Gabriel Marcel give gluttony God's grace greatest greed Greek happiness hate hatred Heaven Hell holy hope human nature humility Jesus justice Kierkegaard kind Kingdom live look Lord lust means meek mercy modern modernist morality mortal sin mourn Nietzsche nuclear opposite ourselves pagan paradox passion peace peacemakers persecuted Peter Kreeft philosophy Plato pleasure poverty of spirit practical pride prophets purity of heart question reason resentment righteousness road Saint Augustine Saint Paul Saint Thomas salvation says Scripture sermon seven deadly sins simply sinners sloth social society Søren Kierkegaard sorrow soul spiritual suffering supernatural virtue teaching thing three theological virtues tion true truth values virtues and vices wisdom word wrath
Popular passages
Page 9 - And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
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