Gravitas Character Formation Program Master Document for Editing

 

Challenge Instructions and Explanations

List each type of challenge

Define it and give a bit of context for how it has been practice throughout history and across cultures and church traditions

Advice on how to do them, including instructional videos

Warnings and disclaimers

Rhythms - we won’t necessarily prompt or track every discipline a Christian should practice, at least not within the structure of the daily lessons. Many disciplines like sabbath-keeping, Bible reading, and prayer should be regular habits. Once we have the app developed, we could build in ways to track such habits, but we would need to think carefully about how to prevent our presentation from depicting the life of virtue as reducible to checking off a bunch of boxes.

 

Module 1 Lessons (Getting Our Bearings)

Module 2 Lessons (Justice)

Module 3 Lessons (Temperance – Part I)

Module 4 Lessons (Temperance – Part II)

Module 5 Lessons (Fortitude)

Module 6 Lessons (Wisdom)

Module 7 Lessons (Introduction to the Theological Virtues)

Module 8 Lessons (Faith – Part I)

Module 11 Lessons (Love)

Module 1 Lessons (Getting Our Bearings)

 

Lesson 1.01 – Introduction to the course

 

In this course, we’re going to explore the different characteristics that define a person’s moral character, both for better and for worse. The good qualities are called virtues, and the bad qualities are called vices. We’re going to think about what it is, exactly, that makes the good qualities good, and why we should care to possess these qualities. We’re also going to explore some of the practices by which virtue can be intentionally cultivated and vice avoided.

 

Before we dive in and explore specific virtues, we’re going to begin with some general topics to get our bearings. Here are some of the questions we’ll consider:

 

• What is a virtue? What is a vice? 
• What are some examples of specific virtues and vices? 
• Why does it matter whether we have knowledge of these virtues and vices?
• Is there a connection between virtue and happiness? If so, what is it?
• Is there a connection between vice and unhappiness? 
• Is there a connection between virtue and God’s commands?
• Is trying to cultivate virtue “works salvation”? 

 

Each day, you’ll have a challenge that will help you to grow in your understanding and practice of virtue. These challenges will be of different types. On many days, you’ll be asked to write a reflection in your journal, which could be kept either electronically or on paper. 

 

Challenge: Discipleship/Seeking Counsel

Find someone you respect who is at least ten years older than you and ask that person to share his or her perspective on the above questions. You can write down their answers if you like, or you can just let the conversation flow. It is up to you how formal you want to make it. The key is to gain insight from someone who has more life experience to draw from when thinking about the virtues and the good life. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

For this course, you will need a journal for writing reflections on the lessons and challenges. Take another look at the list of questions above. Pick two of these questions that seem most interesting to you and try to give an answer to each based on your present understanding of the topics. Write your answers in your journal.

 

Then follow the instructions in the following Discussion Board ("Introductions"). 

 

Lesson 1.02 – What are the virtues? 

 

The formation of character doesn’t require a person to have abstract knowledge about philosophical topics like virtue. After all, character formation begins when we’re very young, long before we’re capable of complex reasoning. Nevertheless, it can be really helpful to explore general questions about a subject in order to go deeper in your understanding of it.

 

So let’s begin by exploring this question: What are the virtues?

 

As it turns out, there are two different things we might mean by this question. We might mean, “What sort of things are virtues, in general?” In this case, we’re asking for an analysis of the concept of virtue. Or we might mean, “Which character traits qualify as virtues?” In this case, we’re asking for a list of personal qualities that have the features identified in an answer to the first question. 

 

It’s not obvious where we should begin in trying to answer these questions. If we had a detailed concept of virtue, we could use this to identify particular characteristics that count as virtues. Or we could begin by listing some qualities that we would all agree are virtues, and then think about what they have in common. 

 

In the next several lessons, we will try both approaches as we attempt to understand virtue better together.

Challenge: Service

Most people would agree that generosity and kindness are both virtues. The assignment for today is to perform acts of generosity and kindness, and then to reflect on your experiences. First, think about someone who is struggling right now. At some point in the day, give them something they need that you can provide at some cost to yourself. (This cost could be your time and energy, money, or some material good that you possess.) Second, perform some small gesture of kindness today, like taking someone’s dishes to the kitchen after a meal or holding the door open for them.

Journal/Reflection:

The challenge today was to:

• Sacrificially help someone who is struggling
• Perform a small act of kindness

Now, let's reflect on what it felt like to do those acts. In the discussion board, respond to this prompt:

• How did these experiences make you feel? Did they help you to better understand what virtue is in general? 

Lesson 1.03 – Examples of virtues and vices / Conceptual analysis

 

In the previous lesson we raised the question, “What are virtues?” We noted that there are two ways of interpreting this question: on the first, it’s a question about the proper analysis of the concept of virtue, and on the second, it’s a question about which characteristics qualify as virtues. We noted that one way of trying to formulate a general definition or concept of virtue is to make a list of the characteristics that qualify as virtues, and then try to identify what they have in common. 

 

Today we’re going to pursue this approach further. It’s a common method that philosophers use when they’re trying to analyze a concept (a task called conceptual analysis). In your challenge for today, you’ll be doing the work of a philosopher!

Journal/Reflection:

List five traits that you consider virtues, and five traits that you consider vices. For each one, give an example of an individual who clearly displays this trait. These examples can be real people—historical figures, celebrities, or people you know personally—or characters from novels or movies. Is there some common feature of all the traits that you consider virtues? If so, what is it?

Challenge: Discipleship

Select a mentor, someone you look up to due to his or her character, and ask if he or she would be willing to meet with you once a month to provide guidance and direction. Set up a time to meet at least once a month, put it in your calendars, and commit to sticking to the schedule. Throughout this program, you’ll receive reminders about meeting with your mentor. It is okay if the date of the reminder and the date you have scheduled to meet do not perfectly align. You can check off that you’ve met with your mentor so long as you have it scheduled and follow through on getting together.

 

Lesson 1.04 – Disagreements about virtues and vices

 

In yesterday’s journal reflection, you were asked to list some of the character traits that you consider virtues, and some that you consider vices. You were tasked with identifying common threads among the traits of each group. The hope was that these common threads would be clues that would help us to construct a general concept of virtue. 

 

In order for this kind of approach to be successful, it helps to have a large sample set. In other words, we would need a fairly extensive list of virtues and vices. At this point, however, we encounter an interesting problem. There is no universally accepted list of virtues. Part of the reason for this is that certain qualities regarded as admirable in one culture (and so listed among the virtues) are regarded as base and in another (and so listed among the vices). Examples of this include humility and meekness: qualities highly valued in the Christian tradition, but not in ancient Greek culture. 

 

In this course, we are going to be exploring various qualities according to the way they’ve been categorized in the Judeo-Christian tradition. But before we do this, it’s worth pausing to think about which qualities you consider to be virtues—that is, which qualities you consider to be especially desirable or admirable, both in yourself and in other people—and which qualities you consider to be vices.

Challenge: Solitude

Modern life is full of distractions that make it difficult to think clearly and deeply about matters of great importance like our own character formation. Today’s challenge is to put aside all digital technology (phones, televisions, computers, radios, etc.) and find a place where you can be alone with your thoughts. Take your journal with you, and write the Journal/Reflection 1.04 assignment at the top of a new page in your journal. Once you find a place where you can be alone and free from distractions and interruptions, commit to staying there for 30 minutes and to focusing your mind on the task at hand. Spend most of the allotted time quietly contemplating the verse and the list of qualities you would consider to be virtues. After about twenty minutes of thinking, write your journal entry.

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the following verse: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV). Do you regard each of these qualities to be virtues?  What does it mean that “against such things there is no law”?

 

Then make your own list of at least ten virtues you think people should cultivate and ten vices they should resist.

Lesson 1.05 – Actual vs ideal self / Assessing character strengths

 

In the activities of the last two days, you’ve been asked to consider what kinds of qualities you consider to be virtues and what kinds of qualities you consider to be vices. Revisit your list of virtues and vices from Lesson 1.03. It’s time to make things really personal. How many of the traits on each list are descriptions of you? More specifically: Are there virtuous qualities that you have but that you display only some of the time, or to a limited degree? Do you wish you were more virtuous? Are there vices that you recognize in your own character? Do you wish you didn’t have these qualities? 

 

If we’re honest with ourselves, we probably have to answer Yes to all or nearly all of these questions. That’s okay—you’re a work in progress, and you’re not done yet! But in order to be moving in the right direction, it’s important to reflect honestly on the difference between who you are now and who you’d like to be. Call the former your actual self and the latter your ideal self. What we all want for ourselves, when we stop and think about it, is for there to be less difference between these two, and for the gap between the two to be closing (and certainly not widening).  

 

Human beings are developmental creatures. Part of what it is to be human is to be constantly in the process of becoming a self. But there’s no guarantee that the self that you’ll become is the self that you want to become, or the self that you ought to become. If you approach your life unreflectively, you’re taking a passive role in your character development. You’re being shaped by forces both internal (your genetic makeup, your personality) and external (your environment, your circumstances). You’re also being shaped by your own choices. But if you’re not approaching the daily choices that you make deliberately and reflectively, you might never notice the effects that these choices are having on your character, little by little. If you go down this road far enough, you might end up becoming a person you don’t like very much at all—and have no idea how you got there! 

 

Obviously, that’s not what you want for your life. So let’s take this project of personal reflection to the next level. The challenge today will begin a six-week long exercise designed to help you discover more about who you are and who you want to be.

Challenge: Cultivating One’s Strengths

Begin the “Character Strengths” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing.

 

Journal/Reflection:

How many of the traits on each list are descriptions of you? More specifically: Are there virtuous qualities that you have but that you display only some of the time, or to a limited degree? Do you wish you were more virtuous? Are there vices that you recognize in your own character? Do you wish you didn’t have these qualities?

Lesson 1.06 – Initial reflection on the connection between virtue and happiness

 

Last week, you began your reflections on character development by considering which personal traits you regard as desirable or admirable enough to qualify as virtues. This laid the foundation for thinking about the kind of person you are now, and the kind of person you aspire to be. 

 

This week, we’re going to take our reflections on virtue in a new direction. We’re going to revisit the conceptual issue: the question of what virtue and vice are, in general. But this time, we’re going to look to the past for guidance and insight. We’ll begin by exploring some ideas from ancient Greek philosophy, and then we’ll move to the Christian tradition. We’ll see that there are important differences between the two traditions. However, one of the most important insights that will emerge is something common to both traditions: the view that understanding and cultivating virtue is immensely important and practical, because of the way that it’s tied to fundamental issues of human happiness.

Challenge: Gratitude

Take a moment to think about someone who has effectively challenged you to become a better version of yourself. Write that person a handwritten note of thanks. Be specific about how they have said or done to help you and the ways in which you have grown as a result of their influence on your life. Send or hand them the note.

Journal/Reflection:

Consider the following statement: It’s impossible to be truly happy without being virtuous. Read this statement slowly, several times, and reflect carefully on its possible meaning. After you’ve done so, ask yourself whether you agree with this statement. 

 

If you agree with the statement: 

Try to explain why you agree. What exactly is the connection between virtue and happiness? 

 

If you disagree with the statement:

Try to explain why you disagree. Consider which of the following words seems most problematic to you in the statement: “impossible”; “truly”; “happy”; “virtuous.” What words or phrases could be substituted for these to produce a statement that you’d agree with?  

Lesson 1.07 – Introducing Aristotle / The connection between nature and virtue

 

The dominant way of thinking about virtue in the Judeo-Christian tradition has its foundations in the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle thought that everyone wants to be happy, but not everyone understands the way to achieve this. To be truly happy, we first have to consider what it is to be human. 

 

Aristotle believed that every living thing has a nature, and this nature determines the conditions for its flourishing: that is, the conditions for its living well or thriving. And this, he thought, was the secret to happiness: we have to understand human nature and the conditions for human flourishing.

 

To discern our nature, we have to think about what distinguishes human existence from other forms of life. What’s distinctive about it, Aristotle thought, is rationality. In order to live flourishing lives, we have to live in accordance with reason. Aristotle concluded that the highest human good is “activity of soul in accordance with virtue.” By living virtuously, we attain our purpose in life; we fulfill our natures, and thereby attain true and lasting happiness and fulfillment.

Challenge: Study

Grades 9-12: Read Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7 

Grades 5-8: Read simplified version of Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the following questions and discuss possible answers to them: Is there such a thing as human nature? If so, what is it? Is there a connection between human nature and virtue? If so, what is the connection? 

 

Lesson 1.08 – The connection between vice and unhappiness, Part I: The “disordered soul” 

 

In a previous assignment, you were asked to consider whether this statement: It’s impossible to be truly happy without being virtuous. It might have seemed obvious to you that this statement is false. You might think that there are lots of people whose lives prove this: people who are selfish, greedy, manipulative, dishonest, and exhibit all other manner of vices, but who are happy because they’re wealthy, or successful, or famous, or experience lots of pleasure in their lives. In some cases, it might seem that their happiness is a result of their vicious natures. Perhaps they’re wealthy and successful because they’re good at manipulating and exploiting people, for example. 

 

But are people like this truly happy? Aristotle’s teacher, Plato, described such people as having “disordered” souls or psyches. Rather than ordering their lives according to reason, they’re allowing their desire for pleasure or other lesser goods to rule their lives. He thought that no matter how much wealth, power, or status a vicious person might accumulate, no matter how much fleeting pleasure they might experience, a person like this is inevitably unhappy at a deep level. The reason is simple: to have a vicious character is to have a personality that’s internally chaotic, disordered, and at odds with itself.

Challenge: Service

The challenge for today is a repeat of 1.02. Cultivating a habit of sacrificial service takes practice! Perform acts of generosity and kindness, and then to reflect on your experiences. First, think about someone who is struggling right now. At some point in the day, give them something they need that you can provide at some cost to yourself. (This cost could be your time and energy, money, or some material good that you possess.) Second, perform some small gesture of kindness today, like taking someone’s dishes to the kitchen after a meal or holding the door open for them.

Journal/Reflection:

Revisit your lists from Lesson 1.03 in your journal. Of those on your lists whom you know personally, does it seem to you that those on your “virtue” list seem to be happier, overall, than those on your “vice” list? If so, what do you think explains this?

Lesson 1.09 – The connection between vice and unhappiness, Part II: Running a machine contrary to its design plan

 

In the previous lesson, we introduced Plato’s idea of a “disordered soul.” We can develop the idea further by remembering Aristotle’s view that there’s a connection between virtue and human nature. What’s distinctive about human nature is rationality, Aristotle thought; to be human is to be a “rational animal.” In order to live flourishing lives, we have to live in accordance with reason. A vicious character is fundamentally contrary to human nature. Because of this, vicious people are not thriving, regardless of how things might look on the outside. 

 

Here’s an analogy: If you try to run a machine in a way that’s contrary to its design plan—for example, trying to run a gasoline engine on chocolate syrup—it doesn’t work. Sooner or later, it’s going to break down. That’s what happens to a person whose character is marked by the vices. Inevitably, it leads to both deep interpersonal conflict and profound inner turmoil—common sources of alienation, discontent, frustration, loneliness, and unhappiness. That’s one of the main reasons you hear stories about people who seem to have it all, but who claim that they’re miserable, despite all their wealth or power or fame. In the long run, none of these things is enough to bring a person satisfaction.  

Challenge: Confession

Take some time to ask God to reveal some way in which your soul has been disordered this week. What temptation have you indulged that you should not have? What good have you left undone? Confess this to God and ask for His forgiveness.

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the lyrics to Dustin Kensrue, “It's Not Enough.” Do they resonate with your own experience?

 

Though all the wealth of men was mine to squander

And towers of ivory rose beneath my feet

Were palaces of pleasure mine to wander

The sum of it would leave me incomplete

Though every soul would hold my name in honor

And truest love was always by my side

My praises sung by grateful sons and daughters

My soul would never still be satisfied

It's not enough, it's not enough

I could walk the world forever

Till my shoes were filled with blood

It's not enough, it's not enough

Though I could live for all to lift them higher

Or spend the centuries seeking light within

Though I indulged my every dark desire

Exhausting every avenue of sin

It's not enough, it's not enough

I could walk the world forever

Till my shoes were filled with blood

It's not enough, it's not enough

I could right all wrongs, or ravage

Everything beneath the sun

It's not enough, it's not enough

To make me whole

It's not enough, it never was

Awake my soul

It's not enough, it never was

It's not enough, it's not enough

I could walk the world forever

Till my shoes were filled with blood

It's not enough, it's not enough

I could right all wrongs, or ravage

Everything beneath the sun

It's not enough, it's not enough

Though all would bow to me

Till I could drink my fill of fear and love

It's not enough, it's not enough

Lesson 1.10 – The imago Dei

 

So far, in our reflections on the connection between virtue and happiness, we’ve focused on the idea that happiness requires an “ordered” soul. To be happy, Plato and Aristotle thought, our lives must be ruled by the rational part of our natures. The Christian tradition adds something new and very important to this. According to Christian theology, our nature is not simply that of “rational animals,” as Aristotle suggested. Rather, human beings are bearers of the imago Dei, the image of God. This teaching appears in the very first chapter of the Bible:

 

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27 NIV)

 

What does it mean that God created mankind in his own image? Reason is commonly thought to be one part of the imago Dei, but it’s not the entirety of it. Being made in God’s image also means that we possess the capacity for discerning right from wrong. We call this faculty of moral discernment conscience. Another part of the image of God in us is free will, and in particular the capacity to make choices of moral and spiritual significance. 

 

Most importantly of all, being made in the image of God means that we have the capacity for relationship with God. This might seem simple or obvious, but it’s actually one of the most profound truths about human existence. In our upcoming lessons, we’ll explore this idea in more detail.

Challenge:

Continue the “Character Strengths” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 2 of 6 total).

Journal/Reflection:

What does it mean that God created mankind in his own image?

 

Lesson 1.11 – Made for communion with God

 

In the previous lesson, we introduced the concept of the imago Dei, the image of God, and we noted that in the Christian tradition, being made in the image of God means not only that we’re rational beings, but that we’re moral and spiritual beings as well. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of human beings is that we’re capable of religious experience. We sometimes feel the presence of God; we sometimes “hear” God speaking to us in a kind of inner voice. We can worship God, and we can love Him. The fancy word for this in the Christian tradition is communion. To be made in the image of God is to be capable of communing with God. 

 

In the Christian tradition, this is the deepest truth about our natures: we are made for eternal communion with God. To say that we are “made for” this end is to say, first, that we are creatures, which is to say that we are created by God. Humans are not the products of a “blind” natural process, as most atheists believe. Human existence is intentional, not a cosmic accident or fluke. (This is not to deny that God may have used a process of evolution to create human beings. But if He did, the evolution of human beings was not a process that operated “blindly.”) It is not by chance that we exist. We are created by God for certain reasons, and these reasons are connected to the purpose of our existence. We are made for loving communion with God. This is the most fundamental purpose of human existence, according to the Christian tradition. 

 

This idea has profound implications for our discussion of virtue. In the next lesson, we’ll begin to explore them.

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the meaning of this famous saying about God from the Christian church father and theologian St. Augustine: “thou hast made us for thyself and restless is our heart until it comes to rest in thee” (Confessions, Book I). What do you think Augustine means? Do you think he’s right? Reflect on the possible connection between this saying from Augustine and the teaching of Genesis 1:27:

 

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27 NIV)

Challenge: Scripture Memorization

Memorize Genesis 1:27 and the St. Augustine quote from Confessions, Book I.

 

Lesson 1.12 – Virtue as human flourishing: the Christian version

 

Yesterday we introduced one of the most profound ideas of the Christian faith: that we are made for eternal communion with God. This is what it is to be human: to be a creature made in God’s image, for the purpose of existing in a state of loving communion with God. This is what it is to flourish (thrive) as a human being, on the Christian view of things. 

 

Understanding matters in this way changes the way we think about the virtues and their significance. In the ancient Greek tradition, the happiness of a virtuous life is the inner peace of a well-ordered soul. It’s the harmony a person experiences when their nature as a rational being is fulfilled. Virtue not only brings harmony to a person’s inner states, but to society as well: those who are virtuous are capable of living together in community in harmony with one another. 

 

All of these ideas are incorporated into Christian theology, but they’re transformed by the conviction that we’re made for communion with God. To become virtuous is to become what God intends for you to be. And what He intends for you to be is someone who loves Him with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. To be fully human is to be someone who delights in loving God, and who finds perfect fulfillment in being loved by Him in return.

Challenge: Study

Watch the following two videos and take notes.

N.T. Wright "Paul and Christian Character"

“Virtue and Happiness (Aquinas 101)”

Journal/Reflection:

How does the Christian version of virtue as human flourishing differ from that of the ancient Greeks? Which version do you think is right, and why?

Lesson 1.13 – Introducing Lectio Divina

 

Today we’re going to pause to introduce an ancient practice called Lectio Divina, which means “divine reading.” It’s a way of reading Scripture that’s also a form of prayer. There are different versions of it, but they’re all variations on a basic theme. The version we’re going to use is adopted from the Anglican Communion, who describe Lectio Divina this way:

 

“The practice understands Scripture as a meeting place for a personal encounter with the Living God. It is a practice we come to with the desire to be changed at all sorts of levels. It operates very much on the emotional rather than the purely cerebral level. It is perhaps hearty rather than heady. Through it we allow ourselves to be formed in the likeness of Christ; it is about formation rather than instruction.”

 

Lectio Divina is one of the practices that we’ll use at various points throughout the course as a way of meditating on passages of Scripture that are especially important to the topic of virtue and character formation. The passage that we’ll use for our reflection today is this: 

 

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

 

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31, NIV)

Challenge: Lectio Divina

 

The following instructions for how to practice Lectio Divina, along with the quote from the Anglican Communion above, as well as further teachings about the practice, can be found here. Whenever an assignment of Lectio Divina is given in a future lesson, you should refer back to these instructions. 

 

Make sure you are sitting comfortably. 

Breathe slowly and deeply. 

Ask God to speak to you through the passage that you are about to read. 

 

This is a way of praying that starts with our silence. We often make the mistake of thinking prayer is about what we say to God. It is actually the other way round. God wants to speak to us. He will do this through the Scriptures. So don’t worry about what to say. Don’t worry if nothing jumps out at you at first. God is patient. He will wait for the opportunity to get in. He will give you a word and lead you to understand its meaning for you today. 

 

First reading of the passage: Listen 

 

As you read the passage listen for a word or phrase that attracts you. Allow it to arise from the passage as if it is God’s word for you today. Sit in silence repeating the word or phrase in your head. 

 

Then say the word or phrase aloud. 

 

Second reading of the passage: Ponder 

 

As you read the passage again ask how this word or phrase speaks to your life and why it has connected with you. Ponder it carefully. Don’t worry if you get distracted – it may be part of your response to offer it to God. Sit in silence and then frame a single sentence that begins to say aloud what this word or phrase says to you. 

 

Third reading of the passage: Pray 

 

As you read the passage for the last time ask what Christ is calling from you. What is it that you need to do or consider or relinquish or take on as a result of what God is saying to you in this word or phrase? In the silence that follows the reading, pray for the grace of the Spirit to plant this word in your heart. If you are in a group talk for a few minutes and pray with each other. 

 

If you are on your own speak your prayer to God either aloud or in the silence of your heart. 

 

If there is time, you may even want to read the passage a fourth time, and then end with the same silence before God with which you began.

 

https://www.anglicancommunion.org/media/253799/1-What-is-Lectio-Divina.pdf 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Which words or phrases stood out to you as you practiced Lectio Divina? What did you hear Christ calling you to do? 

 

Lesson 1.14 – God is love

 

Let’s bring together some ideas we’ve been exploring in the previous lessons. To be made in the image of God is to be capable of relationship with God, and what God intends for us is a relationship of loving communion. This is the fulfillment of our natures, apart from which there is no true and lasting happiness. We are, quite simply, made to love and to be loved. 

 

This is connected to another of the most important and fundamental teachings of the Christian faith: that God is love: 

 

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8, NIV)

 

The more we love, the more we reflect the image of God. And the more we reflect the image of God, the more we become what we were meant to be. To be fully human is to love like God.  

Challenge: Scripture Memorization

Memorize 1 John 4:7-8. Once you have it memorized, meditate on these verses, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.

Journal/Reflection:

Write down 1 John 4:7-8 from memory. Then write down how you think it applies to your life. How is God calling you into a deeper relationship with Him? How is God calling you to love others today? Be specific.

Lesson 1.15 – Loving our neighbors

 

We’ve repeatedly noted the key teaching of the Christian faith that we are made for eternal communion with God. But you’ve probably noticed that in the verses about love that we’ve been pondering, it’s not just love for God that’s commanded of us. 

 

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 NIV)

 

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8 NIV)

 

Perhaps we should expand our key teaching of the Christian faith: we are made for eternal loving communion with God and with one another. But what we learn from the passage from 1 John is that these two kinds of love—love for God and love for other people—are actually inseparable. 

 

There’s no way to truly love God without loving other people. So there’s no way to live a flourishing, happy life unless you become the kind of person who loves other people in a deep and self-sacrificial way. 

 

Challenge: Cultivating One's Strengths

Continue the “Character Strengths” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 3 of 6 total).

 

Journal/Reflection:

Take some time to think about who your “neighbors” are. Write a list of ten of your neighbors. Be sure to include a few neighbors who are easy to love and a few who are difficult to love. Next to each name, write down one practical way you can express love to each person the next time you see him or her.

 

Lesson 1.16 – Connection between virtue and God's commands, Part I

 

It might have seemed that over the last few lessons, we got off topic. We were talking about virtue, and then suddenly we were talking about the biblical commandments to love God and to love one another. But in fact, these aren’t separate topics at all. To become virtuous is to become more loving. In the Christian tradition, this is the very essence of virtue. All of the virtues can be thought of as different facets of loving God and loving one another well. 

 

Let’s put it all together. God is love. And we are made in His image. To grow in virtue is to become more and more what you’re meant to be: a person who loves God and loves other people. To be fully human is to be the kind of person who loves like God.

