The Seven Cardinal Virtues and the Indwelling Holy Spirit | Prof. Eleonore Stump
Apr 21, 2024
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Prof. Eleonore Stump discusses the seven cardinal virtues and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Topics include distinguishing virtues from sins, integrating virtues through the Holy Spirit, mandatory acts of mercy to avoid damnation, and exploring forgiveness as unconditional love and desire for goodness.
Faith in virtues involves surrender to God's love and longing for His goodness, emphasizing spiritual rebirth.
Charity as interactive love for God, reflecting intimacy portrayed in the Song of Songs.
Hope is depicted as strength amid struggles, instilling patience and anticipation of positive change.
Deep dives
The Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Cardinal Virtues
The podcast discusses the seven deadly sins that break love and transitions into the manifestations of love indicated by the seven cardinal virtues. The seven deadly sins are contrasted with the seven virtues, with an emphasis on charity, hope, and faith as components of these virtues. The theological virtues are explored emphasizing faith as a matter of love for God's goodness and a longing for His goodness.
Charity, Hope, and Faith in Spiritual Regeneration
The podcast delves into the concept of faith within the virtues, focusing on faith as surrendering to God's love and longing for His goodness. It emphasizes that faith is about the will and not just belief in propositions, leading to spiritual regeneration. Charity is presented as a love of God that is interactive and personal, highlighting the love for God reflected in the Song of Songs.
The Significance of Hope in Faith
Hope is discussed in the context of faith, depicting hope as essential in dealing with self-criticism and imperfections. The analogy of receiving a lottery check yet enduring current struggles symbolizes how hope provides strength and endurance amidst challenges. Hope is portrayed as the conviction that a positive change is imminent, instilling patience in facing personal shortcomings.
Understanding the Unity of Virtues and Grasping Justice
The unity of virtues is highlighted, suggesting that having any of the virtues entails possessing all of them, while lacking one means lacking all. Justice is examined in the context of love and goodness among people, particularly focusing on the works of mercy, which are depicted as obligatory acts integral to justice. The necessity of understanding justice and stewardship of personal resources for the well-being of others is emphasized.
Forgiveness, Love, and Union in Relationships
The podcast elaborates on forgiveness as an unconditional act of love towards wrongdoers, irrespective of repentance. It contrasts this view with conventional understandings of forgiveness tied to repentance and reparation. Emphasis is placed on desiring the good for the wrongdoer and desired union, showcasing how forgiveness functions in the context of love and reconciliation in relationships.
Reconciliation and Unilateral Forgiveness
The distinction between unilateral forgiveness and reconciliation is discussed, underscoring that forgiveness can be unilateral irrespective of the wrongdoer's response, while reconciliation requires mutual desire for unity and goodness. The parable of the prodigal son is used to illustrate unilateral forgiveness in contrast to the need for mutual interaction and desire for reconciliation in relationships.
