Virtues are intrinsically practical. They can only exist by being lived out. You can have an internal value and hope it finds expression, but the exciting thing about virtues is the sense that they’re collective and passed down through communities through traditions.
Would you consider yourself a virtuous person? That's a challenging question, perhaps an "aw shucks' question where you would be reluctant to describe yourself as such.
You might be afraid of what it sometimes called "virtue-signalling" which is associated with hypocrisy:
he public expression of opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character or social conscience or the moral correctness of one's position on a particular issue:"the act sounded more like virtue signaling than concrete action"
It would be tempting to simply shrug and say that aspiring to be virtuous is old-timey in an age of cynicism and moral ambiguity. But should that stop us from attempting to live by our moral and ethical lights?
The chart of virtues shown above comes from the Virtues of Faith research project which explored virtues valued by six faith groups. Intriguingly honesty is the virtue which showed up in all six traditions.
I suppose we all far short when it comes to living out our faith virtues b
It turns out that all faith groups emphasized moral virtues in common. That's good news. My faith assures me that in Christ I am loved, forgiven, and accepted despite my shortcomings and sins. Why wouldn't I do my best to live these virtues as I'm able, by the grace of God. The key findings of the study were these:
- All religious groups had at least three virtues in common in their respective top six selected virtues
- All religious groups had at least three virtues in common in their respective top six selected virtues
- Honesty was the only virtue in the top six across all belief strands
- Members of faith groups placed more emphasis on moral virtues than Humanists/those of no faith
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