 

In the Christian tradition, just as much as in the ancient Greek tradition, virtue is the fulfillment of human nature. But in the Christian tradition, becoming virtuous is a matter of becoming more and more loving. And this is a process of becoming more and more like God! 

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina if needed):

 

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” (2 Peter 1:3-7, ESV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

Which words or phrases stood out to you as you practiced Lectio Divina? What did you hear Christ calling you to do? 

Lesson 1.17 – Jesus as our example

 

Yesterday, we discussed the way that becoming virtuous is essentially a matter of becoming more loving. Now let’s extend this to its logical conclusion. To be perfectly virtuous is to be perfectly loving, both toward God and toward one another. That might not be possible for us (yet!), but we have a model of what it looks like: Jesus!

 

According to Christian theology, Jesus was (is) both fully divine and fully human. Most people who aren’t Christians reject the first claim, that Jesus was divine. Part of what it means to believe in Jesus is to accept his claim to be God. But even many professing Christians seem to lose sight of the second claim, or at least the full significance of it. Jesus was (is) a human being. And he commands his disciples to follow him, to imitate his life. 

 

Jesus is many things to those of us who have placed our faith in him. He is our Lord, our Savior, our King, and our God. But he is also our example of what it looks like to live a perfect human life. He is our model of virtue. 

 

Challenge: Contemplative Prayer

An important form of prayer in the Christian tradition is contemplative prayer. Some Christians call it “sitting with Jesus.” In prayer of this type, you don’t say or think any words. You just sit down, quiet your mind, try to become aware of the presence of God, and do your best to listen to what God might have to say to you. Practice “sitting with Jesus” for at least five minutes. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Watch Andy Crouch, "What Does 'Human Flourishing' Mean for Christians?" and write down your reflections on the video.

 

Lesson 1.18 – Is trying to cultivate virtue "works salvation"?

 

In our discussions of the need for growth in virtue and the way that this plays a role in our relationships to God, there’s a possible concern that might have been growing in your mind. Is trying to cultivate virtue “works salvation”? It is all just an effort to become good enough so that God will accept you and let you into heaven? Is it a denial of the biblical doctrine of salvation by faith through grace? 

 

Here’s what the Bible says about salvation by grace through faith:

 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV, emphasis added)

 

Some Christians believe this verse teaches that works play absolutely no role in salvation. And if works play no role in salvation, then growing in virtue plays no role. Whatever role there is for virtue in the Christian life, it must be entirely after a person is already saved. 

 

But things aren’t as simple as this. St. Paul, the very same biblical author who wrote the passage above to the members of one of the first Christian churches, also wrote the following passage to the members of another early church: 

 

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13, ESV, emphasis added)

 

This is all rather confusing! On a first pass, at least, these two verses seem to present contradictory teachings. Is there any way to reconcile them? This is the challenge to which we’ll return in the next lesson. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Discuss the following question: Is trying to cultivate virtue “works salvation”? Give two reasons to support your view. 

 

Challenge: Confession

Take some time to ask God to reveal some way in which your soul has been disordered this week. What temptation have you indulged that you should not have? What good have you left undone? Confess this to God and ask for His forgiveness.

Lesson 1.19 – “Work out your own salvation… for it is God who works in you” 

 

Let’s return to the two verses we were considering yesterday which bear on the question of whether works play any role in salvation. But this time, we’re going to pay special attention to a different part of each passage than the part we emphasized last time. 

 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV, emphasis added)

 

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13, ESV, emphasis added)

 

Both of these passages teach that salvation is something that comes about because of a work of God within us, not something that we achieve by our own unaided efforts (“so that no one may boast”). But the passage from Philippians combines this with the teaching Christians are to “work out” their salvation. The juxtaposition is striking. “work out your own salvation …, for it is God who works in you.” We need to reflect carefully on this passage. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization

Memorize Philippians 2:12-13. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Once you have it memorized, meditate on these verses, asking God to reveal to you their meaning. Write down the results of your meditation on the verses in your journal.

 

Lesson 1.20 – Receptivity to the work of the Spirit, Part I

 

Your assignment yesterday was to memorize and meditate on the meaning on Philippians 2:12-13, the passage that instructs believers, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” This passage is the key to answering the question that was raised in Lesson 1.18: Is trying to cultivate virtue “works salvation”?

 

The Christian pursuit of virtue is not a matter of trying to earn salvation. The Christian life is one of striving to become what you are commanded by God to become: a person who loves God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and who loves your neighbor as yourself. But this striving is not a matter of trying to change yourself through exertions of moral and spiritual effort. Instead, it’s a matter of being receptive to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit within you. 

 

That’s the key that unlocks the mystery. We’ll unpack it further in the next lesson.

 

Challenge: Character Strengths Activity

Continue the “Character Strengths” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 4 of 6 total).

 

Journal/Reflection:

In what ways might God be calling you to be receptive to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit within you?

Lesson 1.21 – Receptivity to the work of the Spirit, Part II 

 

In the last lesson, we discussed the reason that the Christian pursuit of virtue is not a matter of trying to earn salvation, and it’s not a project of self-improvement or self-transformation. Salvation is entirely a work of God within you. And a part of that divine work is the reforming of your character, making you into a person who is virtuous. The theological term for this is sanctification, and it’s one of the essential parts of the process of salvation.  

 

You can thwart your own sanctification by persisting in sin. You can refuse the gift of salvation. You can say No to God, refusing to allow His Spirit to work within you. Or you can receive the grace from God that will heal you from the spiritual disease of sin and will make you into a new person. But you can’t earn it. And you can’t bring about this transformation by your own efforts. 

 

The Christian disciplines are rightly understood as methods of striving to grow in virtue. But really, they’re just ways of intentionally opening yourself up to the transformative work of God within you. As one of our modern guides to the spiritual life puts it, “We must always remember that the path [of the spiritual disciplines] does not produce the change; it only places us where the change can occur.” (Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline) Receiving this grace from God is the way—the only way—that real growth in Christian virtue comes about.

 

Challenge: The Jesus Prayer

Today we will introduce and begin to practice one of the most famous prayers in all of the Christian faith, known as the Jesus Prayer. It comes in two versions, “longer” and “shorter,” but the longer version is only twelve words, and the shorter is only ten! The shorter version is the older of the two. It’s simply this: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.” The longer version adds the phrase “a sinner” at the end of the prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” The longer version is an important reminder of the truth about ourselves—that we are sinners—and the shorter version is an important reminder that we need God’s mercy for much more than just dealing with our sin. The prayer is often prayed repeatedly, as a way of turning one’s heart to God and opening one’s mind to His leading. It can be combined with the practice of contemplative prayer that we learned in Lesson 1.17. Today, repeat the Jesus Prayer ten times in its longer form, and ten times in its shorter form. If you want or feel led to do so, follow this with a period of contemplative prayer.    

 

Journal/Reflection:

Choose one of the following questions and write a Journal/Reflection board post in response: 

1. How has the understanding of sanctification as a divine work within you, rather than a project of self-improvement or self-transformation, changed your perspective on your personal spiritual journey and growth in virtue?
2. Reflect on your experience with the Jesus Prayer in both its longer and shorter forms. How did repeating the prayer impact your sense of connection to God and openness to His transformative work within you? Did you notice any differences in how praying this prayer affected your thoughts or feelings?

 

Lesson 1.22 – Being made “fit for heaven”

 

Yesterday we noted that growth in Christian virtue comes about through the work of God within a person, and that this work is a part of the process of salvation. Today we’re going to explore further the connection between virtue and salvation.

 

A part of the process of growing in virtue is being delivered from sinful desires, habits, and addictions. Those who put their faith in Christ are being saved from their sins. They’re being delivered from everything in their lives that alienates them from God and from other people. (More on this later.) But growth in virtue is more than just deliverance from sin. It’s also a matter of becoming the kind of person who is capable of entering into a state of eternal communion with God. It’s a matter of being made “fit for heaven,” so to speak. 

 

It’s important not to misunderstand this idea. It’s not that God refuses to allow someone into heaven if they’re not “good enough.” Rather, it’s that only a virtuous person is capable of loving God and loving other people in the right way—that is, in the way that’s constitutive of existence in heaven. To say that a certain kind of love is constitutive of heaven is to say that this is what heaven is all about, in the Christian tradition. It’s not a big party in the sky where everyone gets whatever they want, regardless of what that might be. The Christian understanding of heaven is a state of eternal loving communion with God and other people. Those who don’t enjoy or want to love in this way wouldn’t find heaven to be desirable. And the only people who are capable of loving in this way are people who are virtuous. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Choose one of the following questions and write a Journal/Reflection board post in response:

 

1. Reflect on the idea that growth in virtue is not only about being delivered from sin, but also about becoming a person capable of entering into eternal communion with God. How does this perspective influence your understanding of the purpose and importance of cultivating virtue in your Christian life?
2. Considering the Christian understanding of heaven as a state of eternal loving communion with God and other people, how does this concept challenge or reshape your previous beliefs about what heaven is like? How might this understanding impact the way you approach your spiritual growth and relationships with others?

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage, known as the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount (review instructions for Lectio Divina if needed):

 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:3-12, NIV)

Lesson 1.23 – The connection between virtue and God's commands, Part II

 

In the Christian tradition, there are two major ways of thinking about morality. One focuses on virtuous character and behavior, and the other focuses on God’s law and obedience to divine commands. But these different ways of thinking about morality are compatible with one another, so long as we understand them rightly.

 

Many people, unfortunately, do not understand them rightly. One mistake is to imagine that God’s commands are arbitrary. On this view, the point of the commands is just to test our loyalty. Another mistake is to imagine that the purpose of God’s commands is simply and solely to bring glory to Himself. On this view, it’s God who benefits from our obedience, not us. 

 

Both of these are mistaken ways of thinking about God’s commands. Before moving on, it’s worth pausing to think about what, exactly, is wrong with each of these views, and why some people might be tempted to hold them.

 

Challenge: Sabbath-Keeping

In Exodus 20:8-11, God commands his people to 

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

This week, reserve Saturday or Sunday as a day of rest. Refrain from doing work or homework for the whole day. Slow down, rest, and do something recreational that will restore your body, mind, and spirit instead. This will require you to get your work done completely on the other six days of the week. Plan for that and make the Sabbath a priority.

 

Journal/Reflection:

What is the purpose of God’s commands, do you think? Why does He command the things that He does? 

Lesson 1.24 – The connection between virtue and God's commands, Part III

 

Yesterday we noted some mistaken ways of thinking about the purpose of God’s commands. Today we’re going to consider a better way—a way that has the benefit of reconciling the two major ways of thinking about morality in the Christian tradition: the one that emphasizes virtues and the one that emphasizes divine commands.

 

The key idea is this: God’s commands are intended to promote human flourishing. This is the end that God is aiming to bring about in commanding us to do certain things and forbidding us to do other things. This is not the only thing that God is aiming to bring about, of course. God issues commands for a variety of reasons, and bringing glory to Himself is surely one of these. But the advancement of these ends is compatible with the advancement of our highest good, not in competition with it. Like a good and loving parent, God commands us to behave in ways that will benefit us if we obey. 

 

More specifically, God’s commands are intended to help us grow in virtue. This is the reason the two major ways of thinking about morality in the Christian tradition are compatible with one another. If we obey God’s commands, we will eventually become the kind of people we were created to be: people who love God and other people with a pure, perfect, and abiding love. This, as we’ve noted repeatedly, is the highest human good and the only possible way to be truly happy. God’s commands are directed at this end, our highest good. His commands are thus expressions of His perfect love for us.   

 

Challenge: Gratitude

Think about someone who has helped you flourish by giving you rules and enforcing them. It could be a parent, a teacher or school administrator, a boss, a coach, or anyone in a position of authority over you who has had your best interest in mind. Write them a thank you note or tell them “thank you” in person for playing this role in your life. Be specific about what they have done to impact you and how you have grown as a result.

 

Journal/Reflection:

What are some things that you think God has commanded everyone to do or not do? How do you think these requirements might be connected to human happiness? Have you ever felt like God was commanding you individually to do (or not do) something—that is, giving a command that was for you and you alone? If so, how did the situation turn out? 

Lesson 1.25 – Soul-Making

 

We’ve explored the connections between a number of central “themes” of the Christian faith: that humans are made in the image of God, that our highest good and happiness is found in loving God and other people, that the process of achieving this highest good includes growth in the virtues, that God is at work in the hearts and lives of believers, enabling and bringing about this transformation, and that God’s commands are among the most important ways that He guides and directs us in this process. 

 

We can summarize these ideas in this way: God desires and intends the very best for you. His intention for your life is to help you to become the person you were created to be. And if you receive the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and allow Him to make you into the person He wants you to be, you’ll experience a joy that surpasses anything you can presently imagine. That’s the hope and promise of the Christian faith.  

 

Challenge: Character Strengths Activity

Continue the “Character Strengths” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 5 of 6 total).

 

Journal/Reflection: Imagined Honorary Speech Part 1 

Begin work on an imagined speech in your honor (your 80th birthday party toast, retirement party speech, funeral, etc.). Reflect upon the life you aspire to lead, considering the values, achievements, relationships, and legacy you wish to leave behind. Then write an imagined honorary speech by a friend or family member about you that captures the essence of the life you envision for yourself.

Instructions:

1. Take a moment to envision your life in the future. Imagine that you have lived a full, meaningful, and purposeful life, embodying the values and ideals that matter most to you.
2. Consider the relationships you want to nurture and the impact you hope to have on the people around you. How will your family, friends, colleagues, and community talk about you?
3. Think about the achievements and milestones you wish to accomplish in your personal, professional, and spiritual life. How will these achievements contribute to your legacy and the person you hope to become?
4. Reflect on the values and principles that guide your life. How will these values be evident in the choices you make, the way you treat others, and the causes you champion?
5. Write an honorary speech of approximately 350-750 words (1-2 pages) that captures the essence of the life you envision for yourself. The imagined honorary speech should be written in the third person and may include anecdotes, quotes, or personal reflections that illustrate your character and the impact you have had on others. The finished version should be completed for the challenge in Lesson 1.30.

 

Lesson 1.26 – Connection between virtue and action

 

We’ve already laid a lot of foundation for our upcoming discussions of virtues and vices. Just a few more points and we’ll be ready to launch! 

 

In Lesson 1.07, we considered Aristotle’s idea that the highest human good is “activity of soul in accordance with virtue.” Based on this quote, it might at first have seemed that Aristotle understood virtue to be a kind of action. But in fact, Aristotle understood virtue to be a state of character. This agrees with what we’ve been assuming all along in our discussions: virtues are qualities or characteristics that people can have. 

 

There is, however, an important connection between actions and virtues. Character traits are formed when a person repeatedly performs actions of a certain type. In this way, becoming virtuous is similar to acquiring a skill, like cooking or playing tennis. You become good at tennis by playing lots of tennis: poorly at first, no doubt, but increasingly better with practice. If you follow the instructions of a good coach, you’ll develop good form. Eventually, you won’t have to think about it; your skillful movements on the court will be instinctual. Likewise with virtue: the way to become a virtuous person is to do the sorts of things that virtuous people do. It begins with imitation, but eventually, over time, it becomes ingrained as a character trait. It becomes “second nature.”

 

Challenge: Study

Read the selections from Aristotle and C. S. Lewis. Notice what they say about the differences – and the connections – between virtuous action and virtuous character. As you read, reflect on what you agree with in these passages, and what you disagree with. 

 

Read the selections from Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, trans. W. D. Ross

http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html

From Book II, Chapter 1:

Virtue, then, being of two kinds, intellectual and moral, intellectual virtue in the main owes both its birth and its growth to teaching (for which reason it requires experience and time), while moral virtue comes about as a result of habit, whence also its name (ethike) is one that is formed by a slight variation from the word ethos (habit). From this it is also plain that none of the moral virtues arises in us by nature; for nothing that exists by nature can form a habit contrary to its nature. For instance the stone which by nature moves downwards cannot be habituated to move upwards, not even if one tries to train it by throwing it up ten thousand times; nor can fire be habituated to move downwards, nor can anything else that by nature behaves in one way be trained to behave in another. Neither by nature, then, nor contrary to nature do the virtues arise in us; rather we are adapted by nature to receive them, and are made perfect by habit.

Again, of all the things that come to us by nature we first acquire the potentiality and later exhibit the activity (this is plain in the case of the senses; for it was not by often seeing or often hearing that we got these senses, but on the contrary we had them before we used them, and did not come to have them by using them); but the virtues we get by first exercising them, as also happens in the case of the arts as well. For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them, e.g. men become builders by building and lyre players by playing the lyre; so too we become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.

From Book II, Chapter 2:

So too is it with the virtues; by abstaining from pleasures we become temperate, and it is when we have become so that we are most able to abstain from them; and similarly too in the case of courage; for by being habituated to despise things that are terrible and to stand our ground against them we become brave, and it is when we have become so that we shall be most able to stand our ground against them.

From Book II, Chapter 4:

…if the acts that are in accordance with the virtues have themselves a certain character it does not follow that they are done justly or temperately. The agent also must be in a certain condition when he does them; in the first place he must have knowledge, secondly he must choose the acts, and choose them for their own sakes, and thirdly his action must proceed from a firm and unchangeable character. […]

Actions, then, are called just and temperate when they are such as the just or the temperate man would do; but it is not the man who does these that is just and temperate, but the man who also does them as just and temperate men do them. It is well said, then, that it is by doing just acts that the just man is produced, and by doing temperate acts the temperate man; without doing these no one would have even a prospect of becoming good.

But most people do not do these, but take refuge in theory and think they are being philosophers and will become good in this way, behaving somewhat like patients who listen attentively to their doctors, but do none of the things they are ordered to do. As the latter will not be made well in body by such a course of treatment, the former will not be made well in soul by such a course of philosophy.

 

Selection from C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book III, Chapter 2

http://www.lib.ru/LEWISCL/mere_engl.txt_with-big-pictures.html#17

There is a difference between doing some particular just or temperate action and being a just or temperate man. Someone who is not a good tennis player may now and then make a good shot. What you mean by a good player is the man whose eye and muscles and nerves have been so trained by making innumerable good shots that they can now be relied on. They have a certain tone or quality which is there even when he is not playing, just as a mathematician's mind has a certain habit and outlook which is there even when he is not doing mathematics. In the same way a man who perseveres in doing just actions gets in the end a certain quality of character. Now it is that quality rather than the particular actions which we mean when we talk of "virtue."

      This distinction is important for the following reason. If we thought only of the particular actions we might encourage three wrong ideas.

      (1) We might think that, provided you did the right thing, it did not matter how or why you did it—whether you did it willingly or unwillingly, sulkily or cheerfully, through fear of public opinion or for its own sake. But the truth is that right actions done for the wrong reason do not help to build the internal quality or character called a "virtue," and it is this quality or character that really matters. (If the bad tennis player hits very hard, not because he sees that a very hard stroke is required, but because he has lost his temper, his stroke might possibly, by luck, help him to win that particular game; but it will not be helping him to become a reliable player.)

      (2) We might think that God wanted simply obedience to a set of rules: whereas He really wants people of a particular sort.

      (3) We might think that the "virtues" were necessary only for this present life—that in the other world we could stop being just because there is nothing to quarrel about and stop being brave because there is no danger. Now it is quite true that there will probably be no occasion for just or courageous acts in the next world, but there will be every occasion for being the sort of people that we can become only as the result of doing such acts here. The point is not that God will refuse you admission to His eternal world if you have not got certain qualities of character: the point is that if people have not got at least the beginnings of those qualities inside them, then no possible external conditions could make a "Heaven" for them—that is, could make them happy with the deep, strong, unshakable kind of happiness God intends for us.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Write down your thoughts from the passages.

Lesson 1.27 – The formation of habits

 

Yesterday, we noted an important connection between actions and virtues: a person’s character is formed through the process of repeatedly performing actions of a certain type. This process involves the forming of habits. We all have habits: things that we do over and over, often in the same ways and at the same times every day. Perhaps you have a habit of drinking coffee every morning, or of going to the gym at the end of the workday. Habits can be good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. Some habits have no particular moral significance, but others are connected to matters of character. Forming the right habits is an important part of shaping your character and growing in virtue.

 

Habits can be either easy or difficult to form. Unfortunately, bad habits are often the easiest to form—you can “fall into” bad habits without even thinking about it—whereas forming good habits often requires effort and intention. Likewise, breaking bad habits can be quite difficult and require a good deal of effort.  

 

One of the things you’ve likely noticed, however, is that a certain behavior becomes easier the more that you do it. Going to the gym is daunting the first time, perhaps a little easier by the end of the first week, and a natural part of your routine after a few months. The formation of character traits follows a similar path. If you’ve fallen into a habit of telling lies to get what you want, you’ll at first find it very difficult to tell the truth in situations when doing so is costly. But the more you practice honesty, the easier it gets. Eventually, you’ll reach the point that telling lies feels unnatural. What was once the “path of least resistance” has now become difficult—and in a good way! 

 

Challenge: Accountability

Identify one bad habit that you presently have that you would like to break, or one good habit you don’t presently have that you would like to form. Devise a plan of action to begin breaking / forming this habit, and begin to implement the plan today. Your plan should be concrete, specific, and doable. Avoid setting goals that are vague or unattainable. Share your list with your accountability partner(s) and your mentor.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Write down your goal(s) and plan(s) of action in your journal. Be specific about what you will do.

Lesson 1.28 – The importance of how you think

 

We’ve noted that forming good habits and breaking bad habits requires a person to be intentional. And the same is true of character development. It’s easy to develop a bad character, unfortunately. According to the Christian tradition, we’re all born with a natural bent toward selfishness and sin. (This is called the doctrine of “original sin.”) Because of this natural tendency, the path of least resistance is one that leads away from virtue. 

 

So in our pursuit of virtue, we’ll have to be intentional. But not only must we be intentional, we need to think about the right things, and we need to think about things rightly. The things you think about and the ways that you think about them will have a significant effect on the kind of person you’ll become. 

 

There are many reasons for this. One reason is that to be virtuous is to value the right things, and what you choose to think about—the ideas to which you devote time and mental effort—is an expression of your values. Another reason is that you are shaped by what you think about repeatedly. Just like there are habits of behavior, there are habits of thought. It’s important that your habits of thought are good habits, habits that lay the foundations for the development of intellectual virtue.  

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize Philippians 4:8. Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to reveal to you its meaning.

 

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8, NIV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

Write down Philippians 4:8 from memory and then reflect on practical ways you can obey this verse this week. 

Lesson 1.29 – The roadmap, Part I 

 

Yesterday we noted the importance of not only thinking about the right things, but also thinking about things rightly. When we think about things rightly, we’re navigating our lives in light of an understanding of the terrain, aware of its safe paths and its dangers. This is important for our pursuit of virtue. 

 

An important discovery we’ve made so far is that the ancient Greek philosophical tradition and the Christian theological tradition agree on something significant: that it’s impossible to have a deep and lasting happiness without having a virtuous character. If this is true, then there’s a compelling reason that we should all want to go deeper in our knowledge of virtue. Understanding the path of virtue is like having an essential part of the roadmap to happiness. Without it, you’re much more likely to get lost and to wander about in life, moving aimlessly from one stage of your life to the next. There’s a possibility you’ll end up happy anyway—like there’s a possibility you could just happen to stumble across a treasure without a map leading you there—but without any guide, your odds of this desirable outcome are much lower. Clearly, if there’s a map available, you should make the effort to acquire it and use it! 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize Romans 12:2. Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to reveal to you its meaning.

 

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

Revisit your plan from Lesson 1.27 for breaking an existing bad habit or forming a new good habit. Make adjustments to the plan as needed in light of your experience over the last two days, and then recommit to the plan. Write down any adjustments you have made in your journal.

Lesson 1.30 – The roadmap, Part II

 

We noted yesterday that having an understanding of the path of virtue is like having a roadmap to happiness. Throughout this course, we’ll be exploring the “map” that’s been left to us by the Christian tradition. Part of the map is provided by the revelation of Scripture, both in its commands and in its account of the life and teachings of Jesus, whom Christians are commanded to follow. Part of the map is provided by the tradition of Christian reflection on matters of theology and practice, which includes guidance on the right ways of interpreting Scripture and how to live a Christian life. Included in this guidance about Christian living is a wealth of insight about how to grow in virtue and to flourish as a human being. 

 

Of course, you may be skeptical of the reliability of this map. That’s a part of what the decision to become a Christian is all about. It’s up to you to decide whether to put your trust in the founder of the Christian faith, Jesus Christ, and the pathway that he models for his disciples.

Challenge: Character Strengths Activity

Complete the “Character Strengths” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 6 of 6 total).

Journal/Reflection: Imagined Honorary Speech Part 2

Complete work on the imagined honorary speech (80th birthday party toast, retirement party speech, eulogy, etc.) you started in Journal/Discussion 1.25.

Reflect upon the life you aspire to lead, considering the values, achievements, relationships, and legacy you wish to leave behind. Then write the rest of the imagined honorary speech by a friend or family member about you that captures the essence of the life you envision for yourself.

Instructions:

1. Take a moment to envision your life in the future. Imagine that you have lived a full, meaningful, and purposeful life, embodying the values and ideals that matter most to you.
2. Consider the relationships you want to nurture and the impact you hope to have on the people around you. How will your family, friends, colleagues, and community talk about you?
3. Think about the achievements and milestones you wish to accomplish in your personal, professional, and spiritual life. How will these achievements contribute to your legacy and the person you hope to become?
4. Reflect on the values and principles that guide your life. How will these values be evident in the choices you make, the way you treat others, and the causes you champion?
5. Write an honorary speech of approximately 350-750 words (1-2 pages) that captures the essence of the life you envision for yourself. The imagined honorary speech should be written in the third person and may include anecdotes, quotes, or personal reflections that illustrate your character and the impact you have had on others.

Lesson 1.31 – Ready to begin! / The cardinal and theological virtues 

 

We’re finally ready to begin our study of the cardinal and theological virtues. The word “cardinal” here means “pivotal”; the term comes from the Latin word cardo which means “hinge.” The cardinal virtues are the foundation of a virtuous character. They’re the virtues around which the entire character of a good person turns, so to speak. There are four of these virtues: justice, temperance (better known as self-control), fortitude (a combination of courage and perseverance), and prudence (also known as practical wisdom). 

 

In the upcoming units, we’ll explore the cardinal virtues and seek to understand why they’re so important. We’ll also begin some activities designed to help you cultivate these characteristics in a deeper, richer, and more intentional way than you might have up to this point. Following our exploration of the cardinal virtues, we’ll turn to the three Christian theological virtues: faith, hope, and love. Collectively, the cardinal and theological virtues are known as “the seven virtues.” You’ll notice that there’s a parallel to the main or “capital” vices commonly referred to as “the seven deadly sins.” We’ll explore these in a later module as well.

Challenge: Study

Watch “Virtue (Aquinas 101).”

Journal/Reflection:

What have you learned about human flourishing and the cultivation of virtue from this introductory module? What are you hoping to learn as you continue with the program?

 

Module 2 Lessons (Justice)

 

Lesson 2.01 – What is justice? 

 

What is justice? This is one of the oldest, most famous, and most important questions in philosophy. It’s also one of the most difficult. To begin to see why, consider some follow-up questions. Is justice retributive (paying back harm or suffering to those who wrongfully cause harm or suffering) or restorative (repairing wrongful damage, undoing harm caused by wrongful actions)? Is justice a category that applies only in situations where something has gone wrong and needs to be corrected? Are justice and mercy incompatible with one another? If so, how could it be true that God is both just and merciful, as the Christian tradition claims? And what exactly does it mean to say that God is just? We often speak of just (or unjust) laws, societies, and institutions, but what could it mean to say that a person is just (or unjust)? Is justice something that you could possess, or lack, in your character? 

 

Clearly, we have much to sort through in our upcoming lessons. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize Micah 6:8. Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to reveal to you its meaning.

 

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8, NIV)

 

Journal/Reflection: Experiences of justice and injustice

What do you think justice is? What have been some of the most important experiences of justice or injustice in your life? What did you learn from those experiences?

Lesson 2.02 – Justice as retribution

 

When you think of justice, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? For many people, what comes to mind is payback: justice is when a person does something wrong and then “gets what they deserve.” And what is it that they deserve? Well, if they caused someone to suffer, they should be made to suffer themselves. If they took something from someone, they should have something comparable taken from them. 

 

The Latin phrase for this idea of justice is lex talionis—literally, “law of retaliation.” It’s also called retribution. We encounter it in the Old Testament in the familiar phrase, “an eye for an eye”:

 

Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury. (Leviticus 24:19-20, NIV)

 

Many people assume that this is the concept of justice—the one and only thing that justice can be. When those who hold this view say that God is just, they mean that God inflicts retributive justice upon the wicked—or at least that He will do so, perhaps at some point in the future. There are plenty of verses in the Bible that one might cite to support this view. Here’s a famous one:

 

“It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
    In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
    and their doom rushes upon them.” (Deuteronomy 32:35, NIV)

 

It seems pretty clear that retribution is at least a part of the biblical concept of justice. But is it everything? 

 

Challenge: Silence

Today we will practice a very specific form of silence. While the spiritual discipline of silence sometimes means not speaking for long periods of time, we are just going to focus on silence with respect to words of anger, outrage, and indignation, the emotions we often feel when we believe an injustice has been done. As we will see, keeping silent in the face of injustice is sinful if our silence is the result of indifference or cowardice, but it is also the case that speaking too quickly or when we are too filled with rage is dangerous. Practicing “holding our tongue” will train us to speak out at the right time, in the right way, against real injustices when we experience them. So for today’s challenge, pay special attention to situations in which you are tempted to lash out and instead stay silent. If no occasions arise today, try the discipline of silence for the rest of the week.

 

Journal/Reflection: Retributive justice

Discuss the following questions: Is there anything more to justice than retribution? Is this the way that Christians are called to embody justice—by inflicting retribution on those who do wrong?

 

Lesson 2.03 – Is justice purely retributive? 

 

We found the concept of justice as retribution clearly present in the Bible. But something interesting happens when we broaden our perspective to include the full revelation of Scripture, rather than just focusing on a few verses in isolation. In Deuteronomy 32:25, we encountered the famous declaration, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.” But when this verse is referenced in the New Testament, it’s in the context of a command to Christians not to take revenge, on the grounds that retribution is God’s prerogative:

 

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19, NIV)

 

The famous principle of “an eye for an eye” that we previously encountered in Leviticus 24:19-20 is also revisited in the New Testament. In one of his most famous teachings, Jesus says this: 

 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” (Matthew 5:38-40, NIV)

 

The contrast between these various passages raises a number of questions. In your journal reflection for today, you’ll reflect on some of these questions and try to formulate some initial answers. 

 

Challenge: Discipleship/Seeking Counsel

Ask your mentor (or some other nearby person you respect for their wisdom) how they have handled situations in which they have been wronged in the past. Do they have any examples of when they sought vengeance? Have they tried “turning the other cheek”? What have been the outcomes of their different responses? What would they advise you to do when you are treated unjustly? 

 

Journal/Reflection: Justice in the Bible

Reflect on the following questions in your journal: Can we reconcile the teachings on justice in the Old Testament with those that we find in the New Testament? If Christians are commanded not to “pay back” those who harm them, how are they (we) to cultivate justice as a virtue?

 

Lesson 2.04 – Connection between justice and forgiveness

 

Yesterday we found that the biblical teachings on retributive justice are more complex than it might have seemed at first. Christians are clearly commanded not to take revenge on their enemies, and in his famous teaching to “turn the other cheek,” Jesus seems to be overturning the principle of lex talionis altogether.

 

Here’s a possible way of reconciling these teachings: Retribution is one part of justice, but it’s not the part that we should try to practice individually. We should leave retributive justice to God—and, perhaps, to the state (the legal system) as well. Our efforts to cultivate justice in our personal lives should begin with forgiveness.

 

In the next lesson, we’ll further explore the connection—and also the tension—between justice and forgiveness. In particular, we’ll explore the challenging biblical theme of overcoming evil with good, of which forgiveness is the first movement. In your assignment for today, you’ll begin a new activity designed to help you grow in the virtue of forgiveness. 

 

Challenge: Forgiveness

Begin the “Forgiveness” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 1 of 6 total).

 

Journal/Reflection: Forgiveness

Today’s journal reflection is included in the Forgiveness Activity above.

Lesson 2.05 – Overcoming evil with good

 

In the previous lesson, we introduced the connection between justice and forgiveness. For those used to thinking about justice entirely in terms of retribution, this is perhaps a shocking discovery. And yet, the theme of overcoming evil with good is one of the most pervasive—and one of the most radical—themes of the Bible. 

 

The principle of overcoming evil with good is most clearly and powerfully demonstrated in the gospel accounts of Jesus, who even prayed for the forgiveness of his executioners when he was dying on the cross: 

 

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 22:33-34, NIV)

 

The same principles of forgiving one’s enemies and overcoming evil with good are commanded of all those who follow Jesus: 

 

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9, NIV)

 

One of the verses that we previously discussed—Romans 12:19—is part of a larger passage that has this same theme as its central message. In your activity for today, reflect on this passage of Scripture using the practice of Lectio Divina that we introduced in Module 1. 

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina on Romans 12:17-21

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21, NIV)

 

Journal/Reflection: Lectio Divina Reflection

What words stood out to you while practicing Lectio Divina on Romans 12:17-21? What did you sense God calling you to do? Be specific and personal.

Lesson 2.06 – Are justice and mercy incompatible?

 

The biblical command to forgive our enemies and to overcome evil with good strikes many people as implausible. Some would go further, claiming that it’s wrongheaded or even morally objectionable. To help you sort through your own thoughts and feelings about this issue, listen to the following TEDx talk by Jeanne Bishop. Reflect deeply on what she says about justice, mercy, and forgiveness; then participate in the Discussion Board that follows.   

 

Challenge: Study

Watch Mercy, justice & forgiveness

 

Journal/Reflection: Justice and mercy

Discuss the following questions: What do you think of Jeanne Bishop’s response to her sister’s killer? Was her response a display of the virtue of justice? Why or why not? 

 

Lesson 2.07 – Justice as fairness and equality

 

We’ve noted that the biblical concept of justice goes beyond retribution, and that followers of Christ are called to the difficult task of forgiving enemies and overcoming evil with good, in the way that Christ demonstrated in his own life. Today we’ll continue to develop the concept of justice by exploring the notion of justice as fairness and equality. 

 

When we talk about justice as fairness, we’re moving beyond the idea that justice is just about balancing the scales of justice or righting past wrongs. Retribution is a type of justice that’s reactionary: it comes into the picture when there’s an injustice that needs to be addressed. But fairness and equality are forms of justice that should always be present, both in the behavior of individuals and in the laws and institutions of a society. 

 

In an atheist worldview, it’s actually very difficult to explain why it is that people should be treated fairly or regarded as having equal worth. But in the Christian tradition, these values have a solid foundation. Every human being has equal and infinite worth in virtue of being a creature who is made in the image of God. To practice justice is to treat other people in the way that God commands us to treat them: as fellow bearers of the imago Dei who deserve our respect, our care, and our love.  

 

Challenge: Fellowship

Identify someone in your community who is different from you in some way that typically divides people in society. Typical dividing lines will vary from culture to culture, but often factors like race or ethnicity, religion, family income, occupation, tribe, health status, age, gender, athletic ability, academic ability, social status or popularity, or neighborhood divide people from one another. Invite that person to share a meal, play a game or sport, take a walk, or just hang out with you. 

 

Journal/Reflection: Equality

Discuss the following, either in groups or in your journal: Do you agree that all people, without exception, have equal worth and value? If so, what is the basis of this equality? Is it difficult to explain without the resources of a Christian worldview? 

 

Lesson 2.08 – Justice as getting what’s deserved

 

When we first began reflecting on justice, we considered the idea of justice as people “getting what they deserve.” We were thinking about this is terms of “payback”—retributive punishments for those who wrongfully harm other people. But there’s another sense of justice that involves people “getting what they deserve,” and it comes to light when we reflect on the idea that every person is made in the image of God. Every person has equal worth—infinite worth, in fact—in virtue of being made by God and bearing His image, and so every person is worthy of respect, care, and love. When people are taken care of and have their fundamental needs met, and when they receive other people’s respect and love, they’re “getting what they deserve.”

 

It follows that it’s an injustice whenever someone is denied these good things. There are various forms that this type of injustice can take, including neglect, oppression, and exploitation. The bible has a great deal to say about injustice of these types. We should be very concerned not to practice any of them. And yet, as we will see, it’s extraordinarily difficult to avoid participating in these types of injustice altogether. 

 

Challenge: Study

Watch the following video by The Bible Project on the biblical concept of justice.

 

 

Journal/Reflection: The biblical concept of justice

What did you learn from the video about the biblical concept of justice?

Lesson 2.09 – Developing a heart for justice 

 

One of the most important characteristics of virtuous people is that they feel the right things. A virtuous person delights in what is good and is troubled by what is bad in the world. A just person, specifically, is someone who is gladdened by justice and is troubled by injustice. We’re not saying that having these feeling is all that’s required to be a just person, of course. But an essential part of becoming a just person is developing “a heart for justice”—a deep desire and longing for justice to be done in the world, and a deep concern for the injustices of the world in all their varied forms. 

 

It’s easy to imagine that we have these feelings and concerns. But a truly just person desires that all of the injustices in the world be righted, including those that would require some personal loss or sacrifice. Do we really want this? Before we can answer this question honestly, we’ll need to think more about the kinds of injustice and oppression that exist in the world. We may find that we’re more entangled in injustice than we imagined, and that becoming untangled would be more costly than we’ve considered. 

 

In the meantime, remember that only God can truly change people’s hearts, including your own. If you want to develop a heart for justice, begin by praying that God would open your eyes to the injustices in the world around you, and that He would give you a deep burden to see them righted. 

 

Challenge: Forgiveness

Continue the “Forgiveness” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 2 of 6 total).

 

Journal/Reflection: Becoming more aware of injustice

What steps can we take to become more aware of the injustices in the world around us, and how can we take action to help right these wrongs?

Lesson 2.10 – Injustice as nNeglect 

 

We previously identified several different types of injustice that involve situations where some people are denied the good things that are owed them simply in virtue of being human—that is, in virtue of their status as fellow creatures who bear the image of God. 

 

Perhaps the most common form of injustice of this type is neglect, where a person or group is denied fundamental goods because those with the means to provide these goods simply ignore those in need. Understood in this way, neglect is a practice that is often permitted in our legal laws—at least, wherever the person in need is a stranger to you. But it’s not permitted in God’s law:

 

John [the Baptist] answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” (Luke 3:17, NIV)

 

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:15-17, NIV)

 

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18, NIV)

 

These verses again raise the question of whether we truly have a desire for justice. Perhaps we like the idea of using someone else’s money and resources to provide for those in need, but do we really desire that the needs of others be met out of the abundance of our own possessions? 

 

Challenge: Service

Think about someone you know in your community who is presently in need, and something you could do for them or give to them that would help. Perhaps you could visit someone who is lonely in a nursing home (giving of your time), or take a meal to someone who is homebound (giving of your means), or mow the lawn for someone who is disabled (giving of your abilities). Contact this person and let them know that you would like to serve them in this way, and ask them for their permission to do so. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 2.11 – Injustice as oOppression 

 

Let’s continue our discussion of the different types of injustice that involve people being denied the good things they’re owed simply in virtue of being human. Yesterday we identified neglect as a common form of this type of injustice. Today we’ll turn our attention to another type, called oppression. 

 

Oppression is what happens when people use their power, money, social status, or other means to deny basic goods to other people who lack power and means. 

 

After working through the previous lesson, you might be less confident that you’ve never been guilty of neglect—at least when we take into account those in need who aren’t a part of your family, or your friends, or any part of your social network. But surely you’ve never taken part in oppressing anyone. Right?

 

Don’t be so sure. It’s important to realize that injustice isn’t limited to the actions of individuals. There’s such a thing as collective or systemic injustice. The laws and institutions of a society can be oppressive. In some cases the oppression extends to most everyone—for example, in countries with extremely repressive and controlling governments. But oftentimes, the oppression extends only to some of those within a certain society, and not to others. The manner in which one group can oppress another group can be quite subtle and easy to overlook—especially for those who are part of the group that benefits from the oppression rather than the group that suffers from it.

 

In our upcoming lessons, we’ll explore the idea of systemic injustice in more detail. We’ll think more about our own level of responsibility and participation in various types of systemic injustice, as well as what we could do to begin working for a more just society. 

 

Challenge: Discipleship/Seeking Counsel

If you have not set up a time to meet with your mentor yet, make sure to do so. Once you have met, you can check off this challenge as complete. In addition to sharing about your life, consider discussing the topic of justice with your mentor. How does your mentor understand the nature of justice? What experiences has your mentor had of justice? Injustice? How has your mentor responded to those experiences? What would your mentor do differently? What advice can your mentor offer you as you grow a heart for justice and courage to confront injustice?

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reread the definition of oppression given in this lesson. In what ways could the laws of a society be a source of oppression? Try to identify a specific law or social arrangement that you know of that might be oppressive to some people. Are you affected by this law in any way? If so, how? 

 

Lesson 2.12 – Systemic iInjustice

 

Yesterday we introduced the idea of systemic injustice, a type of injustice that operates at the level of social structures, laws, and institutions. It’s worth stopping to think about where our laws come from. Unlike morality, which is (arguably) unalterable, being rooted in God’s commands or human nature (or both), legal laws are created—by people. Which people? Typically, they’re created by those in power. 

 

It might seem like America is an exception to this. We don’t have a dictator or a king who rules the country and creates the laws at whim. Laws are passed by Congress, a branch of the government. And in theory at least, those in Congress represent the people who elect them. So, ideally, the laws that are passed are expressions of “the will of the people.”

 

It doesn’t take an especially cynical person to appreciate that the reality of creating laws is a lot more complicated, and a lot less ideal, than this summary description. But notice that even in the “ideal” form just described, the laws that are passed represent the preferences of the majority. And if the majority prefer to have laws passed that represent and advance their own interests, and if those interests conflict with the interests of groups who are in the minority, then we already have a recipe for systemic injustice. 

 

Challenge: Study

Watch the following video on the sources of systemic racism in America, created by Phil Vischer in the summer of 2020. Pay special attention to Vischer’s explanation of the way that the American legal system has been a source of systemic injustice throughout its history. What should the Christian response to this be?  

 

“Race in America”

 

Journal/Reflection:

Do you agree with Phil Vischer’s claims? Why or why not? How should Christians respond to systemic injustice?  

Lesson 2.13 – Working for sSocial jJustice 

 

Yesterday we explored the ways that injustice can be systemic, that is, embodied in and perpetuated by the legal laws and institutions of a society. But it might not be at clear what this has to do with the topic of justice as a virtue. Virtues, after all, are personal characteristics. They’re qualities of individuals. So why are we talking about forms of injustice that are collective? 

 

The reason, in short, is that we’re all a part of some society, we’re all affected by the laws and institutions of our society, and for those of us who live in democratic countries, we play a part in shaping these laws and institutions. We previously noted that just people are people who feel the right things, who are troubled by injustice, who desire to see people treated justly, and who work to bring this about in the ways they can. To grow in the virtue of justice, we need to reflect carefully and honestly on the ways that we might be presently benefiting from some injustice in the laws or institutions of our society. And once we’ve identified them, we need to begin working to dismantle them. We need to be a part of the work of bringing about social justice. 

 

Challenge: 

Think about how you can become involved in helping to bring about social justice in some small way in your community. Learn about issues affecting your community by reading the local paper or watching / listening to local news. Write a letter to a local official, volunteer with a local organization, or attend a protest or demonstration for a cause that you believe is important. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Lesson 2.14 – Justice as rRestitution

 

Having considered some of the ways that injustice can happen at a collective or systemic level, it’s now time to consider what can be done to restore justice in such cases. Part of this we’ve already addressed: the ongoing sources of systemic injustice—for example, unjust laws or institutions—should be dismantled. But this by itself may not be enough to bring about justice. If a person or group has suffered for many years, or even for generations, under an unjust system, simply abolishing the system does not do enough to right the wrong. It may prevent future injustices, but it doesn’t do anything by itself to address past injustices.

 

We’ve discussed retributive punishment as an approach to justice that tries to right past wrongs by inflicting commensurate harm or loss upon wrongdoers. But there’s another way of addressing past wrongs that we should consider: the method of restitution. Restitution is a matter of giving something back to its rightful owner that was wrongfully taken, or otherwise compensating a victim of injustice for their past loss. It’s a way of addressing injustice that focuses on the victim (restoring them) rather than on the perpetrator (punishing them).

 

In cases of systemic injustice, in particular, the method of restitution may be the most effective way of redressing the harm. And the Bible commands the people of God to be involved in these efforts: 

 

Defend the weak and the fatherless;
    uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalm 82:3-4, NIV)

Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:17, NIV)

 

The righteous care about justice for the poor,
    but the wicked have no such concern. (Proverbs 29:7, NIV)

 

By siding with the victims of injustice—taking up their cause, advocating for restitution for past losses they’ve suffered, and helping to compensate victims for any past injustices in which you’ve played a part or benefited, whether intentionally or unintentionally—you will not only grow in the virtue of justice, you will also grow closer to the victims, who are your neighbors. And you will grow closer to God, who honors those who uphold the cause of the oppressed. 

 

Challenge: Forgiveness

Continue the “Forgiveness” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 3 of 6 total).

 

Lesson 2.15 – The Kingdom of God / The Lord’s Prayer

 

There are many ways that we can take part in helping to advance the cause of social justice in our communities and in our world. Many of these are collective activities, like volunteering at a soup kitchen, helping to build a community center, or taking part in a campaign to overturn an unjust law. But cultivating the virtue of justice with respect to social issues is also something that we should be seeking in prayer. 

 

The most famous prayer in all of the Christian faith is the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, known as the Lord’s Prayer. It begins with these lines: 

 

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10, ESV)

 

In praying that the kingdom of God would come to earth, we are praying that God would finally bring about perfect justice in the world. When we pray these words, we’re inviting God to use us, personally, to help accomplish this end. And while we may not have the ability to bring about much change on our own, God can do amazing things through individuals who are wholeheartedly devoted to advancing His kingdom, the kingdom of justice and love. So begin by opening yourself up to God in prayer. Pray the Lord’s Prayer daily, and allow yourself to be formed by it. 

 

Challenge: Prayer

Pray through the Lord’s Prayer slowly several times, thinking carefully about the meaning of each line. On the last time that say the prayer, restate each line of the prayer in your own words, expanding and elaborating on the meaning as you understand it. 

 

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:9-13, ESV)

 

Lesson 2.16 – Justice as restoration: Relationships, Part I (Jesus & Peter)Justice as restoration: Relationships / The restoration of Peter

 

In a previous lesson, we discussed the idea of justice as making restitution. We should advocate for the cause of the oppressed, regardless of whether we’ve personally been involved in the injustice they’ve suffered. But in cases where we’ve personally been involved in injustice, our response needs to go beyond just making restitution. 

 

Whenever we do something wrong, we harm our relationships to those we’ve wronged. And whenever we wrong another person, we also wrong God, whose Law we have violated in wronging our neighbor. When a relationship is damaged, it needs to be restored. So justice must go beyond restitution. It must also include restoration. 

 

The way that relationships are healed in the aftermath of wrongdoing will vary, depending on the circumstances and on the type of relationship that’s been damaged. A famous account of restoration in the Bible is found in the Gospel of John, chapter 21. Peter had previously denied three times that he even knew Jesus—acts of deep and repeated betrayal in the context of the events that were taking place. In his encounter with Jesus after the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter by getting him to confess three times that he loved Jesus. The threefold confession was a way that Jesus helped Peter to undo the damage of the betrayal, and thereby to restore the relationship. 

 

Challenge: Hospitality

 

Journal/Reflection:

Read the story of Peter’s betrayal of Jesus in Luke 22:54-62, and the story of Peter’s restoration in John 21. When you’ve completed the readings, reflect on the following in your journal: How did Peter’s confession help to undo the damage of his betrayal? What does this story teach us about the nature of justice or the way that justice is brought about? 

 

Lesson 2.17 – Justice as restoration: Relationships, Part II (the prodigal son)Justice as restoration: Relationships / The Prodigal Son

 

In the previous lesson, we noted that the way relationships need to be healed in the aftermath of injustice will vary, depending on the circumstances and on the type of relationship that’s been damaged. Nevertheless, one element will be common to all cases: it must involve forgiveness. Notice that restitution could be rendered without any expression of remorse on the part of the one who perpetrated the injustice. But in such a case, the relationship between wrongdoer and victim would not be healed. 

 

Whenever we have participated in injustice, whether intentionally or not, we must seek the forgiveness of those whom we have wronged. And when others who have wronged us seek our forgiveness, we must forgive them. Being ready to act in these ways when the occasion arises is part of what it is to be a just person. 

 

There are cases in which restoration can, and should, happen even without restitution: for example, in cases where the wrongdoer is unable to make restitution. In Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, we see an example of such a case. The foolish son squanders everything, and so has nothing to offer his father by way of restitution for the damage he’s caused to the relationship. This parable, in the example of the father, gives us a clear depiction of the connection between forgiveness and restoration, and a model of what it means to practice justice in the way that God desires. 

 

Challenge: Study

Watch the Bible Project Video, “” and read the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

When you’ve completed the readings, reflect on the following, either as a group or in your journal: In what ways are justice and injustice depicted in this parable? What do we learn about the nature of justice and injustice from each of the three characters in the story: the prodigal son, the father, and the older brother?  

 

Lesson 2.18 – Injustice as a cause of damage to the soul 

 

In our previous lessons, we’ve thought a lot about the way that justice can be restored in the aftermath of injustice. But there’s one part that we haven’t discussed yet. Part of the damage that injustice causes is harm to the victim. This is the reason that restitution is often required to restore justice. Another part of the damage is to relationships. This is the reason that justice requires restoration. But a third part of the damage is to the one who has done wrong. When we participate in injustice, we do damage to our souls. And this harm, along with the others, needs to be addressed. 

 

What is the nature of the damage that’s done to our souls when we engage in wrongdoing? Recall from a previous lesson that Plato described the vicious person as having a “disordered soul.” When we participate in injustice, we mess things up in our own souls; we become disordered in our psyches. This disorder comes in degrees, and it’s worse to the degree that the wrongdoing is worse. (Scamming elderly people out of their retirement would cause more disorder to one’s soul than pirating movies off the internet, for example.) But we also noted previously that our characters are formed by repeatedly performing actions of a certain type. So even minor injustices can have a cumulative effect on our souls.  

 

In order to undo this damage, something more is required than making restitution to victims and being restored in our relationships to those we’ve wronged. In the next lesson, we’ll develop the problem in more detail and begin working toward the solution.     

 

Challenge: Confession

 

Journal/Reflection:

Revisit the challenge from Lesson 1.27 to break an existing bad habit or to form a new good habit. Reflect in your journal about how this has gone over the past month. Were you successful in carrying out your original plan of action? Has the old habit been successfully broken, or has the new habit successfully “taken root”? If not, make adjustments to your plan in light of your experience over the last month, and then recommit to the revised plan. 

 

Lesson 2.19 – Wearing “ruts” into the soul (the principle of spiritual momentum)

 

We noted in our previous discussion of the importance of habits that actions of a certain type become easier or more natural to us the more that we repeatedly engage in them. It’s sort of like tires wearing ruts in the snow. The more that you drive in the ruts, the deeper they get, and the more likely it is that the tires will find their way back to the ruts the next time—and make them even deeper. 

 

In our moral and spiritual lives, a similar principle applies. Each time we perform a virtuous action, acts of that type become a little more natural to us than they were before, and a little easier to perform (other things being equal) the next time. And, unfortunately, the same is true of vicious actions. This is the damage to the soul that’s done each time a person perpetrates injustice.  

 

Notice that being forgiven for a past act (or past acts) of injustice does not by itself undo this damage. Even if your neighbor forgives you for wronging them, and even if God forgives you as well, there’s still a kind of “rut” on the soul that remains. The relationship is restored, but the inclination to go down the same path again, to repeat the same sort of injustice, is still there. To repair this damage to the soul, something more is required. We’ll explore this next. 

 

Challenge: Forgiveness

Continue the “Forgiveness” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 4 of 6 total).

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 2.20 – Undoing damage to the soul, Part I: The Great Physician

 

How can damage to the soul be undone? Once we have worn spiritual “ruts” into our souls by repeatedly engaging in wrongful acts of a certain type, what could set us on the right path again? Forgiveness restores the relationship, but what keeps us from simply falling into the same ruts again, thereby damaging the relationship in the same way as before?

 

What’s needed to solve this problem is a divine intervention. We need God to perform a healing work in our souls. And this is the teaching of the Church: that Christ is the Great Physician!     

 

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw [Jesus] eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:16-17, NIV)

 

Consider these words of the Psalmist:

 

Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:2-3, NIV)

 

Notice that “your diseases” refers back to “my soul.” The Lord is the healer not just of physical ailments, but also diseases of the soul. And that’s exactly what sin is! 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Prayer

Memorize Psalm 103:1-5 and begin incorporating it into your daily prayers.  

 

Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:1-5, NIV)

 

Lesson 2.21 – Undoing damage to the soul, Part II: Repentance 

 

The Bible teaches us that God is the healer of the spiritual disease of sin. But why, then, does anyone remain “uncured”? Why do some people never break out of their cycles of perpetrating injustice over and over? More generally, why do some people have a deeply ingrained, vicious character? 

 

The answer, in short, is that God heals those who want to be healed and who come to Him for healing. He doesn’t force it upon us. He doesn’t perform surgery on our souls without our consent. 

 

How, then, do we receive healing from God? We do so through a process that the Church calls repentance. One part of repentance is confession: we confess our sins to God, admitting the full truth about what we’ve done, without any excuses or rationalizations, and we ask for God’s forgiveness. A second part is contrition: we sincerely regret our sins, and we “turn” from them—that is, we reject them in our hearts as things that we despise and that we resolve, by God’s grace, not to do again. 

 

Many Christians believe that there’s a third part to repentance, called penance. We’ll explore this in the next lesson. 

 

Challenge: Prayer

Memorize the following Prayer for the Confession of Sin, from the Book of Common Prayer, and begin to incorporate it into your daily prayers. 

 

Most merciful God, 

we confess that we have sinned against you 

in thought, word, and deed, 

by what we have done, 

and by what we have left undone. 

We have not loved you with our whole heart; 

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. 

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. 

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, 

have mercy on us and forgive us; 

that we may delight in your will, 

and walk in your ways, 

to the glory of your Name. 

Amen.

 

Lesson 2.22 – Undoing damage to the soul, Part III: Penance

 

We’ve noted two parts of repentance: the act of confessing our sins and the act of turning away from them, called contrition. But many Christians believe that there’s something else that needs to be done before repentance is complete. It’s called penance. 

 

One way of understanding penance is that of “making amends.” If we’ve wronged someone, we need to do what we can to try to make things right. If something was stolen, for example, it must be returned; if someone was hurt, efforts must be made to bring healing. In some cases, acts of penance are also acts of restitution.

 

A crucial part of the function of penance, however, is the healing of the penitent’s soul. (The “penitent” is the person who repents of their sins.) Even if it’s an action that brings restitution to the victim(s), it has the further purpose of solidifying the penitent’s resolve not to sin again. It’s like a movement in the opposite direction of the sin, a movement whose purpose is to “fill in the ruts” in the soul of the penitent that were caused by the sinful acts. Acts of penance are thus intended to begin the process of forming a new habit, a habit of virtue. 

 

It’s a mistake to think of penance as acts by which a sinner earns God’s forgiveness. There’s nothing we can do to earn God’s forgiveness. Penance is a way that God brings healing to the soul. And like every part of the process of salvation, it’s a work of God within us, not something we accomplish by our own power. Remember: “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 12:2-3, NIV) 

 

Challenge: Confession

Pray through this confessional prayer by Martin Luther King Jr. After each line, reflect upon the ways in which you have sinned and ask God for forgiveness.

 

O thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being. We humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. 

 

[pause, reflect, and confess] 

 

We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses rather than by the life of sacrificial love as revealed by Christ. 

 

[pause, reflect, and confess] 

 

We often give in order to receive, we love our friends and hate our enemies, we go the first mile but dare not travel the second, we forgive but dare not forget. 

 

[pause, reflect, and confess] 

 

And so as we look within ourselves we are confronted with the appalling fact that the history of our lives is the history of an eternal revolt against thee. 

 

[pause, reflect, and confess] 

 

But thou, O God, have mercy upon us. Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be. Give us the intelligence to know thy will. Give us the courage to do thy will. Give us the devotion to love thy will. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.

 

Source: Martin Luther King, Jr. “Prayers” https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/prayers

 

Challenge: 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Discuss the following questions: Is penance an essential part of repentance? Why might Christians disagree with one another about this? If you reject the idea of penance, what do you think is the solution to the problem of “ruts in the soul”?

 

Lesson 2.23 – Justice as restoration: The new creation

 

Having explored the various ways that injustice should be dealt with—at a societal level, in the relationship between a perpetrator and a victim, and in the soul of an individual sinner—let’s now return to the topic of justice as restoration. So far, we’ve talked about restoration in the context of relationships that have been broken by injustice. But in Christian theology, the restoration that the Kingdom of God will bring about goes beyond this. It will also be a restoration of creation. 

 

The world that we live in now is filled with evil and suffering, and while much of this is due to humans misusing their free will and perpetrating injustice, not all of it is—at least not directly. Much of the suffering and death in the world is from natural causes, like diseases and natural disasters. The Bible says that when the world was first created, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31, NIV). But since that initial creation, something has gone terribly wrong. And God intends to restore it.

 

One of the most central teachings of the Christian faith is that Jesus Christ will someday return in glory. The Kingdom of God first came to earth with the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Kingdom has been growing ever since, but it has not yet come to its completion or fulfillment. This will happen at Christ’s return. And one of the many incredible things that will come about when the Kingdom of God is finally and fully inaugurated at Christ’s return is that “the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption” (Romans 8:21, ESV). 

 

This is the final consummation of justice on earth: the creation itself will be healed and restored. 

 

Challenge: Forgiveness

Continue the “Forgiveness” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 5 of 6 total).

 

Journal/Reflection:

In the next lesson, we’ll consider the ways that we were created by God to be caretakers of the earth. Begin your reflections on this today, by taking up a new practice of “creation care.” This could be a practice of recycling, or conservation, or a reduction of waste or consumption. Reflect on the reasons that care of creation should be a part of Christian practice. 

 

Lesson 2.24 – Participating in justice: Care for creation

 

In the Christian telling of the creation story, humankind was first made by God to be caretakers of the earth. Interestingly, we find two different versions of the story of God’s creation of humankind in the first two chapters of Genesis (the first book of the Bible). In the first, it is said that God created humans to “rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground” (Genesis 1:26, NIV). In the second, it says that God took the first man that He created and “put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15, NIV). The word “rule” in Genesis 1:26 should not be taken to imply violence or mistreatment, but rather just the opposite: humankind was tasked with ruling over the animal kingdom in the way that Christ will someday rule over all creation: in benevolence, and wisdom, and justice. In short, humankind was tasked with caring for creation. 

 

It didn’t take long for humans to fail in their assignment. And one of the mysterious consequences of this failure is that the “the ground” became “cursed” (Genesis 3:17, NIV). Yesterday we talked about the way that Christ’s return will finally set this right: “the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption” (Romans 8:21, ESV). But we need not—and should not—wait for Christ’s return to begin participating in God’s restorative justice for creation. We were tasked with caring for creation, and we still are—despite our failures. When we take care of the earth—when we manage and preserve its natural resources and beauty, when we care for animals and treat them with kindness and respect—we are fulfilling a part of our divinely-appointed purpose. We’re treating God’s creatures in the way they deserve to be treated. And that’s what justice is all about.  

 

Challenge: Stewardship

 

Module 3 Lessons (Temperance – Part I)

 

Lesson 3.01 – What is temperance? 

 

Today we begin our discussion of the second of the four cardinal virtues: temperance. The first task is to understand what temperance is. “Temperance” is not a word that’s commonly used these days. And even once we define it, it’s very easy to confuse temperance with something else that’s closely related to it, but not the same. 

Temperance has to do with the desires that we call “bodily appetites.” These refer primarily to the desires for food, drink, and sex. But it also extends to things like the desire for sleep, for exercise, for rest, and for leisure. Temperance is the quality of desiring these things in the right ways and to the right degrees. More generally, since the bodily appetites are associated with different kinds of pleasure, we can characterize temperance as desiring pleasure in the right ways and to the right degrees. 

Many people confuse temperance with self-control. But these aren’t the same. Strictly speaking, the temperate person has no need for self-control. You need self-control only if there’s something wrong with your desires—only if you desire bad things, for example, or you desire good things in quantities that are unhealthy.

To understand temperance, we’ll need to think more about the nature of desires. And this will end up leading us to some more general reflections about the connection between desires, emotions, and virtue. Our discussions in the opening lessons of this module will quickly venture beyond the topic of temperance, but the insights will inform all of our future discussions.

 

Challenge: Study

Watch “Temperance” (Aquinas 101)

 

Lesson 3.02 – Intemperance as having disordered desires

 

To understand temperance, we need to begin with a general point about the nature of desires. Some desires are healthy, and others are unhealthy. Examples would be the desire for daily moderate exercise, and the desire to watch TV all day, respectively. Some desires are morally good, and others are morally bad. Examples would be the desire to be faithful to one’s spouse, and the desire to begin an adulterous relationship, respectively. 

The temperate person does not have unhealthy desires in the area of bodily appetites. We noted in the previous lesson that temperance is often confused with self-control. But self-control is needed only when one’s desires are unhealthy, morally bad, or otherwise disordered in some way. Recall Plato’s description of the vicious person as having a “disordered soul.” We can take this idea and modify it slightly to help us understand the intemperate person (the person who lacks temperance). The intemperate person has disordered desires. 

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24, NIV)

 

Lesson 3.03 – Two ways desires can be disordered

 

In general, there are two different ways that desires can be disordered. They can be desires for a good thing pursued in a bad way: for example, the desire for sex (a good thing…) with another person’s spouse (…pursued in a bad way). Or they can be desires for a good thing in an amount that is bad: for example, the desire to eat food (a good thing…) in quantities that lead to obesity (…an amount that is bad). 

We previously said that self-control is needed if one has “desires for bad things.” But strictly speaking, desires are always for things that one perceives to be good in some way. This is what it is for something to be seen as desirable. But as we’ve just made clear, not every pursuit of a good thing is itself good. It has to be in the right way and to the right degree. Our discussions of temperance will explore different ways that pleasure—a good thing—can be pursued in various ways or to various degrees that are not good. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Make a list of different things that you presently desire: things you would like to own, activities that you enjoy, experiences you would like to have, etc. How many of these are things that you think you shouldn’t desire, either because they are unhealthy or immoral in some way? How many of these are things that are good, but you desire too much of them? Reflect on the ways that the things on your list have been a source of satisfaction or dissatisfaction to you, and a source of happiness or unhappiness. 

Lesson 3.04 – The (general) connection between character, desires, and emotions (passions)

 

We noted in the previous lesson that the temperate person is someone who desires pleasure only in the right ways and to the right degrees. This connection between character and desires is not limited to temperance, however. In general, the virtuous person is the person who desires the right things in the right ways and to the right degrees. We could say that such a person has desires that are rightly ordered. The vicious person, by contrast, is the person who has disordered desires. 

The things that you desire—including the things that you value and the things that you delight and take pleasure in—reveal a great deal about your character. A person who enjoys helping other people is, in that way at least, a good person. Likewise for a person who is genuinely happy to see others succeed. By contrast, a person who finds it funny (a form of delight) when someone is publicly humiliated is cruel. A person who takes pleasure in making other people suffer is vicious. 

To be virtuous is to have the right desires. And the same is true of emotions—or “passions,” as they were once commonly called. To be virtuous is to feel the right things, to have the emotions that are proper to the circumstances. (For our purposes, we’ll treat “feelings,” “emotions,” and “passions” as interchangeable terms.)

Virtue requires having the right desires and the right emotions. For this reason, reflecting on your desires and emotions is a good way to assess your present character—and to identify areas where change is needed. 

 

Challenge: Study

Watch “The Passions in General” (Aquinas 101)

Lesson 3.05 – The conscientious misanthrope

 

We decided in the previous lesson that to be virtuous is to have the right feelings and desires. It follows from this that virtue requires more than simply doing what’s right. 

To see the significance of this, consider the following sort of case. Imagine a person who believes that he ought to help other people, but he hates actually helping others. (Perhaps he has a strong aversion to even being around other people.) Suppose this individual forces himself to go through with various acts of service, simply because he believes it to be his duty. Is this a virtuous person? 

There’s something admirable about this individual. He’s praiseworthy for exerting the moral effort to do what he recognizes to be his duty. But he’s still lacking in virtue. Ironically, the very fact that he needs to exert moral effort indicates his deficiency in virtue. To be truly virtuous, a person must have the right feelings and desires. He must delight in what is good. He must want to do the things that are his duty.    

This is crucial to a proper understanding of virtue. But it also leads to a puzzle. We’ll develop this next. 

 

Challenge: Forgiveness Activity

Complete the “Forgiveness” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 6 of 6 total).

Lesson 3.06 – Beyond temptation: A puzzling consequence of our description of virtue

 

We previously decided that, to be truly virtuous, a person must have the right feelings and desires. This leads to a very interesting puzzle. 

To set it up, let’s first go back to a distinction we previously noted, between temperance and self-control. The temperate person, we said, has no need to exercise self-control over their bodily appetites, because their appetites are rightly ordered. That is to say, they desire the right things. Only disordered desires need to be controlled. Temperance is a virtue that applies to bodily appetites. But we went on to note that the connection between character and desire is more general: the virtuous person is the person whose desires are rightly ordered—all of their desires, not just their bodily appetites. 

It apparently follows from these descriptions of virtue that the virtuous person has no need for self-control in general—not just with respect to their appetites. This conclusion, by itself, seems strange enough. But things get even stranger. 

Because they have rightly ordered desires, a virtuous person would always desire what’s good, and so desire to do what’s right (morally required). But temptation involves a desire to do something wrong. So the virtuous person is someone who’s beyond temptation. It follows that the virtuous person never does anything wrong, since they’re never even tempted to do so.

This conclusion at first seems absurd. No one is perfect! And everyone faces temptation. So it appears that our reflections on virtue have reached a dead end. Virtue, as we’ve characterized it, is something no actual person possesses!

This is an important puzzle. Understanding the solution to it is necessary to rightly conceive your own process of character development. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect in your journal about the puzzle we’ve just developed. What do you think might be the solution to it?  

 

Lesson 3.07 – Virtue as an ideal

 

In the previous lesson, we reached a set of seemingly outrageous conclusions. The virtuous person doesn’t exercise self-control, because they have no need to. Their desires are rightly ordered, so they always desire what’s good. Since temptation involves a desire to do something bad, the virtuous person is beyond temptation. It follows that they never do anything wrong. But surely this is a description of no actual, living human being. Clearly, something has gone wrong with our description of virtue.

Or has it? 

To understand the solution to this puzzle, it’s important to clarify two things. The first is that virtue comes in degrees. The second is that, in our descriptions of virtue, we’ve been describing an ideal. 

The conclusions we’ve reached—that a virtuous person has no need for self-control, that a virtuous person is beyond temptation, that a virtuous person always does what is right—would apply only to a person who is ideally and perfectly virtuous. Real-life people inevitably fall short of this ideal in some way or other. We struggle with temptation—and often lose the battle. We do things that we know we shouldn’t. We fall into sin. 

Nevertheless, to the degree that we’re virtuous, we won’t be tempted to sin. And in any particular area in which our virtue is perfected, we’ll be altogether beyond temptation in that area. Our description of the virtuous person is a description of the goal to which we’re striving and (hopefully) moving ever closer, even if we never fully reach it in this life.

 

Challenge: Discipleship/Seeking Council

Interview your mentor or someone else you know who you regard as a wise person. Ask the questions listed in the Journal/Reflection 3.07.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Ask them the following questions and write notes about their answers in your journal. Make it clear to the person you’re interviewing that their answers to these questions—and the conversation in general—will not be made public, but is only for the purposes of your own learning and for helping you to grow in virtue.

• What is one area of your moral or spiritual life in which you’ve experienced significant growth? 

• How did this growth come about? 

• Is it an ongoing struggle to maintain the progress you’ve experienced in this area?

What advice would you give for overcoming temptation?

Lesson 3.08 – Overcoming temptation

 

If the ideal of perfect virtue is one that we only ever approximate (move closer toward) but never actually attain, why bother describing it at all? Isn’t it just a discouraging reminder of how we’re a constant failure? Wouldn’t it be more useful to describe virtue in the forms that we actually find it in the world? 

 

For starters, it should not be discouraging, but rather encouraging to discover that growth in virtue is a process of moving beyond temptation. This gives us hope that we won’t be struggling with temptation forever! Battling temptation is difficult, emotionally exhausting, and often disappointing in its outcomes. The news that there is a state beyond our present one in which this battle could be finally and fully behind us is good news indeed. 

 

The war against temptation won’t be won all at once. And the battles won’t all be equally fierce. There are probably some areas in which a particular kind of virtue comes naturally to you. Perhaps there are certain vices that don’t tempt you at all. There are other areas where you’re tempted on occasion, or only mildly. And then there are the areas where you really struggle, areas where you face near constant or very strong temptation.

 

Growth in virtue is a process of overcoming temptation, little by little. You first “overcome temptation” in the sense of facing a particular temptation and resisting it, choosing to do what’s right instead. If you overcome temptation repeatedly and consistently in a particular area, the strength of the vice will diminish in your character, until eventually it has no power over you at all. This is the permanent form of “overcoming temptation” at which the process of character development is aiming.   

 

Journal/Reflection:

Make a list with three columns. In the first, list some vices or sins that don’t tempt you at all, or that tempt you very little. In the second, list some that tempt you moderately, or occasionally. In the third, list those that are a source of strong or constant temptation. If you had made these lists five years ago, would any of the vices/sins have been on a different list? If so, what accounts for these changes? Do they offer any insights as to how you might make progress in overcoming temptation? 

 

Challenge: Accountability

Select a friend or small group of close friends to serve as your accountability group. The whole group must be committed to honesty, transparency, and confidentiality for this to work. Start off by sharing at least one recurring temptation each of you experiences and ask for help fighting the temptation through regular check-ins, prayer, and encouragement. In later lessons, you will be reminded to check up on your accountability friends. 

 

Lesson 3.09 – The ideal of virtue as a reference point

 

Let’s return to a question we raised in the last lesson: Wouldn’t it be more useful to describe virtue in the forms that we actually find it in the world, rather than an ideal version that we can only get closer to but never actually attain? 

In fact, it’s very important that we have a clear understanding of virtue in its ideal, and this is so for at least two reasons. 

First, we need to understand the ideal in order to have a reference point. How could you make progress on a journey if you had no idea where your destination was? You wouldn’t have any way of knowing whether you were going in the right direction. Likewise, in the moral and spiritual life, it’s important to keep the end goal in mind. An understanding of virtue in its ideal form functions as a reference point for your moral and spiritual development. Put in terms of Christian theology, it’s what the process of salvation is aiming at; it’s a description of the end point of the process that we previously (in Day 21) termed sanctification. 

If we’re followers of Jesus, we should be drawing ever closer to this ideal, as the Spirit of God works within us, transforming our character and desires. And this goal remains the correct one, even if no ordinary person reaches it in his or her earthly life.

 

Challenge: Prayer 

Memorize the following Prayer of St. Francis, and begin to incorporate it into your daily prayers.

 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, 

Where there is hatred, let me sow love; 

Where there is injury, pardon; 

Where there is doubt, faith; 

Where there is despair, hope; 

Where there is darkness, light; 

Where there is sadness, joy; 

 

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; 

to be understood, as to understand; 

to be loved, as to love. 

 

For it is in giving that we receive. 

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. 

 

Amen.

Lesson 3.10 – “You must therefore be perfect.”

 

We decided that it’s important to understand the ideal of virtue, even if it remains unattainable in our present lives, because it functions as a reference point for our moral and spiritual lives. We must have some understanding of the destination in order to discern whether our spiritual development is moving in the right direction. 

But this is not the only reason it’s important that we have a clear understanding of virtue in its ideal. It’s also important because this ideal—the perfection of virtue—is something to which all disciples of Jesus are called. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his listeners, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48, ESV) 

This is a shocking teaching. But for those who accept it, it’s proof that the ideal of perfect virtue isn’t a merely theoretical upper limit. It’s a destination to which we are called, and one that will not forever elude us if we continue to follow Jesus. There are many things that God calls us to do that are impossible for us to accomplish by our own power. But whatever God commands us to do, He will enable us to do, if we’re willing to allow Him and cooperate with the work of His Spirit within us. Those who remain united to Christ will eventually be perfected in virtue. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Reading

Read the following passage several times:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48, NIV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect in your journal about what you think this verse means.Lesson 3.11 – Second-order desires

 

We decided that to be virtuous is to have the right desires. So wanting to become a virtuous person means wanting to develop the right kinds of desires. We must want to want the right things. 

This might sound strange at first. But if you’re reflective about your own character and honest with yourself, you’ll notice areas where you have some unhealthy or otherwise disordered desires. These are the areas where—if you’re concerned about becoming virtuous—there’s a difference between what you want, and what you want to want. 

There’s a useful set of philosophical terms for the distinction we’re making: first-order desires are what you actually want, and second-order desires are what you want to want. This distinction is important for the project of character development. Wherever there’s a place where your first-order and second-order desires conflict, there’s a corresponding difference between what we previously termed (on Day 5) your actual self and your ideal self. Your ideal self is the person you want to become. If you wish that some of your desires were different, that means you want your future self to have some desires that are different than what you have now.  

The conflict between your first-order desires and second-order desires is a helpful way of conceiving the entire project of character development. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize Psalm 51:10 and Ezekiel 36:26. Once you have them memorized, meditate on these verses, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10, NIV)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26, NIV)

 

Lesson 3.12 – Loving yourself exactly as you are

 

Yesterday we introduced a distinction between first-order desires (what you actually want) and second-order desires (what you want to want), and we noted the connection between this distinction and one that we made early in the course, between your actual self and your ideal self. Your ideal self is the person you want to become, and your second-order desires are the desires you want to have. 

You might be initially distressed to find that you don’t like all of your present desires. Perhaps it bothers you that your first-order and second-order desires conflict with one another. This is understandable, because this conflict is a reminder of the ways that you’re not presently who you want to be.  

There are, however, better and worse ways of dealing with this conflict. It might be tempting to try to resolve the tension by simply deciding to embrace all of your first-order desires. In other words, you could decide that whatever you presently want, that’s what you’ll now want to want. You could decide to stop resisting your desires or wishing they were different. You could, as they say, accept yourself exactly as you are. 

There’s a very good reason many people are tempted to take this path. It’s a way of trying to dispense with some powerful negative emotions. When you act on desires that you don’t approve of, you’re likely to feel regret and disappointment with yourself in the aftermath. And if it’s a moral matter, you’re likely to experience guilt as well: a recognition that you’ve done something wrong. These are very unpleasant emotions. Some people reach a point where they decide they’re done with emotions like these, at least in a certain area of their lives. And the easiest way to be done with these emotions, it seems, is to simply embrace all the desires that have proven difficult to resist. 

This is, however, a very misguided solution. Before we explain why, we’ll first think more about what it looks like for a person to take this path. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Why might it be a bad idea to try to resolve conflicts between your first-order and second-order desires in the way that’s been described in this lesson? Do you think you’d be happier if you just “accepted yourself exactly as you are”—vices and all?  Why or why not? 

Lesson 3.13 – Embracing your vices as a way of dealing with the problem of guilt

 

Yesterday we noted that the conflict between one’s first-order and second-order desires can be a source of some very negative emotions, like regret, disappointment with oneself, and guilt. We noted that one possible “solution” to this problem—a misguided solution—is to simply embrace the disordered desires that one has found it difficult to resist.  

 

In fact, many people go even further than this, opting not only not to resist but to positively celebrate their disordered desires. A common way people do so in American society is to identify with certain disordered features of their present selves. That is, they embrace these desires, inclinations, and character traits as being who they really are. And they self-describe these features in ways that make them sound like positive qualities. 

 

Consider a few examples of ways people do this. Someone who has a desire to have sex with as many attractive people as possible could embrace this as a positive quality to be celebrated by self-identifying as a “playboy.” Someone who likes to go out and get drunk every weekend could tell themselves they’re a “party animal” as a way of embracing this tendency in themselves. Someone who likes to spend their enormous wealth on extravagant living could tell themselves they’re “living the American dream.”

 

These are examples of ways that people identity with various vices: lust, drunkenness, and greed, respectively. We’ve already noted one possible reason some people do this: it’s a way of trying to deal with the problem of guilt. (We’ll discuss another motivation in the next lesson.) But it’s the worst possible way of trying to deal with this problem. In fact, identifying with your vices is one of the most spiritually dangerous things you could possibly do. In the upcoming lessons, we’ll explain why.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the following questions: What are some further ways (beyond the ones mentioned in this lesson) that people identify with their vices? In your journal, reflect on some ways that you have done this, or that you’ve been tempted to do this.  

Lesson 3.14 – Embracing your vices as a way of internalizing cultural values

 

In the previous lesson, we introduced the idea of identifying with one’s vices, and we noted a few concrete examples of what this looks like. We noted that this is a possible way of trying to deal with the problem of guilt. To embrace and celebrate some aspect of one’s identity is to resolve not to feel disapproval or guilt about that part of oneself. Insofar as this strategy is successful, it allows people to avoid some negative feelings and emotions about themselves. 

There is, however, another reason one might adopt this kind of attitude towards one’s vices. It can be a way of internalizing the values of one’s culture. 

In the West, we are constantly bombarded with the message that we should do whatever feels good. Especially in regard to sex, we are told—through popular media in all its forms, including movies, music, TV shows, and even news articles—that the only moral standard that applies is the standard of consent. All sexual behavior among consenting adults is morally approved (we are told). It’s hardly surprising, then, that many Westerners regard lust as a virtue rather than a vice. 

But lust isn’t the only vice that Westerners are encouraged to embrace. Consider selfish ambition. Most Americans, in particular, have a hard time taking seriously the idea that ambition could be wrong in any form, unless it’s something that obviously involves hurting other people. If you’re a businessperson who accumulates vast power, wealth, and influence, and then uses all of it to amass even more power, wealth, and influence, you’re simply considered successful.  

In order to be virtuous, you will at times have to be counter-cultural. If you simply internalize all the values of your culture, you’ll be tempted to embrace some of your vices. 

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17, NIV)

Lesson 3.15 – Second-order desires as indicators of character

 

We’ve said repeatedly that it’s spiritually dangerous to identify with your vices. Today we’ll begin to develop the reason for this.  

The first part of the explanation is that your second-order desires are an indicator of something important about your character. 

To see this, compare two imaginary people. The first person struggles with lust. They have strong sexual desires that they recognize to be disordered, and they wish they didn’t have these desires. They view these desires as temptations. They try to resist them—that is to say, they exert moral effort to try to keep themselves from acting on these desires. This is the sense in which they “struggle” with their lust. They wish that they felt sexual desire only toward the right person (their spouse), in the right ways, to the right degree. 

The second person, by contrast, has no such struggle. But the reason they don’t have this struggle is not that they’re virtuous—they have lustful desires very similar to the first person, let’s suppose—but they simply embrace these desires. They don’t see them as a problem; in fact, they actively encourage these desires in themselves. They like the thoughts, feelings, and experiences that follow these desires, and they don’t wish things were any different. (This is a version of one of the characters we mentioned in a previous lesson.) 

Both of these imaginary people have lust as a part of their present characters. But the first rejects this part of their character, and the second embraces it. They have the same, disordered first-order desires. But they have different second-order desires. 

Reflect carefully on this case and the connection it reveals between a person’s second-order desires and their character. This will help us to identify more precisely what’s so dangerous about identifying with one’s vices. 

 

Challenge: 

 

Journal/Reflection: 

Discuss the following questions: As far as we’ve described our two imaginary people, which one has a better overall character, do you think? Why? 

Lesson 3.16 – Struggling against your vices vs embracing your vices

 

Your second-order desires are a reflection of your values. They reveal the kind of person you aspire to be: your ideal self. Take an example: Regardless of whether you want to give generously of your time and money and possessions, if you want to want to give generously, it shows that you value generosity. You aspire to be a generous person, even if you aren’t one now. Supposing you have this ideal, if you were to someday become a generous person, you would be happy with yourself (in this respect at least). You wouldn’t want to change this quality in yourself. Your character would have reached a point of stability or rest. 

Unfortunately, the same principle can apply not only with respect to virtues, but also to vices. 

Yesterday we compared two imaginary people, one who struggles against their lust, and another who simply embraces it. Both have a defect in their character, but the second person is worse off than the first in an important way. The second person embraces their lust as a part of their identity. It’s not only who they are; it’s who they want to be. Their first-order and second-order desires are aligned. Consequently, their character has come to a resting point; they’re settled in their vice. 

The first person, by contrast, rejects lust as a part of their identity. It may be who they are, but it’s not who they want to be. Their character is unstable. But this instability is actually better than the stability of the other person. They want to be different, and if they’re a Christian, this means they’re open to being changed by God in this part of their character. 

There’s a world of difference between struggling against your vices and embracing your vices. It’s the difference between a character that has come to rest in vice, and a character that’s still in progress—not yet virtuous, but being formed in the direction of virtue. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the idea of being settled in a certain character trait, either a virtue or a vice. In what ways could it be a good thing for a person to be settled in their character? In what ways could it be a bad thing? What’s the connection between identifying with a certain character trait and that trait becoming settled? 

Lesson 3.17 – The importance of repentance 

 

One of the reasons repentance is so important is that it involves a turning away from sin, not just in the sense of resolving not to persist in the sin, but also in the sense of rejecting the sin as a part of one’s identity. If God were to bring about a change in the heart of the penitent (the repentant person) so that they no longer had a desire to sin in some way that they’ve repeatedly sinned in the past, He wouldn’t be doing any violence to their self-identity. He would simply be giving them what they want. He’d be bringing their first-order desires into alignment with their second-order desires. 

By contrast, if God were to change the desires of the person who willfully embraces and identifies with their sin, He would be destroying a part of their self-identity. Which is to say, He would be destroying who they are as an individual. God won’t do this. He respects human free will. He respects our power to choose an identity for ourselves. And that’s the reason identifying with your vices is one of the most spiritually dangerous things you could possibly do. 

If you choose for yourself a virtuous identity—that is to say, if your ideal self is a virtuous self—you won’t be able to bring about this identity for yourself by our own power. But God will work within you to bring it about, little by little, in His timing. In the meantime, keep repenting! As we said yesterday, there’s a world of difference between struggling against your vices and embracing your vices. And this difference remains even if you fail over and over in your struggles. Keep fighting, keep turning away from your sin, keep turning back to God. In short, keep repenting.   

 

Challenge: Prayer

Review the following prayers that you’ve already learned: the prayer for the Confession of Sin (introduced on Day 52), the Jesus Prayer (from Day 21), and the practice of contemplative prayer (Day 17). Today, pray the prayer for the Confession of Sin, following by ten repetitions of the Jesus Prayer, followed by five minutes of contemplative prayer. Finish with the following Prayer for Grace: 

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Lesson 3.18 – The practical problem: lack of direct control over our desires

 

Up to this point, our discussion of the difference between first-order and second-order desires has been focused on theoretical matters, like the nature of personal identity. It’s time to make things practical. 

We decided that being virtuous includes having the right kinds of desires. But it’s one thing to want to want the right things, and quite another to actually want them. I might want to want to exercise, for example—because I recognize that it’s healthy for me, and I see that it would be easier to follow through with exercising if it were something I wanted to do—but still dread going to the gym. Likewise, I might want to love my neighbor because I recognize that I’m commanded to do so. And I might recognize that loving my neighbor requires wanting the best for my neighbor, so that I want to want the best for my neighbor. Nevertheless, I might notice that I don’t actually want the best for my neighbor. Perhaps I find them obnoxious, and I secretly find it gratifying when bad things happen to them.  

The frustrating thing about these kinds of desires—the desires we recognize that we have, but wish that we didn’t, or recognize that we don’t have, but wish that we did—is that we don’t have direct control over them. I can’t just decide that I will henceforth love to exercise, or delight in the good fortunes of my obnoxious neighbors—at least, I can’t actually bring it about that I have these desires just by deciding to have them. So the realization that being virtuous requires desiring the right things might initially seem pretty discouraging. It might make it sound like you’re either born virtuous or not, and that if you’re not, there’s nothing you can do about it. 

Fortunately, this is far from the truth of the matter. In the next lesson, we’ll explain why. 

 

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection: 

Discuss the following questions: In what ways do you have control over your own desires? In what ways do you not have control over them? What are the sources of your present desires (where did they come from; how did you get them)? Do you have any control or influence over any of these sources?  

Lesson 3.19 – The formation of desires, Part I: allowing God to work within you through prayer

 

It’s true that you can’t just will yourself to presently have all the right desires. But human desire is malleable: that is, capable of being shaped and formed. You can’t change your present desires instantaneously just by willing it. You don’t have direct control over your desires in this way. But you do have a measure of indirect influence over many of your desires—more precisely, the desires of your future self. There are two forms that this indirect influence takes. 

We’ve already alluded to the first. We noted on Day 72 that you won’t be able to make yourself virtuous by your own power, but that if you allow God to work within you, He will form you into a virtuous person. This is the first way that you have indirect influence over your desires: you can allow God to work within you to root out vicious desires and give you virtuous desires. 

But how, exactly, do you “allow God to work within you”? 

The first way is that you invite Him to do so, in prayer. This is, in fact, one of the most important purposes of prayer—many Christians would say it’s the most important purpose of prayer: to open yourself up to God and allow Him to form you.   

 

Challenge: Breath Prayer

On Day 66, you memorized Psalm 51:10: 

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

Today we’ll use the first line of this verse to introduce a practice known as breath prayer. This is a prayer that you say over and over, praying the first half with a long, slow inhaling of your breath, and the second half with an equally long, slow exhaling. The most famous breath prayer is one that you’ve already learned, on Day 21: the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”). Today we’re going to use the first half of Psalm 51:10 as our breath prayer. Breathe in (“Create in me”) and then breathe out (“a pure heart, O God”). Clear your mind and focus entirely on your breathing, on your prayer, and on being in the presence of God. Don’t just repeat the words mindlessly. Each time that you say the prayer, speak the words to God. If this is your first time practicing breath prayer, set a timer for five minutes so that you’re not distracted by looking at the clock. As you become more comfortable with the practice, begin increasing the amount of time that you pray, working your way up to ten minutes or more. 

Lesson 3.20 – The formation of desires, Part II: moral effort as an invitation to God

 

Yesterday we identified prayer as a way that you can allow God to work within you to root out vicious desires and to form virtuous desires. Today we’ll consider a second way. 

Begin by recalling an important verse that you learned on Day 19: 

“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12b-13, ESV)

We noted that the pursuit of virtue in the Christian life is not a matter of trying to earn salvation, but rather a matter of striving to become what God made you to be: a person who loves like God loves. We noted that this striving is not a matter of trying to change yourself through exertions of moral and spiritual effort, but rather a matter of being receptive to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit within you.

Let’s now add one further idea: that moral and spiritual effort, rightly conceived, is a way of inviting God to change you and form you, and a way of participating in the work that God is doing to save you. 

It’s very easy to get confused about this. So, for good measure, let’s repeat a couple of important points. In the Christian life, moral and spiritual effort is not a way of trying to earn your salvation. And it’s not a way of trying to save yourself. You’re commanded to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” because this is one of the ways that God “works in you.” Your efforts to grow in virtue are best conceived as a way that—along with prayer—you invite God to form your character. And it’s a way that you willingly participate in your salvation. More precisely, it’s a way that you participate in the work that God is doing to form you into the person you’re meant to be. 

 

Challenge: Breath Prayer

Continue your practice of breath prayer, this time with a new verse:

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1a)

Begin by memorizing this line, and then practice it as a breath prayer for at least five minutes. 

 

Module 4 Lessons (Temperance – Part II)

 

Lesson 4.01 – Three practical methods of overcoming temptation: fleeing, fasting, prayer

 

We’ve spent a long time talking about a range of important but general issues having to do with character formation and the way that virtues, desires, emotions, and self-identity are all interconnected. It’s finally time to return to the specific topic of temperance. 

  

In the previous lesson, we discussed what moral and spiritual effort is—and what it isn’t—to the Christian life. Now it’s time to explore some spiritual practices for dealing with temptation. We’ve noted that the ideal, perfectly virtuous person has no need for self-control, because all of their desires are already rightly ordered. But none of us is perfectly virtuous. Some of our desires are disordered. (Exactly which desires are disordered varies from one person to the next.) So while we’re in the process of becoming virtuous, we need practical methods of resisting temptation. 

 

There are three main methods of dealing with temptation in the Christian life: fleeing, fasting, and prayer. Each of these methods has a proactive form—in other words, each practice comes in a form whose purpose is to anticipate temptation and to head it off before it gets started—and each method has a responsive form. In their responsive forms, these practices are ways of dealing with temptation when you’re already in the midst of it—that is, practical ways of helping you not to give in to temptation. Additionally, in the case of fasting and prayer, there are secondary responsive forms of these practices to help you “get back on track” on any occasion when you fall into sin. 

 

In the upcoming lessons, we’ll explore fleeing, fasting, and prayer in both their proactive and responsive forms. 

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16, NIV)

Lesson 4.02 – Responsive fleeing: Getting yourself out of bad situations

 

We’ve identified three main methods of dealing with temptation in the Christian life: fleeing, fasting, and prayer. We’ll discuss these in order. 

We noted previously that each method comes in a proactive and a responsive form. The responsive form of fleeing as a response to temptation is self-explanatory. When you find yourself faced with strong temptation, the first and best response, when it’s feasible, is simply to remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible. By removing yourself from the situation, you can sometimes remove the temptation entirely. And even in cases where the temptation cannot be entirely eliminated, removing yourself from the situation is often a way to greatly lessen the temptation. 

The responsive form of fleeing is a method of dealing with temptation that is both taught and modeled in the Bible. The most literal application of the principle is demonstrated by Joseph the son of Jacob, who literally ran away from a woman who was trying to seduce him—a story recounted in the book of Genesis, chapter 39. 

Of course, it isn’t always feasible to deal with temptation in this way when it arises. Some temptations aren’t tied to a physical environment: the temptation of pride, for example. But temperance, you’ll recall, is related to bodily appetites. And the main bodily appetites are often triggered by something in one’s immediate surroundings: food, alcohol, or a person for whom one feels strong sexual desire. So the kinds of temptation that pose obstacles to being temperate are often ones that can be addressed with the method of responsive fleeing. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization 

Memorize 1 Corinthians 10:13. Remember this verse the next time you face temptation.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV)

Lesson 4.03 – “Fooling the craving”: A tip from Kierkegaard

 

In the previous lesson, we discussed responsive fleeing—basically, getting yourself out of bad situations—as a way of dealing with strong temptation. Unfortunately, there are lots of situations where this isn’t feasible. Sometimes a situation where you find yourself tempted is one that, for various reasons, you have to remain in. For such occasions, here’s a helpful tip from the nineteenth century Danish Christian philosopher Søren Kierkegaard: 

 

Imagine a person who has been and is addicted to a passion. There comes a moment (as it does to everyone, perhaps many times— alas, perhaps many times in vain!), a moment when he seems to be brought to a halt; a good resolution is awakening. Imagine that one morning he said to himself (let us suppose him to be a gambler), “I solemnly vow that I will nevermore have anything to do with gambling, never—tonight will be the last time”—ah, my friend, he is lost! I would rather bet on the opposite, however strange that may seem. If there was a gambler who in such a moment said to himself, “Well, now, you may gamble every blessed day all the rest of your life—but tonight you are going to leave it alone,” and he did—ah, my friend, he is saved for sure! The first gambler’s resolution is a trick by the craving, and the second gambler’s is to fool the craving; the one is fooled by the craving, and the other fools the craving. The craving is strong only momentarily; if it has its way only momentarily, then from its side there is nothing against making a lifetime promise. But to reverse the situation and say, “No—only not today, but tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, etc.”—that fools the craving, since if there is waiting to do, then the craving loses the craving. (Søren Kierkegaard, For Self-Examination / Judge for Yourself!, edited and translated by Howard V. Hong and Edna H. Hong [Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1990]: 45)  

 

Kierkegaard’s insight is that, for certain types of temptation, and especially for those connected to addictions, the power of the temptation is in the moment. If you tell yourself you’ll indulge the temptation just this once, you’re fooling yourself. You’re engaging in the practice that psychologists and philosophers call self-deception. What Kierkegaard is suggesting is a clever way of putting self-deception into the service of virtue. Tell yourself you’ll indulge the temptation tomorrow, as a way of helping yourself get past the temptation you’re facing now. (It feels easier to imagine yourself giving up something pleasurable just this once than it does to imagine yourself giving it up forever!) Of course, the idea is not that you actually go through with indulging the temptation the next day. The point is that, with certain kinds of temptation, all it takes to win the battle is to get through the moment of temptation without giving in. Once the moment is past, the temptation loses all its power over you.

 

Journal/Reflection:

The next time you face a temptation from which you cannot flee, apply Kierkegaard’s method of “fooling the craving.” Reflect on this experience later, in your journal. Did you find the method helpful? Why or why not? 

Lesson 4.04 – Proactive fleeing: Setting up personal boundaries

 

In the last two lessons, we talked about fleeing situations in which you find yourself faced with some strong temptation. We called this responsive fleeing, because it’s a method of reacting to a temptation you’re already facing. But there’s another, less literal form of fleeing that’s proactive. It’s the method of putting up boundaries in areas where you know temptation is otherwise likely to arise. This method is proactive, because the boundaries are put in place in advance of the temptation arising. Responsive fleeing is about getting away; proactive fleeing is about keeping away. 

What does it mean to put up boundaries? It means different things when applied to different temptations. If you struggle with overeating, it means resolving to stay away from the places where you find it especially hard to practice moderation—donut shops, perhaps, or fast food restaurants. If you’re struggling with disordered sexual desires, it might mean installing filter software on your computer, or unfollowing certain people on social media. 

To identify the areas in which you need to put up boundaries, you have to reflect honestly about your own character. The same situation can be unproblematic for one person and very problematic for another. It’s not safe for a recovering alcoholic to be around alcohol, even though other people can be in the vicinity of alcohol without being tempted to drunkenness. Someone who has a problem with gambling should not stay in a casino hotel, even with the intention of staying away from the slot machines. And so on. 

Proactive fleeing—setting up boundaries—is a way of avoiding temptation in the first place. It’s important to have the means to fight battles against temptation when they arise, but in general and wherever possible, it’s better to avoid these battles in the first place. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

What are some areas where you need to put up personal boundaries? Make a list of these areas, and then devise a specific plan of action for each one—that is, a specific way of setting up boundaries in each of these areas. Then follow through: take the actions needed to put the boundaries in place, and respect the boundaries that you’ve established for yourself. Keep in mind that no one is making you do these things. These are actions that you are deciding to take in order to help achieve your goals for growth in virtue.

 

Lesson 4.05 – Fasting to attain spiritual goods

 

The second main method of dealing with temptation is fasting. Fasting is a practice of freely and deliberately abstaining from something for a certain period of time in order to achieve a certain good. People fast for a variety of reasons. Some people fast for health reasons: the good that they’re aiming to achieve is improved health. But spiritual fasting aims to achieve spiritual goods. Of course, spiritual fasting may also result in other, nonspiritual goods. But the goods that are intended are spiritual ones. 

 

Fasting is abstaining from some good thing. You don’t fast from something sinful. Anything that’s sinful in your life is something that needs to be destroyed and never reintroduced. Fasting is a temporary abstaining from something good that you plan to reintroduce after a designated time. The most common and most important form of fasting is from food.

There’s more than one spiritual good that fasting can help you achieve. We’ve already suggested that it can be used to help you deal with temptation, both proactively and responsively. We’ll develop these ideas soon. But it’s more than this. Fasting is a way that you can draw closer to God. It can be a form of worship. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Reading and Discussion Board

Read the story of the temptation of Christ, told in both Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. After reading both accounts carefully, answer the following questions in the Discussion Board: What can we learn about the nature of temptation from this story? In what ways is Jesus a model for us to follow when we’re facing temptation? 

 

Discussion Board: 

After reading the story of the temptation of Christ in Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13, answer the following questions: What can we learn about the nature of temptation from this story? In what ways is Jesus a model for us to follow when we’re facing temptation? 

 

Lesson 4.06 – Right and wrong ways of fasting, Part I: virtue signaling

 

There are right and wrong ways of fasting. By “right” and “wrong,” we’re not referring to the practical issues of method, but rather to the “heart” issues—the motivation for fasting and the mindset you have in carrying it out. Here’s what Jesus says about fasting in his Sermon on the Mount:

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18, NIV)

In the Bible, the Pharisees are our model of how not to fast. The Pharisees were the religious teachers of Jesus’s day. They were obsessed with sorting everyone into the categories of either “righteous” or “sinner.” Not surprisingly, they self-identified as righteous. And they were very concerned to publicly display their righteousness. They fasted twice a week, and they wanted to make sure everyone around them noticed. Jesus suggests in one of his parables that fasting was a source of pride for the Pharisees (Luke 18:9-14); the Bible says that Jesus spoke the parable to those “who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else.” 

Today we often speak of “virtue signaling,” where someone publicly expresses a certain moral view, not primarily out of concern for the moral issue itself, but because they believe that expressing the view is a way of communicating what a good person they are. When you fast, you want to make sure there’s not a trace of virtue signaling in your practice. And the best way to avoid that danger is to be private about your fasting.

 

Note: The conclusion of this lesson needs to be qualified: If you struggle with an eating disorder, you should never engage in privately fasting from food. Regardless of your intentions, a food fast could itself become to you a temptation to unhealthy behavior. Any food fast that you’re considering should be undertaken only under the close supervision of a physician, and not at all if your physician advises against it. If you’re uncertain whether you might be struggling with an eating disorder, you should talk to a counselor.  

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14, NIV)

Lesson 4.07 – Right and wrong ways of fasting, Part II: a form of worship

 

Yesterday we described the wrong way to fast: namely, as a means of virtue signaling. We noted that the Pharisees fasted twice a week, and they did so in a way that was intended to be noticed by everyone around them. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus remarked to his disciples that “unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20, NIV). In saying this, Jesus wasn’t calling his disciples to a higher level of rigor than the Pharisees in their practice of the spiritual disciplines. Rather, he was teaching them that their motivation and their mindset had to be completely different from the Pharisees. 

 

The verse we just mentioned is from the same passage in which Jesus says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)—the verse we discussed on Day 65. The perfection of virtue is loving like Jesus. He exemplifies true righteousness—which is loving the same way that God the Father loves. So this is what we really want to achieve in our spiritual practice of fasting: to grow in love, both for God and for one another. 

 

The New Testament mentions a prophetess named Anna who was known for “worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day” (Luke 2:37). Think about that phrase: “worshiping with fasting.” Spiritual fasting, done rightly, is a form of worship. We are to fast for God—that is, for the sake of worshiping God and advancing His Kingdom, not for the sake of advancing our own agendas. (See, for example, the Old Testament book of Zechariah, chapter 7.) But the Kingdom of God is a community of people, under the Lordship of Christ, who love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and who love their neighbors as themselves. So this motivation for fasting—a desire to worship God and to advance His Kingdom—is perfectly compatible with the motivation of fasting in order to grow in virtue. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

In what ways can fasting be a form of worship? How could the practice of fasting help you to grow in love? 

 

Lesson 4.08 – Right and wrong ways of fasting, Part III: solidarity with those in need

 

Spiritual fasting can be a means of drawing closer to God. But it can also be a way of drawing closer to other people. Fasting is a discipline that’s closest to the virtue of temperance, but it can also be practiced to help you grow in justice. 

There are many people in the world who do not have even their basic needs met, and in particular, who don’t have enough to eat. We all know this. But for those of us who have plenty, it’s very easy to go through our day—and to go for weeks and even months—without ever thinking about it. When you fast from eating, you have a constant reminder of this fact. Your experience won’t be like the experience of those who don’t have enough to eat—at a physical level, fasting is nothing like starving or even malnutrition, and at a mental level, you won’t be experiencing food insecurity, the anxiety of not knowing when you’ll be able to eat again—but it makes you aware of your own dependency and needs, and it serves to remind you of those whose needs aren’t being met. This is a very good thing to be reminded of, because every one of us who isn’t living in extreme poverty should be doing more to help those who are. 

Loving people requires more than just making sure their basic needs are met. But it certainly requires at least this. The root causes of world hunger and poverty are complex, and there’s no easy solution. But the first step toward progress is for those of us who have plenty, to stand in solidarity with those who are in need, which begins (but certainly does not end) with simply being aware of their plight and caring. Fasting can help you in taking these first steps.

 

Challenge: Research and Prayer

Spend some time researching the issue of global poverty and hunger. (Some suggested sites to begin your research: The Hunger Project and Heifer International.) Pick a particular people group or nation that you read about that is suffering from widespread poverty and hunger. Pray for these people, and ask God what role He wants you to play in the fight against global poverty and hunger.

 

Lesson 4.09 – Proactive fasting: Gaining strength through weakness

 

Now that we’ve discussed some of the broader spiritual benefits of fasting, let’s come back to the discussion of the virtue of temperance, in order to consider the ways that fasting can help you in overcoming temptation in the area of bodily appetites. The proactive and responsive forms of fasting are not two separate practices, but rather two different applications of the same practice. Proactive fasting is a practice that helps you to head off much temptation before it begins, and prepares you for encounters with temptations that still arise. It’s like spiritual training before the battle. We could characterize it as gaining strength through weakness. 

 

This is a very counterintuitive idea, but it’s something you’ll experience when you engage in spiritual fasting. After you’ve gone for an extended time without eating, you’ll feel tired; you will be physically weak. But at the same time, you’ll gain spiritual strength. You’ll likely notice your prayer time is more intense. You may feel the presence of God in a clearer or more powerful way. You’ll be more attuned to the moral and spiritual realities of your life, and more aware of the spiritual needs of those around you. You’ll find that certain kinds of temptations you ordinarily face either don’t arise or are easier to resist when you’re fasting—especially sexual temptations. The weakness you experience at a physical level makes you aware of your basic need for food, which is really an awareness of your dependency on God to provide for you.

 

There’s a very good reason that fasting has been a regular part of the spiritual practice of believers since the founding of the Christian faith. Taking up the practice of proactive fasting is one of the best ways to take your spiritual life to the next level.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Begin to prepare to undertake an 18-hour or 24-hour food fast a few days from now (beginning on Day 87 and concluding on Day 88). Part of these preparations will be logistical: you’ll need to look at your schedule for those days and, if at all possible, adjust your plans accordingly. If you’ve never done a food fast before, you’ll also need to mentally prepare for it. A food fast isn’t something that you should begin impulsively or without planning. In your Journal today, describe how you feel about the prospect of fasting. What do you imagine it will be like? What concerns do you have? What do you hope to get out of the experience? 

 

Lesson 4.10 – Responsive fasting: Extra strength for extended spiritual battles / Regaining your balance after a fall

 

The forms of spiritual practices we’re calling “responsive” are those that are used either to help you avoid giving in to temptation when you’re in the midst of it, or to help you get back on track on the occasions when you fall into sin. The responsive form of fasting serves both of these purposes. 

 

Some temptations come up very quickly, and the challenge of resisting them is restricted to a short period of time, or even just a moment. But other temptations are ongoing. Resisting them is not a matter of saying “No” just one time; it requires an ongoing moral effort. And the intensity of the temptation can grow as the spiritual battle drags on. After a certain length of time, you may start to get worn down. In some cases, you may realize that the way things are progressing, you’re going to need extra strength in order not to give in. This is the time to bring in at least the additional spiritual resources of prayer, but sometimes it may also help to begin fasting.  

 

Fasting can also have a role to play in the aftermath of a spiritual fall. Sometimes you lose the battle with temptation; sometimes you give in. Most people find that there are certain kinds of sin that they find especially difficult to resist, but which type of sin this is varies from one individual to the next. (Some people call these “besetting sins.”) One person struggles most with overeating; another person’s main temptation is drinking too much; still another finds it most difficult not to gratify disordered sexual desires; and so on. Fasting can play an important role in dealing with this type of sin. We'll reflect on this more in the next lesson. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize James 1:13-14. Once you have these verses memorized, meditate on them, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. (James 1:13-14, NIV)

 

Lesson 4.11 – Mistakes to avoid in the practice of responsive fasting 

 

In the previous lesson, we discussed responsive fasting: that is, fasting either to help you avoid giving in to temptation when you’re in the midst of it, or to help you get back on track on the occasions when you fall into sin. In the second version of responsive fasting, it’s especially easy to get confused about what it is that you’re doing, exactly, and the mistakes are serious enough that it’s worth taking time to point them out so you don’t fall into these ways of thinking. 

 

First, responsive fasting is not a practice of punishing yourself—much less a practice of punishing yourself to earn God’s forgiveness. These are confused and spiritually unhealthy ways of thinking about and practicing fasting in the aftermath of falling into sin. Properly understood, responsive fasting is a recentering practice—like regaining your balance after a fall. It’s something you can do to prevent a “besetting sin” from gaining momentum: that is, from happening over and over, in increasingly worse ways. Fasting can help break the cycle; it interrupts the natural progression of sin towards greater momentum. 

 

But remember also our lesson from Day 75: the exertion of moral and spiritual effort in the practice of the spiritual disciplines—including fasting—isn’t a way of keeping yourself from sinning. That’s the second mistake to avoid: the mentality of “works salvation,” which mistakenly imagines that, with enough moral effort, you can save yourself. That way of thinking about the spiritual disciplines is theologically misguided and spiritually dangerous, as we’ve already discussed. Fasting, rightly understood, is a way of opening yourself up to the power of God to work within you and to change you. And in the aftermath of a major fall, you need that power more than ever. 

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Make preparations to begin an 18-hour or 24-hour food fast tomorrow (Day 87), which will conclude the following day (Day 88). 

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage, which contains the scripture memory verses from yesterday’s assignment. (Review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed.)

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:12-17, NIV)

 

Lesson 4.12 – Practical advice on fasting, Part I

 

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the theory of fasting: why it’s important, right and wrong motivations for fasting, right and wrong ways of thinking about fasting, and so on. To complete this part of our discussion, we’ll now talk about some practical matters. 

 

The most common type of fast is a food fast. You can fast from all kinds of things—we’ll return to explore this in some upcoming assignments—but food fasts are probably the type that it’s most helpful to have some guidance on. 

 

First off, you should know that the usual type of food fast is one where you refrain from all food and all drinks other than water. You should drink plenty of water before, during, and after your fast is completed. Rarely if ever should you undertake a total fast—fasting even from drinking water—and it’s not something you should attempt apart from close adult supervision. 

 

Second, if you haven’t fasted before, it’s helpful to have a suggestion for a good length of time for how long you should fast. A good place to start with your first fast is eighteen hours, with the goal of moving up to twenty four hours by your second or third fast. An eighteen hour fast could mean that you’re only missing one meal. Begin your first fast after lunch (say, 1:00 pm) and break your fast at breakfast (7:00 am) the next day. An alternative “warm up” for your first fast would be to go a full twenty four hours, but to drink fruit or vegetable juice rather than only drinking water. When you’re ready for a regular twenty four hour fast (drinking only water), begin your fast after a certain meal—say, dinner—and continue the fast until that same meal the next day. 

 

Challenge: Fasting

Begin your food fast today. Pick any one of the various types of fast described in this lesson: eighteen hours with only water, twenty four hours with only fruit and vegetable juice, or—if this isn’t your first food fast—twenty four hours with only water. Choose the time when you’ll begin your fast today and when you’ll end it tomorrow (beginning after lunch or dinner is recommended). Skip this assignment if you have a medical condition that could make it dangerous or unhealthy to fast, or if you struggle with an eating disorder, or if you’re uncertain about either of these things. 

 

Lesson 4.13 – Practical advice on fasting, Part II

 

The previous lesson offered some practical advice on conducting food fasts. We’ll continue (and conclude) this discussion in our lesson for today. 

 

One of the most important things to do when you’re planning a fast is to build in time during your fast for other spiritual practices, especially for prayer and Bible study. Fasting will have the effect of making these activities more focused, more intense, and more spiritually productive. Fortunately, building in time for these activities during fast days is easy: just use the time that you would normally spend eating (and perhaps also preparing food and cleaning up). 

 

Remember and put into practice the various types of prayer and study that you’ve previously learned: Lectio divina, contemplative prayer, breath prayer, and the various liturgical prayers we’ve discussed (the Lord’s Prayer, the Prayer of Confession, the Prayer of St. Francis, etc.) Remember the primary purpose of fasting: to open yourself up to the transformative power of God at work within you. Be mindful of God’s presence. Listen for the voice of God. Pay attention to feelings of conviction: the sense that God is calling you to act or to change in some way.

 

For those who would like further guidance on fasting, or who would like to go deeper in their practice of fasting, a great place to begin further reading is chapter four of Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. 

 

Challenge: Fasting and Prayer

Complete your food fast today. During any mealtimes that fall within your fast, spend this time in prayer or Bible study. At the appointed time, break your fast with a light meal of mostly vegetables. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

After your fast is completed, reflect in your journal on the experience. Was it like what you had anticipated? What parts of the fast were especially difficult? What parts were especially beneficial? Did you experience anything spiritually powerful or moving—anything that you would consider to be a “religious experience”? Do you plan to undertake another food fast at some point in the future? Why or why not? 

 

Lesson 4.14 – Proactive prayer, Part I: The purpose of prayer 

 

On Day 76, we introduced three practices for dealing with temptation—fleeing, fasting, and praying—each of which has a proactive and a responsive form. Now that we’ve discussed fleeing and fasting, we’re ready to move on to prayer. 

 

We’ve already said much about prayer in the previous lessons. But we haven’t yet discussed the topic of prayer as a means of dealing with temptation. In order to understand this, we need to first ask a more general question: What is the purpose of prayer? 

 

Part of the answer to this question is controversial. There’s a great deal of debate about whether we can change God’s mind, or persuade God to do something He wasn’t already planning to do, with our prayers. Christians disagree about this matter, and there are good biblical, theological, and philosophical reasons for this disagreement. But regardless of what we think about this matter, we should agree that trying to persuade God or change God’s mind is not the primary purpose of prayer. One of the reasons it’s not—and one of the reasons we should be cautious and reflective about the “petitionary” part of our prayers—is that it’s tempting to pray that we’ll get the things we want. But as sinful creatures, we often don’t want the right things. This is something we’ve discussed at length: part of the process of growing in virtue is developing the right desires. 

 

So then, what is the primary purpose of prayer? 

 

Journal/Reflection:

In your journal, reflect on the closing question of this lesson and try to answer it. Think about the potential danger of petitionary prayer that was discussed in this lesson, and use this to help guide your reflections.  

Lesson 4.15 – Proactive prayer, Part II: Prayer as formation 

 

In the previous lesson, we raised the question, What’s the purpose of prayer? We found reason to doubt that the primary purpose is to persuade God or to change His mind. Let’s now try to formulate a better answer. 

 

Richard Foster, whose work we’ve previously discussed, writes, “To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us” (Celebration of Discipline, chapter three). Another contemporary Christian writer, Brian Zahnd, puts it like this: “The primary purpose of prayer is not to get God to do what we think God ought to do, but to be properly formed” (Water to Wine, chapter four). Think about these statements for a moment. The primary purpose of prayer is not to change God, but to change us. We’re formed by the practice of prayer. Foster continues: “In prayer, real prayer, we begin to think God’s thoughts after Him: to desire the things He desires, to love the things He loves. Progressively we are taught to see things from His point of view.” 

 

Once we understand this, the application of prayer to the matter of proactively dealing with temptation is clear. When we pray well, we’re formed in the right ways, and in the course of this formation, we are—among other things—being equipped to understand and to handle temptation. We begin to see sin in our lives the way God sees it. We increasingly desire the things that God desires, and hate the things that God hates. More and more, we become aware of the extent of the sin in our lives, and we grow to despise it, seeing it for the spiritual disease and the threat to our true happiness that it really is. 

 

So then, how to we practice “real prayer”? How do we learn to pray well? That’s a question we’ve already been working to answer in the previous lessons. The historic prayers of the Church—given to us in the Psalms, in the Lord’s Prayer, and collected in works like The Book of Common Prayer—give us a map to begin praying well. Begin with the map, and let your prayers develop from there. 

 

Challenge: Prayer

Review the Prayer for Grace from Day 72:

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 

Pray the Prayer for Grace, followed by at least five minutes of breath prayer. (Review the instructions for breath prayer from Day 74, if needed.) For your time of breath prayer, use the following lines, adapted from Psalm 70:1: 

 

“O God make speed to save me. O Lord make haste to help me.”

 

Lesson 4.16 – Responsive prayer

 

Now that we’ve completed our discussion of proactive prayer as a method of heading off temptation, let’s turn to the topic of responsive prayer. In fact, we’ve already introduced this topic, and in two different ways, corresponding to the two different forms of responsive prayer.

The first form of responsive prayer is the type that’s prayed in the midst of an experience of temptation, as a request for God’s help to avoid falling into sin. The breath prayer that was introduced in the previous lesson—based on Psalm 70:1—is a great prayer for such occasions:

 

“O God make speed to save me. O Lord make haste to help me.”

 

The other form of responsive prayer is the type that follows an occasion of falling into sin. We addressed this in our discussion of repentance on Day 52. We noted that one part of repentance is confession. To properly confess our sins to God, we must admit the full truth about what we’ve done without any excuses or rationalizations. Following this, we should ask for God’s forgiveness. These are two of the essential parts of what we’re calling responsive prayer in its second form: that is, the kind of prayer that should follow any occasion of falling into sin. 

In responsive prayer, you’re inviting God to change your heart and your desires: that is, to strengthen you to resist sin and to help you come to despise the sinful things you’ve previously desired. It may not happen all at once, but you can trust that God will honor these prayers, and that He will continue to work in you for as long as you remain open and receptive to His Spirit, and for as long as you continue seeking Him in prayer. 

 

Challenge: Prayer

Review the Prayer of Confession, which you previously memorized and were encouraged to begin incorporating into your daily prayers:

Most merciful God, 

we confess that we have sinned against you 

in thought, word, and deed, 

by what we have done, 

and by what we have left undone. 

We have not loved you with our whole heart; 

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. 

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. 

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, 

have mercy on us and forgive us; 

that we may delight in your will, 

and walk in your ways, 

to the glory of your Name. 

Amen.

 

The next time you fall into sin, use this prayer to begin your confession and repentance. After your recitation of it, use it as a guide for your own, further, personal prayers of confession and repentance. Ask God to help you repent fully of your sin, and by His grace not to fall into that temptation again. Ask God to change your heart and your desires. Pray that He will turn your heart away from sin and root out every present desire you have for anything that is contrary to His will for you, anything that is incompatible with His perfect goodness and love. 

Lesson 4.17 – Intemperance and its varieties

 

Now that we’ve completed our discussion of the three practical methods of dealing with temptation, we’ll consider some areas where temptation is especially common, and where growth in temperance is most likely to be needed. The opposite of temperance is intemperance: an excessive indulgence, a lack of restraint, a failure to practice moderation because of inordinate desire (overly strong or disordered desire) for some type of pleasure. 

We noted in the introductory lesson of the previous module (Day 56) that temperance has to do with “bodily appetites.” Primarily, this term refers to the desires for food, drink, and sex, but we noted that it also extends to other desires, like the desire for rest and for leisure. For this reason, the vices most closely associated with intemperance are gluttony and lust, but sloth is also a type of intemperance. 

 

In our upcoming lessons, we’ll think more about temperance in regard to food, sex, rest and leisure. But we’ll eventually expand the discussion to include things like our use of technology and social media. Even though these activities aren’t closely connected to bodily appetites, they’re certainly areas where we can be intemperate. So we’ll apply the insights of our discussion of temperance “proper” to think about how we should relate to these increasingly common aspects of modern life.

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14, NIV)

Lesson 4.18 – Temperance in regard to sex, Part I

 

There’s no doubt that sex is among the strongest of the bodily desires. For many people, it’s the strongest. Not coincidentally, this is an area where a great many people struggle with intemperance. But it’s not just the strength of the human sex drive that makes temperance so difficult in this area. Western popular culture is saturated with sexual messages and imagery, in no small part because advertisers understand how effective it is to use sex to sell products. Alongside this trend, Western culture has become increasingly permissive about sex. The moral sensibility regarding sex widely adopted in the West today is that (most) any sexual behavior occurring between consenting adults is permissible, and even to be celebrated. This is vastly different from the sexual ethic of traditional Christianity, and indeed of most cultures throughout recorded human history. To the extent that we internalize the moral standard of modern Western culture, our views about what qualifies as temperance and intemperance regarding sex is likely to be very skewed.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Keep a record of all the sexually explicit messages you receive, lyrics you hear, and images and videos you see this week. Write a reflection in your journal about the impact such messaging might be having on your perceptions or desires.  

 

Lesson 4.19 – Temperance in regard to sex, Part II

 

Yesterday we noted the way that modern Western popular culture is saturated with sex and sensuality, and its standard of sexual morality is overly permissive, to say the least, by the standards of the historic Christian view of the matter. To the extent that we internalize the modern Western mindset, we’re likely to misjudge what is required for temperance in the area of sex. 

 

So what does temperance in regard to sex actually look like? 

In traditional forms of Christianity, temperance in sex means, at the very minimum, restricting all sexual activity to the confines of marriage between a man and a woman. This seems absurdly puritanical to the ears of most modern people, but actually, this is the absolute minimum standard for temperance in Christian ethics. Historically, most Christians would place significantly greater restrictions on sex than this, in part because of the way that lust can occur even in marital relationships. 

 

The topic of lust is very important, and much more complex and extensive than you might imagine. Rather than addressing it in passing, we’ll save it for a time when we can discuss the capital vices—the “seven deadly sins”—in detail. For now, suffice it to say that sex is very likely one of the areas where you will find it most difficult to avoid intemperance, and where you will most need the practical resources that we’ve discussed for dealing with temptation. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

What would it be, do you think, to practice temperance in regard to sex? Have the standards changed over time? (Clarification: The question is not whether the perceived or accepted standards have changed over time, but whether the actual standards—that is, the standards for what’s actually required for temperance—have changed over time.) 

 

Lesson 4.20 – Temperance in regard to food, Part I

 

While desire for sex is likely, and in general, the strongest of human bodily appetites, the desire for food is the one most people feel the most often throughout their lives. Because we (rightly) satisfy this desire so frequently—every day, unless we’re fasting, and usually several times in a day—it’s easy to let down our guard in this area and to allow our food consumption to become intemperate without even noticing. And while it might seem that modern Western culture most encourages intemperance with regard to sex, it turns out that Western culture also encourages intemperance in regard to food. 

 

This might seem surprising, or even obviously false, insofar as slim, athletic bodies are so highly valued and celebrated in Western culture. Many people feel tremendous pressure to strive to acquire and maintain such a body type. At its worst, Western culture even promotes “fat shaming.” So it might seem clear that Western culture does not take a permissive attitude toward intemperance about food at all. It might seem that Western culture highly values and even demands temperance in the area of food. 

 

What this overlooks, however, is the fact that having a certain body type is not the same as being temperate (or intemperate) about food. What’s valued in Western culture is a certain body type, not the virtue of temperance. A person can be temperate in their eating and not have the kind of body that Western culture considers ideal—or even close. The weight and physique of a person is by no means a simple function of the amount of food they consume, or even the type of food. There are all sorts of physiological and even medical factors that can be involved. 

 

Conversely, and perhaps more surprisingly, a person can be slender and yet gluttonous. In order to understand how this could be the case, we’ll need to think more about the various forms that intemperance about food can take. We’ll turn to this issue next.

 

Challenge: Discussion Board

Discuss the following claim: Western culture encourages intemperance in regard to the consumption of food. Do you agree with this claim? Why or why not? Post twice (at least), the first time offering your own answer to this question, and the second time responding to someone else’s answer. 

 

Lesson 4.21 – Temperance in regard to food, Part II

 

In the Christian tradition, the vice of gluttony is exemplified in a variety of different ways. What comes to most people’s minds when they hear the word “gluttony” is probably something like “eating way too much food.” This understanding of gluttony is both too vague and too narrow. We’ll take these in order. 

There’s certainly something right about the idea that eating far too much food is gluttonous. But what do we mean by “too much”?  We need to define this more precisely, and we need to be careful how we do so. Is an amount of food gluttonous only if it leads to gaining an unhealthy amount of weight? Probably not. If this were the case, only behavior that was engaged in repeatedly could count as gluttonous. But, intuitively, it seems that even a single meal could be gluttonous. Also, there are cases where eating far too much—even repeatedly—won’t cause a person to gain weight, simply because they have such a high metabolism. If you’re such a person, don’t fall into the mistake of thinking that your metabolism makes you immune to gluttony! 

A better way to think of “too much” food is this: it’s an amount that clearly or greatly exceeds what’s needed for nutrition and health. Notice that this way of thinking about “too much” allows for the fact that some people—certain athletes, for example—require a much greater amount of food than other people, simply to be healthy. Eating 5,000 calories a day would be gluttonous for most people, but for a swimmer competing in the Olympics, it might not even be adequate!

The conclusion we’ve reached is that some forms of temperance are relative to the broader circumstances of a person’s life. The very same behavior that is temperate for one person might be intemperate for another. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Pick one of the following two sets of questions to reflect on in your Journal: 

• Is it gluttonous for a person with a naturally high metabolism to eat much more than they need to be healthy, if they can do so without gaining weight or experiencing any other obvious health problems? Why or why not? 

• What are some examples of behaviors that would be temperate for some people to engage in, but intemperate for others to engage in? What makes the difference? 

 

  

Lesson 4.22 – Temperance in regard to food, Part III

 

Yesterday we explored the common idea that gluttony is simply a matter of overeating. We noted that one problem for this way of thinking about gluttony is its vagueness. We needed to think carefully about what it means—and what it doesn’t mean—to eat “too much” food.  

 

There’s a second point about gluttony that’s more nuanced, and much more likely to be overlooked. Gluttony is not just about quantity of consumption; it’s a vice that extends beyond the behavior of eating too much food. There are ways of thinking about and behaving toward food that are gluttonous even when they involve quantities of food that aren’t excessive. Here’s an example: there are certain kinds of truffles (a type of edible fungi, like mushrooms) that sell for upwards of $10,000 per pound. Eating such an extreme delicacy is likely gluttonous in any quantity. Why? Because—in a world where roughly a billion people live on less than two dollars a day—this is inappropriate amount of money to spend on any small amount of food. It’s a way of placing an inordinate value on food—in this case, a certain very specific type of food. And placing inordinate value on food is what gluttony is all about.

 

Likewise, food “snobbery”—the unwillingness to eat any food that isn’t of a certain quality, or prepared in a certain way—is also a form of gluttony. This, too, is a way of placing inordinate value on food. And yet, this type of behavior is positively celebrated by many Westerners. 

Clearly, practicing temperance in the area of food is not as simple as “watching your weight.” Many of us—especially those of us in Western societies—need to be more reflective about our food consumption, not just in the ways that are encouraged by our cultures, but especially in ways that are not encouraged by our cultures. 

 

Challenge: Fasting

For the next week, eat only foods that are simple, nutritious, and (to the best of your knowledge) do not include any expensive ingredients or involve elaborate methods of preparation.  

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect in your journal on this experience, and in particular, about where you think the line is between innocent enjoyment and gluttony in the consumption of non-nutritious foods (candy, soda, desserts) and in the consumption of delicacies and luxurious foods (“fine dining”).

Lesson 4.23 – Temperance in regard to drink, Part I

 

The discussion of temperance in virtue ethics is one that addresses both food and drink. And “drink” refers to (or at least includes) alcohol. The present course is one that’s designed for teenagers, so our discussion must take into consideration the fact that in most countries, the consumption of alcohol is illegal for those under a certain age. Christians are commanded in Scripture to obey the laws of their society (with the exception of unjust laws), so those who recognize the Bible to be authoritative on such matters should regard underage drinking to be immoral—that is, contrary to God’s law—as well as illegal. 

 

Immoral behaviors are never a proper object of fasting. Remember: fasting is a practice of temporarily abstaining from something that it’s ordinarily good for one to do in moderation—like eating food—in order to achieve something spiritually desirable. For those who are underage, temperance in regard to drink requires abstinence rather than fasting. This is one of the ways that the practice of temperance is relative to one’s “station” in life. The issues of drinking and sex are alike in this regard: whether temperance requires moderation or abstinence depends on the broader circumstances of one’s life (in the case of sex, it depends on whether or not one is married). 

 

However, even for those who are of legal age, there can be broader circumstances that require a policy of abstinence rather than moderation in regard to alcohol. We’ll consider this next. 

 

Challenge: 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Discuss the following claim: Everything that is illegal is also immoral or unethical. Do you agree with this claim? Why or why not? 

Lesson 4.24 – Temperance in regard to drink, Part II

 

Yesterday we considered the virtue of temperance in regard to the consumption of alcohol. We noted that in this area, one of the things that must be considered are the legal laws of one’s society, since Christian ethics demands that, with rare exception, these must be obeyed. But even for those who may drink legally, there can be broader circumstances that require a policy of abstinence rather than moderation.

 

One of these reasons involves the possibility of “personal convictions.” Some people feel that God has commanded them individually not to drink, so that alcohol is for them morally forbidden. (Personal convictions of this type can involve all sorts of things, not just alcohol.) It’s a controversial issue in Christian ethics whether there can be individual obligations—obligations that are binding only on some particular person or group—and whether God sometimes imposes such obligations by issuing commands that are restricted in their scope (commands given only to some people and not to others). If obligations of this type are possible, as many Christians believe, then there’s good reason to think that the consumption of alcohol is morally wrong for some people, because God has given them a personal conviction that they are not to drink. 

 

In addition, Christian ethics requires that one take into account what will be spiritually helpful—or edifying—to those around oneself. For example, drinking alcohol in the company of someone known to be a recovering alcoholic—especially someone who’s only recently sober and greatly struggling to remain so—would be worse than insensitive; it could tempt them to fall back into drunkenness. In situations like this, practicing the virtue of temperance requires abstaining from alcohol altogether. The virtues work together, and in this case what is temperate is determined by what is loving. 

 

For those in situations where none of these considerations apply, alcohol should be regarded as an area in which moderation is required. And for such individuals, regular fasting from the consumption of alcohol can be an important part of practicing temperance.

 

Challenge: Fasting

If you’re of legal drinking age and regularly consume alcohol, fast from alcohol for the next month. If you’re not of legal drinking age or you do not regularly consume alcohol, reflect in your journal on the question raised there: 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Is alcohol something that’s good—something that God is pleased many people (of a certain age) use and enjoy in moderation? Present reasons to support your view.

Lesson 4.25 – Temperance in regard to rest and leisure

 

The bodily appetites are not limited to the desires for food, drink, and sex. We also desire rest, and this, too, is a desire that’s rooted in our physiology. Like food (and unlike alcohol and sex), rest is not an area in which a person can adopt a lifestyle of total abstinence. The ideal of rest must be moderation: not too much or too little. But, as strange as it might at first sound, many people are tempted to immoderation in both directions in regard to rest. That is, we’re tempted to rest too little in one way, and too much in another. 

Many of us are tempted to rest too little when it comes to sleep. While sleep requirements vary somewhat from one person to another, especially with respect to age, most people need at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night to be healthy. But when our lives get busy, sleep is the area were many of us are tempted to “buy time.” Not only do we cut into sleep hours to finish our work, we also do so to make time for leisure activities. “Leisure” is an older word that’s more commonly expressed these days as “free time”—that is, time that’s used for activities that bring personal enjoyment. But time that’s “bought” at the expense of losing sleep isn’t “free.” Binge watching TV shows late into the night is a form of intemperance. Losing sleep to play video games is a form of intemperance. Leisure is the form of rest where many of us are tempted to indulge too much. 

 

Challenge: Fasting

Over the upcoming weekend, fast from all TV, movies, videos, and gaming. Use your leisure time to engage in at least three different activities that are meaningful to you. (Some suggestions: read a work of great literature; spend time in nature; work to acquire a new skill or improve an existing one, such as playing a musical instrument; perform an act of service for a neighbor.) 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Write about your experiences—both the fast and the activities—in your journal. 

 

Lesson 4.26 – Temperance in regard to technology (especially smartphones)

 

So far, our discussion of temperance has focused on the bodily appetites. This is the traditional and usual way of thinking about temperance, as we’ve noted. But it’s also helpful to expand our discussion of temperance to other kinds of pleasures, and it’s especially important for us to think about the kinds of pleasures that can easily turn into addictions. The virtue of temperance, and the methods used to cultivate it, can apply equally well to potentially addictive pleasures that have little (if any) connection to bodily appetites. 

One of the areas in which modern people are especially prone to addiction is in the use of technology. Overuse of smartphones is a particular temptation for many people today. A survey taken in 2021 sheds light on the extent of the problem: “nearly half of the respondents stated that on average they spent five to six hours on their phone on a daily basis, not including work-related smartphone use. A further 22 percent of respondents said that they spent three to four hours on average on their phone daily.”

We could come up with a long list of reasons that such behavior is unhealthy. Some of these have to do with physical health: eye and neck strain from spending so many hours looking at a screen; loss of sleep from excessive exposure to blue light; increased incidence of auto accidents due to phone use while driving. In addition to these, there are serious mental health problems: studies have correlated overuse of cell phones to stress and depression, as well as with anxiety and impulsivity in young people. And for all their potential to connect us to one another in many ways, our phones also have the potential to isolate us from one another and diminish the quality of time spent with others in-person. How often have you observed a group of people sitting together, but not interacting with one another at all, because every person was staring at their phone?

Clearly, not only our physical and mental health but also our relationships and even our spiritual lives suffer when our use of smartphones and other technology becomes intemperate. And here, too, fasting can help us regain and maintain balance. 

 

Challenge: Fasting

Undertake a technology fast to the extent that your school work or occupation allows. Assess your own level of technology addiction or dependency, and devise the details of your fast accordingly. Some suggestions: For the next twenty four hours, fast from all phone use other than phone calls. For the next three days, abstain from all texting. For the next week, abstain from using your phone, tablet, or computer after 10pm except to complete required school work. If possible, charge your devices in another room.

Lesson 4.27 – Temperance in regard to social media 

 

If technology in general is a problem area, the particular area that is most problematic for many people today is social media. It’s now widely known that some of the most popular social media apps were originally designed to be addictive. Judging by the amount of time millions of people spend on social media websites and apps every day, these designs are clearly successful in achieving their intended end. The results have been to generate billions of dollars for various companies—and to wreak havoc in society and destruction in the lives of many people.

Why is social media potentially destructive? At an individual level, social media tends to make people more self-absorbed and narcissistic. A great many people, especially young people, feel intense pressure to present a certain image of themselves online—one that rarely reflects the full truth about themselves—and to spend countless hours curating this image. At a group level, social media is one of the most common platforms for bullying. No doubt, this is tied to the previous point: that social media encourages people to engage in constant self-promotion. There are some people who pursue self-promotion by trying to bring down and degrade others.

Another common phenomenon of social media is its tendency to discourage critical thinking. Most people prefer to hear their own opinions echoed back to them, rather than to have these opinions challenged, so they seek to surround themselves—whether knowingly or unknowingly—with a chorus of likeminded voices. Eventually, their social media experience is little more than an “echo chamber.” But apart from encounters with opposing viewpoints, we do not cultivate the skills of critical thinking. In short, the overuse and misuse of social media makes us poor thinkers. 

Beyond all of this, we now know that social media can have disastrous consequences at the societal level, especially insofar as social media can be an incubator of extremist thinking and a tool that bad actors can use to encourage social and political unrest. (See previous link.) We don’t have the space to pursue this complicated topic here. But even without doing so, we’ve found plenty of reasons that we need to be intentional about pursuing temperance in the area of social media. 

 

Challenge: Fasting

Continue your technology fast, but add it to a complete fast from social media for the remainder of the week. Use the time that you ordinarily spend on social media websites and apps to seek out meaningful conversations in person with your family and friends. 

 

Lesson 4.28 – Why is temperance important? Part I 

 

Before leaving the topic of temperance, let’s consider some general reasons that temperance is important. We’ve identified one of these reasons already: temperance is required to avoid addiction and to maintain physical, mental, relational, and spiritual health. But why, we might wonder, is temperance required for all these things? What explains this fact about our lives? 

At the deepest level, the explanation for this is grounded in our nature as human beings. We are made by God in a certain way, and for certain purposes. We are made according to a certain design plan, we could say. When we engage in behaviors that are addictive or otherwise intemperate, we’re not operating according to the design plan for human beings. And as every engineer knows, when things are operated in a way that’s contrary to their design plans, it doesn’t take long for those things to break down. Physical and mental health problems, relational disfunction, and spiritual dis-ease are all just different forms of this breakdown. 

God, in His goodness, has created us with the capacity for many kinds of pleasure, and He has filled the world with things that cause us to experience it. But every good thing can be pursued in a bad way, and with pleasure, one of the most common ways this can happen is by pursuing a certain kind of pleasure in an amount that’s immoderate, because it’s contrary to what God designed us to experience. 

But now, this raises a follow-up question: If God is perfectly good and loving, why wouldn’t He want us to experience unlimited amounts of pleasure? Why would God design and create us in such a way that there’s an upper limit on the quantity of pleasure that’s good for us? 

 

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection:

Discuss the questions raised in the final paragraph, above. Suggest two possible answers, and explain which one you think is better, and why. 

 

Lesson 4.29 – Why did God make us this way?

 

In the previous lesson, we identified one of the general reasons that temperance is important: it’s needed to avoid addiction and maintain health. And we identified the general reason that temperance is needed for these things: because this is the way that God has made us. But this raised another question: Why would God make us this way? More specifically: If God is perfectly good and loving, why wouldn’t He want us to experience unlimited amounts of pleasure?

To answer this, we need to remember the end for which human beings are created. We are made for love—that is, we’re created by God for the purpose of existing in a state of eternal loving communion with God and with one another. This is the greatest possible good for which any creature could be created. What God desires and intends for us—for each and every one of us—is the very best thing that we could possibly experience, and to experience this without end. 

The reason human beings are not designed by God to experience unlimited amounts of pleasure—that is, pleasure of the types that we’ve been discussing (the types associated with eating, drinking, sex, rest, leisure, and entertainment)—is that, beyond a certain point, the pursuit and experience of these pleasures is incompatible with the higher and greater good of love. The proper experience of these pleasures is the way that they’re experienced within the context of loving relationships. Moreover, pleasure is good to the degree that it accompanies, facilitates, and enhances loving communion among persons. The best meals and drinks are those that are shared among friends and family. The best sex is that which is an expression of love between a husband and a wife. The best forms of leisure are those that—in one way or another—draw us closer to God or to other people.   

This, in general, is the reason that it’s not God’s will for us—it’s not His “design plan” for humans—to experience unlimited quantities of pleasure. The reason is both simple and loving: He intends for us something better. Keeping this firmly in mind will help you in your pursuit of temperance. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the central claim of this lesson: that the reason God puts limits on the amount of pleasure that humans are meant to pursue is that God loves us, and He intends something even better for us. Does this strike you as a plausible idea? Why or why not?  

 

Lesson 4.30 – Why is temperance important? Part II 

 

To complete our discussion of temperance, we’ll now consider a second reason that temperance is important. We’ve considered the ways that temperance promotes human health and happiness. But practicing the virtue of temperance is also a way of honoring God. Here’s what the Bible says about this matter:

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NIV, emphasis added)

The teaching that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit is both deeply mysterious and foundational to Christian theology. All human beings bear the image of God (imago Dei), but those who profess Jesus Christ as the Son of God and accept him as their Lord and Savior receive His Spirit. The Apostle Paul says to his fellow Christ-followers that “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts” (Galatians 4:6, NIV). But this receiving of the Holy Spirit is not something that happens only within our minds, or souls, or spirits (however we might distinguish these). It also involves our bodies. 

One of the earliest heresies that the Church officially rejected was the heresy of Gnosticism, which claimed, among other things, that what is immaterial within us is good (the mind / soul / spirit) and what is material in us is evil (the body). This teaching is wholly rejected in orthodox Christianity. One of the most central teachings of Christianity is the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. Christians believe that the afterlife is a bodily existence. Our bodies are temples—sacred dwelling places—of the Holy Spirit. This is why it’s so important to honor God with our bodies.

And this is the second, far more mysterious but equally important reason that temperance is so important: it’s the practice of taking care of the house(s) of God, and thereby showing honor to God and expressing our love and respect for Him. Of all the cardinal virtues, temperance is the one that pertains most directly to our bodies. And now we can see just how important this really is. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (quoted above). Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to reveal to you its meaning.

 

Module 5 Lessons (Fortitude)

 

Lesson 5.01 – What is fortitude?

 

Recall that there are four cardinal virtues: justice, temperance, fortitude, and wisdom. Today we’ll begin our discussion of the third of these virtues. Like temperance, fortitude is a concept that’s unfamiliar to many people, so our first task will be to understand its meaning.

 

A helpful way of thinking about fortitude is that it’s a combination of several other, more familiar traits, and foremost among these are courage and perseverance. The Apostle Paul exhorted the believers of one of the earliest churches, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13, NIV). This well sums up the virtue of fortitude. 

 

In simplest terms, fortitude is doing the right thing when it’s difficult or dangerous.

 

The virtue of courage is perhaps most closely associated with fortitude—so closely, in fact, that courage is often listed instead of fortitude as the third of the cardinal virtues. But courage has to do specifically with overcoming fear, and as we’ll see, there are many other barriers to doing what’s right. Nevertheless, fear is certainly one of the most prominent and difficult obstacles to be overcome in the moral life, so we’ll spend some time thinking about this facet of fortitude first. In later lessons, we’ll return to the concept of perseverance, and we’ll explore the ways that the fortitudinous person (the person who possesses the virtue of fortitude) is someone who is both resilient and constant—someone who is characterized not only by mental and physical toughness, but also by patience and serenity (inner peace). 

 

In the course of our discussion, we’ll find the virtue of fortitude to be both richly complex and familiar, and by the end, it should be clear why fortitude is included among the cardinal virtues—the virtues around which a person’s entire character “turns.”   

 

Challenge: Study

Watch “Fortitude” (Aquinas 101)

Journal/Reflection:

What do you hope to learn from this lesson and video on the virtue of fortitude? How do you see yourself with regard to this virtue? Do you possess a lot of fortitude, or do you struggle with a lack of any of the following forms of fortitude?:  

• Courage
• Patience
• Perseverance
• Resilience
• Mental toughness
• Physical toughness
• Inner peace

 

Lesson 5.02 – Courage vs fearlessness 

 

In the previous lesson, we characterized fortitude as a combination of courage and perseverance. To understand this cardinal virtue, we will first reflect carefully on the nature of courage. And here we will begin by noting several things that courage is not. 

 

First, courage is not fearlessness. It’s easy to confuse the two, because (supposedly) courageous heroes in popular media are often depicted as being without fear as they brave adventure, battle their enemies, or even save the world. The masculine hero, in particular, is often depicted as being without fear insofar as he is either invulnerable to harm (the superhero) or wholly disregarding of the possibility of his own harm or death. The message implied by these depictions of heroism is that to feel fear is to be weak and cowardly; hence the courageous person is fearless.

 

In fact, the opposite is true. In the complete absence of fear, courage is impossible. 

 

To see this, consider some variations on a possible scenario. First imagine a person who’s walking through a minefield—but doesn’t know it. This individual feels no fear because they have no awareness of any danger. Their journey through the minefield is not an act of courage. To act courageously, one must be aware that the situation one faces is dangerous. 

 

Awareness of the presence of danger is not the only thing required for courage, however. We’ll consider why in the next lesson. 

 

Journal/Reflection: 

What is required for courage beyond an awareness that danger is present? In order to answer this question, try to imagine (and describe) some variations on the minefield scenario which help to make it clear what is, and what isn’t, required for courage. Discuss the significance of these imagined scenarios.

 

Challenge: Confession

Confession is acknowledging to God that you’ve sinned (literally “missed the bullseye”) in thought, word, or deed either by commission (doing something wrong) or omission (failing to do something you ought to have done). Thinking specifically about situations in which you were afraid to do what was right because it was scary, painful, or difficult, confess your sin to God, and if you’re comfortable, a trusted friend or mentor. Pray for forgiveness, open yourself to God’s gracious healing, and ask God to help you grow in fortitude so you can do what is right next time.

 

Lesson 5.03 – The connection between courage and love, Part I

 

We’ve seen that, at a minimum, courageous action requires an awareness of the presence of danger. But this, by itself, is not all that’s required for courage. To see why, let’s revisit the minefield example discussed in the previous lesson, and this time consider a variation. 

 

Imagine someone who’s walking through a minefield, fully aware of the danger, but, for some reason, is wholly unconcerned about the possibility of being killed—perhaps they’re even seeking out a mine as a means of committing suicide. Once again, we have an example of behavior that doesn’t count as courageous, but this time it’s for a different reason. In the previous case, the individual was unaware of the threat to their life; in this case, the individual doesn’t value their life, so they’re unconcerned about the danger. 

 

For an action to be courageous, it must be undertaken in light of an awareness that something one cares about is being threatened. And the natural emotional response to this type of situation is fear. 

 

We’re afraid when something or someone we love is in danger. This response is both natural and rational. Further, it’s rational for one’s fear to be proportional to both the degree of the danger and the degree of one’s love for what’s endangered. 

 

So now we see that there’s an essential connection, not only between courage and fear, but also courage and love. This will prove to be significant. 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect in your journal on the following questions: 

• What do I fear the most? (Give three to five answers, and then rank them, with 1. being what you fear above all else.) 
• How have these fears shaped my life? How do they affect the way I think and act on a day-to-day basis? How do they influence my long-term goals? How are they likely to affect the future trajectory of my life if they continue in their present forms?
• What would I like to do if I had no fears? How would I live differently? 

Challenge: Accountability

Check in with your accountability group. Share the fears that are holding you back from doing what is good. Ask for their prayer, support, and encouragement to face those fears courageously over the course of this unit. Be specific and open with each other, and remember to keep confidentiality with your group.

 

Lesson 5.04 – Courage vs recklessness 

 

So far, we’ve found two necessary conditions of courageous action: there must be an awareness of danger, and there must be a love for what’s endangered. But even these two conditions are not enough. There must also be an appropriate appreciation of the extent of the danger.

 

To see how this is different from mere awareness of danger, consider yet another variation on the minefield scenario. Imagine this time a person who’s aware of the presence of mines, and who values their own life, but who irrationally assumes, for no good reason, that they’ll certainly make it to the other side of the minefield unharmed. To make the point even clearer: imagine that this person is crossing the minefield not to rescue a friend or fellow soldier, but merely to get lunch at their favorite diner. 

 

This person’s behavior is reckless. Their behavior displays an inappropriate disregard for the real danger they know is present—not because they fail to value what’s endangered (in this case, their life), but simply because they fail to take to heart what they know; they fail to really appreciate the danger and to act accordingly. 

 

Such behavior is irrational. As we previously noted, fear is a rational emotional response to the awareness of a threat to something of great value. The reckless person does not appropriately fear what should be feared. 

 

So once again, we see that courage, far from being fearlessness, actually requires the presence of fear. Courageous action is a matter of responding to fear in the right way. Unlike recklessness, which is a type of irrationality, courage is a disposition to a certain type of rational behavior—a rational response to the experience of fear. We’ll explore this in more detail in the next lesson.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Consider the following quote:

 

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear” (Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, 1995).

 

Do you agree with this quote? Why or why not? What do you think Mandela means by “the triumph over [fear]”? What is it, exactly, to “conquer” fear? 

 

Challenge: Service

Do an act of kindness today for someone in need. If possible, do something that requires you to be courageous but not reckless. 

 

Lesson 5.05 – The connection between courage and goodness

 

So far, we’ve distinguished courage from two forms of fearlessness: the type that’s based on ignorance of real danger and the type that’s irrational (recklessness). Courage requires that one is aware of a threat to something of great value, experiences fear appropriate to the circumstances, and then responds to this fear in the right way. 

 

This raises the question: What is the right way to respond to fear?

 

Not surprisingly, the specific right response to fear will vary according to the circumstances. But in general, the right response to fear is the one that’s rational. 

 

In some cases, the rational response is flight—that is, to get away from the danger. Ordinarily this type of response doesn’t require courage, but in cases where it’s the rational response, it’s not a cowardly act either; it’s simply an act of self-preservation in circumstances that require nothing else. (An example would be running away from a grizzly bear encountered while alone in the woods.) Courage is required in those cases where the threat is something that should be faced: either by “attacking” the threat (whether literally or figuratively) or simply enduring the danger without backing down. 

 

In any and every case, however, the requirement of rationality rules out any response to fear that is contrary to the good. What makes courage so difficult is that the experience of fear very often tempts us to act in ways that are contrary to the good. As we said in the opening lesson of this section, fortitude is doing the right thing when it’s difficult or dangerous. Wherever courage is required, part of the difficulty is to respond appropriately to fear, which includes resisting the temptation to respond to the threat in ways that are morally wrong. 

 

We previously noted the connections between courage and fear, and between courage and love. We now see that there’s also an essential connection between courage and goodness. The virtue of courage is the settled disposition to do what’s right in situations that evoke fear.  

Journal/Reflection:

Share a story where you or someone you know acted courageously to bring about some good. Remember that for it to count as courageous, it needs to involve fear, be rational, and be motivated by love.

Challenge: Meditation on Scripture

Read each of the following two verses several times, slowly and meditatively. Reflect on their different teachings. Are they compatible with one another? What do they teach us about right and wrong ways of dealing with evil and fear?   

 

“One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil,
    but a fool is reckless and careless” (ESV Bible, Proverbs 14:16).

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

 

Lesson 5.06 – The impossibility of courageous wrongdoing / the essential connection between courage and wisdom

 

There’s an interesting consequence that follows from the conclusion we reached in the previous lesson: it’s impossible to display courage in performing actions that are morally wrong. In the course of carrying out an intention to do something evil, such as committing theft or terrorism, a person may undertake actions that are daring, but these actions are never courageous, regardless of how great the dangers they face and overcome. Likewise, there is no such thing as a truly courageous villain, either real or imaginary. 

 

This conclusion might seem obviously and demonstrably false. Surely, we might think, we can list actual examples of historical figures who were deeply flawed, even tyrannical, who nevertheless displayed great courage. But in fact, careful reflection on these cases should convince us that the quality these individuals possessed was not courage, but something easily confused with it (such as daring). For an action to be genuinely courageous, it must be rational, and to be rational, it must be in accordance with human flourishing. And as we discussed in previous units, human flourishing is a matter of existing in relations of loving communion with God and with other people. We are made for love, and anything that is truly contrary to love is simultaneously wrong, irrational, and incompatible with human flourishing. (Recall that, on the Christian view, the right, the rational, and the loving are intertwined in such a way that they cannot actually come apart from one another, despite the appearances in certain unusual cases.) 

 

What is possible, however—and even quite common—is for a person to believe that they’re acting courageously when in fact they are not, because they believe they’re doing what’s right when in fact they’re doing something wrong. True courage requires moral discernment: it requires one to perceive the moral landscape correctly. Put differently, it requires wisdom—the fourth cardinal virtue, which we’ll explore in the next unit. 

 

Journal/Reflection: 

Discuss the following questions: Is it possible for a wicked person to be truly courageous? Why or why not?

Challenge: Sabbath-Keeping

In Exodus 20:8-11, God commands his people to 

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

This week, reserve Saturday or Sunday as a day of rest. Refrain from doing work or homework for the whole day. Slow down, rest, and do something recreational that will restore your body, mind, and spirit instead. This will require you to get your work done completely on the other six days of the week. Plan for that and make the Sabbath a priority.

 

Lesson 5.07 – The connection between courage and love, Part II 

On the assumption that human flourishing is a matter of loving God and other people, we can understand why fortitude is listed among the cardinal virtues. Each of the virtues is best understood as either a necessary condition of loving well or a specific way of loving well. We characterized fortitude as doing the right thing when it’s difficult or dangerous. In doing the right thing, we’re doing as God has commanded us. If we do the right thing because God has commanded it, then we’re obeying God. And obedience to God, if undertaken with the right motivation, is also a way of loving God. Moreover, much of the moral law concerns our relations to other people. In doing what’s right, we’re loving other people well. So fortitude is really just a matter of loving well under difficult circumstances. 

 

But it might seem that, at this point, a puzzle arises. Doesn’t fortitude sometimes require us to risk or even to sacrifice (give up) something we love? We previously characterized courage as doing the right thing in fearful situations, and what makes a certain situation fearful is that it poses a threat to something one deeply values or loves. How can fortitude be a way of loving well if it sometimes requires us to sacrifice what we love? 

Journal/Reflection:

What is the connection between love and sacrifice? Are they incompatible with one another? Why or why not? As you reflect on these questions, consider the following words of Jesus to his disciples:

 

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (NIV Bible, John 15:13). 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization

Memorize John 15:13.

 

Lesson 5.08 – Sacrificing one love for the sake of another

 

In the previous lesson we raised this question, How can fortitude be a way of loving well if it sometimes requires us to sacrifice what we love? 

 

There are two parts to the answer. The first is that not all loves are equal, and some loves are rightly risked or sacrificed in order to protect or uphold others. To take one example: it would obviously be right to sacrifice a beloved material possession in a situation where doing so was required to save the life of a friend. Our love for persons should always outweigh our love for possessions. And even when we’re considering loves of the same type, certain prioritizations can be appropriate and good. It’s clearly an act of courage, for example, to risk one’s own life (something one rightly loves) to save the life of another person. 

 

Notice, however, that even in cases where you sacrifice one love for the sake of another, you need not cease to love the thing you sacrifice. The one who sacrifices their life to save another person does not thereby cease to love their own life. A thing you sacrifice can be very good, and something you value very much, but in sacrificing it, you show that there’s something else you value or love even more. 

 

These points are important because, according to Christian theology, our love for God should take priority over everything and everyone else we love. But love for God is not exclusionary: that is, it doesn’t require us to cease loving other things and other people. It instead requires that we love everything in its proper place. And this is a part of loving well. Everything we love—including our own lives—is loved well only if we love God more. The same applies even to other people: we love others well only if we love God above all. 

Journal/Reflection:

Write about an instance this week when you valued a possession more than a person and reflect on how you might reorient your heart in light of this lesson. Confess this to God and ask for forgiveness from the person you wronged in this way.

Challenge: Gratitude

In the Christian tradition, gratitude is considered to be an extremely important attitude to cultivate, for many reasons. Perhaps the most important reason is that it’s an essential aspect of worship. Gratitude is a way of recognizing and affirming the fact that everything good in our lives, including our very existence, is a gift from God. 

 

Recent empirical studies have proven that gratitude it is also extremely beneficial to a person’s overall happiness and wellbeing. For today’s challenge, begin working through the “Gratitude” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 1 of 6 total).

 

Lesson 5.09 – Fortitude as opposition to idolatry and a form of worship

 

Let’s explore further the idea that loving well requires loving God above all else—and the relevance of this point to the virtue of fortitude. 

 

There’s a theological term for something that we love more than God. It’s called an idol. For many people, the term “idol” evokes images of primitive people bowed down in worship before lifeless, physical objects, such as statues or figurines. Understood this way, idolatry appears to be something to which modern people have no inclination. But this is a mistake. In fact, every sin can be understood as a form of idolatry, because every sin is a type of disobedience to God, and thus a way of valuing something more than God, since loving God above all else requires obeying Him. Stealing, for example, is a way of expressing greater love for a material possession (the thing that’s stolen) than for God, who commands us not to steal. Lying expresses that one loves God less than whatever it is that one is trying to acquire through deception. And so on. 

 

Fortitude is required in circumstances where it’s difficult to do what’s right, because doing so requires that we risk or sacrifice something we love. The right thing to do, in every circumstance, is to obey God. When obedience to God requires risking or sacrificing something we love, it’s difficult to obey. We’re tempted to hold tight to the thing that we love, refusing to give it up. But to do so is to love something more than God. And that’s idolatry. 

 

It follows that we can understand fortitude as resistance to idolatry. When we risk or sacrifice something we love in order to obey God, we express our greater love for God than for that thing. In this way, the exercise of fortitude is a form of worship. 

Journal/Reflection:

Review your list of greatest fears, from the Journal/Reflection 5.3. Now consider what you love most. (Give three to five answers, and then rank them from greatest to least.) How are these two things—your greatest fears and your greatest loves—connected to one another? What does this teach you about fortitude?

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize the following verse. Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to reveal to you its meaning.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (NIV Bible, Romans 12:1).

 

Lesson 5.10 – The rationality of fortitude (contrast with both recklessness and cowardice) 

 

We previously noted (in Lesson 5.5) that courage involves responding to fear in the right way, and that the right response to fear is the response that’s rational. This requirement rules out a great many responses to fear that are very common. But to see this, it’s crucial to understand that “rational” doesn’t mean “understandable” or “what most people would do.” (As in: “John was under enormous pressure to succeed, so he lied to try to cover up his mistakes, which was understandable; most people would have done the same thing in his position.”) No doubt, we’ve all had the experience of giving in to the temptation to do something wrong because we were afraid of what it would cost us, in the circumstances, to do the right thing. This kind of moral failure is understandable in the sense that we can relate to it, having experienced it ourselves. But this doesn’t make it rational. 

 

It’s always rational to do whatever is most conducive to one’s flourishing. But because of the way that God has created the world, it’s also always rational to do what’s right. We are made for loving relationships with God and other people. We love God by obeying Him, and His commands are directed at (among other things) our highest good. So what is rational, what is right, and what is conducive to human flourishing can never come apart from one another—and this is by God’s design.  

 

On the assumption that human flourishing is a matter of loving well, we can understand why fortitude and its constituent parts—courage and perseverance—are character traits of the rational individual. It’s always rational to do what’s right, even when doing so is costly or difficult. And that’s what fortitude is all about. 

Journal/Reflection:

Do you think it’s possible that the right thing to do in a certain situation could be different from what it would be most rational to do in that situation? If not, explain why. If so, try to describe a situation of this type.  

 

Challenge: Accountability

Connect with your accountability partner(s) and/or your mentor and discuss your greatest fears and loves and what you are learning about fortitude in light of your fears and loves.

Lesson 5.11 – The highest expression of Christian fortitude: martyrdom

 

In the previous lesson, we noted that, because of the way that God has created the world, it’s always rational to do what’s right, even when doing so is costly or difficult. We can now extend this even further: it’s always rational to do what’s right, no matter how high the cost—in fact, even when it costs a person their very life. 

 

Paradoxically, giving up one’s life for a good cause is not contrary to one’s own flourishing, in the Christian view. In the so-called “farewell discourse” of Jesus, recorded in the Gospel of John, Jesus says to his disciples, 

 

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12-13). 

 

Soon after giving these remarks, Jesus laid down his own life, allowing himself to be unjustly executed by Roman crucifixion—an event that Christians regard as playing a central and essential role in human salvation. It’s regarded by Christians as the highest and most perfect expression of love in human history.

 

Most of the disciples to whom Jesus gave the above remarks, as well as many later followers of Jesus, were put to death for their beliefs. Some of these Christians were first given the option to renounce their faith, and told that their lives would be spared if they did so. These believers chose faithfulness to Christ even at the cost of death. They loved their Lord even more than they loved their own lives. 

 

A person who is killed for their beliefs is known as a martyr. In the Christian tradition, martyrdom is regarded as the epitome of courage and the highest expression of faith, and Christian martyrs are paid special respect, admiration, and reverence. The martyrs are our clearest and best examples of the virtue of fortitude.    

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Several of the central themes that we’ve been exploring—the connection between love and obedience, the connection between love and flourishing, and the connection between love and martyrdom—are part of the larger biblical passage from which the two verses mentioned in today’s lesson are taken. Practice Lectio Divina with this longer passage, paying special attention to the way each of these themes is developed (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

 

 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:9-14).

Journal/Reflection:

What did you hear God speaking to you through the passage during your time of Lectio Divina?

 

Lesson 5.12 – Martyrdom and human flourishing

 

To many people, it would seem absurd that a person's being put to death for a good cause isn't contrary to their flourishing. After all, how can you be flourishing if you’re dead? But viewed in light of other Christian beliefs, it’s easy to understand this. To flourish is to love well, to be in relationships of loving communion with God and other people, and our capacity for these things—according to Christian theology—does not end at death. There is an afterlife, and a “new creation” in which justice will prevail—a kingdom in which Christ will rein and those who accept him as King (and as Lord and Savior) will live together with Jesus, in harmony with God, with creation, and with every other person.* This is the highest possible form of human flourishing, and it will continue forever and ever. 

 

If this is true, and a person’s death is not the end of their existence, then being killed as a martyr is perfectly compatible with living a flourishing life. Contrary to the prevailing assumption of most contemporary Western cultures, it isn’t necessary to live a long and healthy life to live a flourishing life. It isn’t necessary to be wealthy, or esteemed, or talented in any special way. All that’s required for a flourishing life is to love well: to love like Jesus, the Son of God, who is Love incarnate (in human form). 

 

The act of giving up one’s life for a good cause—for example, to save the life of a friend, or to remain faithful in one’s allegiance to Jesus—is an act of love. It’s an act that helps to form a person into the “image” of Christ (see Romans 8:29). In fact, the Christian martyrs understood their deaths in just these terms: as a way of following and imitating Christ, who was himself unjustly killed, and who suffered his torture and death willingly out of love for his friends—and also love for his enemies (Romans 5:6-8)! 

 

*On the new creation and the Kingdom of God, see Lesson 2.23. The new creation is the culmination of the Kingdom of Heaven, also known as the Kingdom of God, which first came to earth with the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. 

Journal/Reflection:

Do you believe martyrdom is consistent with human flourishing? Why or why not?

Challenge: Gratitude

Continue the “Gratitude” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 2 of 6 total).

Lesson 5.13 – Motives for fortitude, Part I: Desiring the highest good more than some lesser good that might be lost 

 

The purpose of the previous theological reflections has been to make it clear that fortitude—doing the right thing in difficult or dangerous circumstances—is always consistent with human flourishing, regardless of the level of difficulty or danger. We need to keep this in mind, lest we be tempted to think that fortitude is reasonable only up to a certain point. It’s likely that few if any of us will ever face the terrible choice of martyrdom; nevertheless, the lessons the martyrs teach us should be kept in mind throughout our remaining discussion.

 

We could think of the motivation of the martyrs like this: In making the choices they did, the martyrs desired to attain the highest good, and they desired this more than all lesser goods which had to be given up to attain it. Within the category of “lesser goods,” they included the preservation of their own lives.

 

The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13, records a number of parables that Jesus taught to his disciples and to the crowds that followed him. Among these are the following two, brief parables about the Kingdom of Heaven:

 

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

 

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (ESV Bible, Matthew 13:44-46).

 

It is both rational and wise to be willing to give up everything—even one’s life—to attain the highest possible good. Moreover, it’s irrational to be unwilling to do so. A clear understanding of the true value of the Kingdom of Heaven puts all possible earthly losses in perspective. The martyrs are those who demonstrate this understanding most clearly. 

Journal/Reflection:

Write your journal about how Jesus’s teachings in the two parables above apply to you. Be honest with yourself: Would you be willing to give up everything, even your life, for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven? What lesser good might you be clinging to?

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize Psalm 27:1. Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to bring it to your mind the next time you feel threatened or afraid.

 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?” (NIV Bible, Psalm 27:1).

 

Lesson 5.14 – Motives for fortitude, Part II: Fearing the loss of the highest good more than the loss of some lesser good 

 

In the previous lesson, we considered the way that a desire to attain the highest good could serve as a motive for fortitude. Another way of thinking about this motive is in its negative form: the fear of loss. 

 

We’ve noted that courage is required to do the right thing in circumstances where doing so could result in the loss of some significant and valued good. But the value of different goods is relative, and it’s always preferable to lose a lesser good than a greater one. As Jesus said to his disciples, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matthew 16:26). The motivation for fortitude, in some cases, could be framed in terms of this fear: the fear of losing out on the highest possible good, the good of salvation. 

 

In Christian theology, the loss of this highest good is equivalent to the worst possible evil. This evil is called damnation: a state of being finally and irreversibly estranged from God and other people; a state in which human flourishing is permanently out of reach. It’s the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone, and it’s a danger that each and every person faces simply in virtue of being human. We are created for love, and we cannot flourish apart from relationships of loving communion. To finally reject the love of God is to consign oneself to eternal misery.

 

This is, indeed, a fearful thought. But some Christians have found value in its very fearfulness: not as a tool for manipulating other people (as many critics of Christianity have alleged), but as a means of overcoming all other personal fears. We’ll explore this idea in the next lesson.  

Journal/Reflection:

Discuss the following questions: Is it ever good to be motivated by fear? Is it possible that fear could be a source of motivation to something good? Why or why not? 

Challenge: Fellowship

Spend some time intentionally cultivating your friendships at some point this week. Enjoy yourselves, but make an effort to go deeper than just having fun. 

Lesson 5.15 – Fearing a greater danger as a way to gain courage

 

It seems that anyone who truly believes in the possibility of damnation (hell) would feel some fear—perhaps a great deal of fear—at the prospect of being consigned to it. To lose out on salvation is indeed a terrible and fearful thought. But some Christians have found a certain value in this thought and in the fear that naturally accompanies it: paradoxically, they claim that it can be a source of great courage. The nineteenth century Danish philosopher and theologian Søren Kierkegaard puts it like this:

 

“This is the way a person always gains courage; when he fears a greater danger, he always has the courage to face a lesser one; when he is exceedingly afraid of one danger, it is as if the others did not exist at all. But the most appalling danger that the Christian has learned to know is ‘the sickness unto death.’” (Kierkegaard, The Sickness unto Death)

 

“The sickness unto death” is Kierkegaard’s term for damnation, which he identifies as a permanent state of despair. It’s the greatest danger, Kierkegaard thinks, and it’s rational to fear it. But this very fear can be a source of courage: a motivation to do what’s right—and thus to remain on the path of sanctification—rather than to give in to fear in a situation where doing the right thing is difficult or dangerous. Whatever difficulty or danger one might be faced with in this life, it’s always a lesser danger than that of damnation. Persistence in sin is the path that leads away from God, away from love and communion, away from salvation and human flourishing. This is the reason that we should fear sin. The understanding of where it finally leads can help to motivate us to exercise courage: to face the (lesser) danger in any difficult circumstance and choose to do what’s right. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Do you agree with Kierkegaard that a fear of the greatest danger (damnation) could actually be a source of courage? Why or why not? 

 

Challenge: Solitude

Modern life is full of distractions that make it difficult to think clearly and deeply about matters of great importance like our own character formation. Today’s challenge is to put aside all digital technology (phones, televisions, computers, radios, etc.) and find a place where you can be alone with your thoughts. Take your journal with you, and write the Journal/Reflection 5.15 assignment at the top of a new page in your journal. Once you find a place where you can be alone and free from distractions and interruptions, commit to staying there for 30 minutes and to focusing your mind on the task at hand. Spend most of the allotted time quietly contemplating the verse and the list of qualities you would consider to be virtues. After about twenty minutes of thinking, write your journal entry.

 

Lesson 5.16 – Martyrdom in everyday life: dying to self, Part I

 

We’ve identified two possible motives for martyrdom: a desire for the highest good that supersedes all desires for lesser goods, and a fear of the greatest danger that surpasses all fears of lesser dangers. But you might be wondering, “What does this really have to do with me?” As we’ve already noted, it’s unlikely that many of us will face the decision of whether to choose death over renouncing our faith. There is, however, something analogous to martyrdom that every believer must face: the decision of whether to “die to self.” 

 

What does it mean to “die to self”? It has something to do with self-denial, but of a very specific sort. In the previous module on temperance, we discussed the way that many of our present desires are disordered. We desire things that are contrary to what is good, and contrary to what is truly good for us. Part of the process of sanctification is the reforming of these desires. The process of our salvation isn’t complete until we desire only what’s good. In the meantime, we must deny ourselves what we want whenever what we want stems from a disordered desire.

 

Unfortunately, these disordered desires are not few and far between. In our present, fallen state, our lives are dominated by disordered desires—far more than what we ordinarily recognize. The problem is so extensive, in fact, that the process of reforming these desires is a kind of death: the destruction of one identity which makes room for the creation of another.    

Journal/Reflection:

What would it look like for you to “die to self” in the ways described in this lesson? What disordered desires would need to die for the self God intends you to be to come to life?

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize Matthew 16:24-25. Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to reveal to you its meaning.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25).

 

Lesson 5.17 – “Take up your cross”

 

In the previous lesson, you were assigned the task of memorizing Matthew 16:24-25, a passage in which Jesus specifies to his disciples the cost of discipleship. To be a follower of Jesus is not simply to believe certain things, or to engage in certain religious practices, however good or useful these might be. True discipleship requires “taking up your cross” and following after Jesus—who himself went willingly to his own death on a cross. 

 

Did Jesus mean to say that only those who die by crucifixion are his true followers? Clearly not; this would be to interpret the meaning of his words in this passage far too literally. But nor should we be inclined to soften the meaning of what Jesus said. A cross was a Roman instrument of torture and death, and crucifixion was a common form of punishment in the ancient world. Those condemned to crucifixion were sometimes—as in the case of Jesus—required to literally pick up their cross (or a part of it) and carry it to the location of their execution. Jesus’ disciples were familiar with all of this, so they would have clearly understood the gravity of his words. 

 

We could put the point like this: Jesus’s use of the phrase “taking up your cross” is metaphorical, but the metaphor is apt only if it refers to something extremely difficult and painful, something that results in an end very much like death, and something in which the crucified person—in this case, the follower of Jesus—plays an active role, and even participates voluntarily. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ command to “take up your cross” in your own life.

Challenge: Silence/Memento mori

In the Christian calendar, the season of Lent is the period (roughly six and a half weeks) leading up to Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. The beginning of Lent is a day called “Ash Wednesday.” During a typical Ash Wednesday service, a priest or other officiant uses ashes (made from the burnt palm leaves of the previous year’s Palm Sunday service) to draw a cross on the forehead of each person in attendance. As the symbol is drawn, the officiant recites the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” These words serve as a reminder to each person of their mortality—that is, of the fact that they will someday die—but it’s also intended to be an admonition (guidance) to each person to live their lives in a way that clearly acknowledges this fact about human existence, rather than trying to ignore or deny it. 

 

The practice of intentionally keeping this fact in mind—or even meditating on it—is called Memento mori, which is Latin for “Remember that you must die.” It’s a practice that precedes Christianity, but it has long been practiced by Christians, no doubt because so many passages in the Bible encourage us to reflect on death and its consequences. For your assignment today, spend some time (at least five minutes, but longer if you can) sitting in silence, reflecting on the fact that you will someday die. At the end of this time of meditation, reflect in your journal about the experience. Consider adopting the practice of Memento mori as a regular part of your prayer time.    

 

Lesson 5.18 – Martyrdom in everyday life: dying to self, Part II

 

The process of sanctification is the destruction of one identity which makes room for the creation of another. It is a kind of death—albeit one that’s followed by a rebirth. Everything in a person that is selfish, everything that is prideful, lustful, greedy, gluttonous, envious, and so on— everything that is contrary to love—must be utterly destroyed before a person’s salvation is complete. 

 

This is the meaning of “taking up your cross,” and it’s something that believers must do continually. As Rebecca DeYoung puts it in a helpful essay on courage, 

 

“This is another form of laying our lives down for the sake of love. This is not a rare opportunity but a daily discipline. So martyrdom, in an analogical but no less important sense, is a task for all of those who claim Christ as their own and seek to love him above all else.”

 

To be a true follower of Jesus is to accept this death willingly—much like many of the Christian martyrs accepted their deaths. In this form, martyrdom is not rare, but rather an essential part of the Christian life. And fortitude, perhaps more than any other virtue, is what’s required to walk this path all the way to its end. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on what you have learned about fortitude thus far in this module. How might the virtue of fortitude help you put to death everything selfish, everything that is contrary to love?

 

Challenge: Gratitude

Continue the “Gratitude” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 3 of 6 total).

 

Lesson 5.19 – Perseverance as Tenacity 

 

It takes courage to decide to take up your cross. It takes perseverance to continue to take up your cross daily. Fortitude is a combination of courage and perseverance, and so far we’ve been talking about fortitude primarily in its first aspect. It’s now time to explore its second aspect.  

 

There are two parts to perseverance: tenacity and patience. Tenacity is the will to continue on despite the difficulty of one’s course. It’s a firmness of will, a resolute determination to stay the course, to remain constant in carrying out whatever has initially been decided. The tenacious individual is someone who’s not deterred by obstacles, including pain and suffering. They’re willing to exert any effort needed or suffer any pain required to achieve their goal. 

 

Tenacity can be put into the service of what is evil—think of a villain who’s determined to carry out a wicked scheme, no matter the obstacles—but within the virtue of fortitude, tenacity is the will to continue doing what’s right, despite whatever difficulty or suffering this requires. It’s a resilience in holding steadfastly to the good. As the Apostle Peter says in one of his letters,

 

“But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:20-21).

 

Journal/Reflection:

Have you ever had the experience of suffering for doing good, or for doing what you thought was right? How did it make you feel? Did it make you regret your choice? Why or why not? Did it affect your relationship with God? If so, how? 

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For,

‘In just a little while,
    he who is coming will come
    and will not delay.’ 

And

‘But my righteous one will live by faith.
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.’

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved” (Hebrews 10:36-39).

Lesson 5.20 – Perseverance vs stubbornness, Part I

 

Because of its essential connection to goodness, perseverance is crucially different from stubbornness. The stubborn person is unwilling to be corrected, even when reason or the moral law demands it. In the Bible, people who are stubborn are often described metaphorically as being “stiff-necked”: 

 

“Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
    will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1).

 

Stubbornness is a refusal to admit error, and thus it’s rooted in pride. Perseverance, by contrast, is an unwavering commitment to the good, which is always the rational course, even when it’s costly.   

 

The difference between the virtue of fortitude and the vice of stubbornness is in their respective foundations. Whereas stubbornness is motivated by pride, fortitude is motivated by love. To love someone is to will their highest good. When someone is being stubborn, they’re not acting in the best interests of other people; they’re not acting lovingly. And, for the reasons we’ve already discussed, they’re not really acting in their own, true best interests either. Doubling down on a mistake, especially a morally significant one, inevitably makes things worse (as the Proverb cited above makes clear). 

 

Unlike the stubborn person, the virtuous person is willing to be corrected: 

 

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but whoever hates correction is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1).

 

It’s important, however, to distinguish two types of “correction”—only one of which the virtuous person will accept. We’ll explore this next. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the difference between perseverance and stubbornness. Try to come up with at least one example of each in your own life. Where have you demonstrated perseverance in your commitment to an arduous good? Where have you been selfishly stubborn?

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize Proverbs 16:18. Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to bring it to your mind the next time you are tempted to pride.

 

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Lesson 5.21 – Perseverance vs stubbornness, Part II

 

The virtuous person is humble, and thus willing to admit when they’ve made a mistake. Different types of mistakes are possible, however. During the time when someone is still growing in virtue, moral mistakes will continue to be made (though typically less frequently and less severely as growth in virtue progresses). The humble person is willing to admit when they’ve done something wrong.

 

There can also be mistakes of judgment. It’s possible for one to be well-intentioned in desiring to will the highest good of another person, but mistaken about what particular actions are required to accomplish this. The virtuous person is receptive to others’ wisdom, and even desires to be corrected whenever they’ve made a mistake. 

 

These are the types of correction that the virtuous person will accept. But there’s another kind of “correction” that’s quite common, which the virtuous person will not accept. It’s the kind of “worldly wisdom” that seeks to rebuke someone who insists on doing what’s right in a situation where the consequences of doing so appear far out of proportion to anything to be gained. In certain situations, one can avoid a mountain of trouble, it seems, by making the smallest of moral compromises, and the one who refuses to do so is viewed as “fanatical” from the perspective of worldly wisdom. To this type of “correction,” the fortitudinous person will not be receptive. 

 

This seems like “stubbornness” from the perspective of worldly wisdom. But unlike true stubbornness, the “stubbornness” of the fortitudinous person is simply a refusal to compromise with evil. This is not actually stubbornness at all; it is virtuous tenacity.

Journal/Reflection:

Think of a situation you’ve been in where it was very difficult or costly to do the right thing, and you were able to entirely avoid this difficulty or cost by making a (seemingly) very small moral compromise. What did you do? What was the outcome? If you were in this situation again, would you do things differently? Why or why not?    

Challenge: Discipleship/Seeking Counsel

Meet with your mentor this week. Ask your mentor to describe a situation in which he or she persevered in pursuit of a difficult good, ideally one that involved loving God or loving another person. How did persevering change your mentor’s character? What was the outcome of that perseverance? Ask your mentor about a regretful moment of stubbornness in his or her life. How does your mentor look back on that stubbornness? What was the impact of that stubbornness on others?

 

Lesson 5.22 – Perseverance as Patience

 

Our discussion of perseverance so far has focused on its first aspect: tenacity. In its virtuous form, tenacity is a resolute commitment to the good in the face of difficulties of various kinds. 

 

The second aspect of perseverance is patience. With tenacity, the emphasis is on steadfastly holding on to what’s good. With patience, the emphasis is on steadfastly awaiting the good when it is still out of reach and/or steadfastly enduring some evil without being overcome by it. These emphases, and the connections between them, are easiest to appreciate by way of an example. 

 

Consider the case of someone who is suffering from a chronic illness. The evil that must be endured is the loss of health, along with whatever pains and disabilities this might include. The good that’s awaited is the restoration of health, the deliverance from pain, and the recovery of lost abilities. Patience is the quality of enduring evil without giving in to fear or anger or despair.

 

In its Christian form, this endurance of present evils is accompanied by a hope for future good. In the case of our example, this hope would be for either healing in this life or deliverance from disease in the next life (in the new creation). The specific content of the hope may vary depending on the specific evil that’s being endured. But in general, the Christian virtues of patience and hope are always closely connected. Both look forward to a good that presently remains out of reach. As the Apostle Paul puts it, “Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24-25, NIV Bible)

 

Journal/Reflection:

What is something you personally are enduring that requires patience?

 

Challenge: Gratitude

An important way of remaining hopeful in a situation where some evil must be endured, and some good remains out of reach, is so remember the good things in one’s life, both past and present, and to cultivate gratitude for these things. Continue the “Gratitude” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 4 of 6 total)

 

Lesson 5.23 –Fortitude as mental and physical toughness

 

To persevere in difficult circumstances often requires mental and physical toughness. Toughness is a kind of strength and resiliency, an ability to cope with different types of difficulties. Physical toughness is strength and resiliency to pain. It’s the ability to “deal with” pain and affliction: to endure these without losing one’s composure. Mental toughness is resiliency to stress and adversity, the ability to endure these without losing confidence or focus or direction. 

 

These qualities have clear applications to the moral and spiritual life. There are many situations, and a wide range of different types of difficulties, that require believers to be tough in order to do what’s right. When the Apostle Paul was first called to be a missionary, a believer named Ananias experienced a vision in which God said to him about Paul:

 

“This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:15-16, NIV Bible)

 

The stories of Paul’s subsequent three missionary journeys make it clear just how much physical and mental toughness was needed for him to realize God’s calling on his life. Stories of other great Christians saints, both past and present, paint a similar picture. There’s every reason to expect that, in some form or another, the same will be required to fulfill God’s calling on your life. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Choose one or more of the following prompts to reflect on in your journal:

• Recall a situation that required you to be mentally and/or physically tough in order to accomplish a good goal? 
• Who do you look up to as being mentally and/or physically tough in pursuit of a worthy goal?
• What is something you are facing or pursuing right now that requires more mental and/or physical toughness than you feel you can muster? 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

An important part of mental toughness is the ability to handle stress and adversity without becoming anxious. The Bible has an important teaching about this: we should bring everything that concerns us to God in prayer. 

 

Memorize the following verses. Once you have the passage memorized, meditate on these verses, asking God to bring them to your mind the next time you feel anxious.

 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)

 

Lesson 5.24 – Cultivating fortitude through the imitation of Christ

 

In the last lesson, we noted the Apostle Paul as an example of someone who had to have mental and physical toughness to fulfill God’s calling on his life. The clearest picture of suffering in the service of love, however, is Jesus Christ, and in particular, in his Passion: that is, in the suffering that he endured in the final days of his life as he was unjustly tried, tortured, and executed. (The word “passion” comes from a Latin term meaning “to suffer.”) Christ is a model for us of what mental and physical toughness look like in their highest, spiritual forms. 

 

As our model, Christ is not merely to be admired, but to be imitated. This is a clear teaching of Scripture. Recall the passage from a few lessons ago:

 

But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:20-21, NIV)

 

The Apostle Paul teaches likewise: 

 

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2, NIV)

 

This is the way to cultivate Christian fortitude: by imitating Christ, walking in “the way of love” that he showed us—a path that involves self-sacrifice and suffering. 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect in your Journal on at least two of the follow questions: What does it mean, in practical terms, to imitate Jesus? Do you agree that imitating Christ is a necessary part of the Christian life? Why or why not? Are you trying to imitate Jesus in your life now? If so, how? If not, what changes would you have to make to begin doing so? 

Challenge: Fasting

Fasting is a spiritual discipline that can help toughen you up mentally and physically. By practicing fasting, you sharpen your mind and train your body to endure hardship as you pursue a challenging good.

1. Review these tips for conducting a food fast. 
2. Plan a food fast for sometime this week. 
   1. Pick any one of the various types of fast described in lesson : eighteen hours with only water, twenty four hours with only fruit and vegetable juice, or—if this isn’t your first food fast—twenty four hours with only water. 
   2. Choose the time when you’ll begin your fast today and when you’ll end it (beginning after lunch or dinner is recommended). 
3. Complete your fast as planned.

 

Disclaimer: Skip this assignment if you have a medical condition that could make it dangerous or unhealthy to fast, or if you struggle with an eating disorder, or if you’re uncertain about either of these things. 

 

Lesson 5.25 – Co-suffering love 

 

One of the most difficult questions in theology is the question of why God allows evil and suffering in the world: in particular, why He allows good and innocent people—even children—to suffer. While this is not the place to explore this problem in detail, much less to try to solve it, there is an important connection between this question and our discussion of developing fortitude through the imitation of Christ. 

 

We’ve noted that the way of Christ is the way of self-sacrifice and forgiveness: the way of suffering for the sake of love. This highlights one of the most astonishing teachings of Christianity: that in Christ, God suffers with us. 

 

When we suffer, not because of the consequences of personal sin or wrongdoing, but rather in the service of goodness and love, we are experiencing a version of what Jesus himself experienced. Suffering in the service of love is thus a way of identifying with Christ: a way of participating, so to speak, in his life and his story. We are imitating his example of love, and consequently suffering some version of what he suffered. This allows us to understand and relate to Jesus in a much deeper way—a way that we simply cannot in the absence of suffering. 

 

Christian discipleship is a life of co-suffering: suffering in the service of love, not only for other people but also for God, who Himself suffers with us. Suffering draws us close to Jesus, and thus close to the heart of God. Because of this, suffering has meaning; it has purpose. It is not in vain. And while this doesn’t by itself completely solve the problem of evil, it does serve to blunt its sharpest sting. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Write down your thoughts on the Christian teaching that God suffers with us. If this is true, how might it change the way we approach suffering in this life?

 

Challenge: Prayer

Memorize the following Prayer to the Crucified Christ, from the Book of Common Prayer, and begin to incorporate it into your daily prayers. 

 

Lord Jesus, you stretched out your arms of love upon the hard wood of the cross 

that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace; 

So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, 

may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; 

for the honor of your name. 

Amen.

Lesson 5.26 – “Let us not become weary”

 

Each type of toughness—mental and physical—subdivides into two categories: an episodic and an extended version. Episodic toughness is needed for intense but short-lived (acute) pains and stresses. Enduring toughness is needed for long-lasting (chronic) pains and stresses.

 

Sometimes the latter is overlooked, because we might not notice the way that toughness is required in cases of pain and stress that are not unusual or especially intense, but that nonetheless wear a person down over time. In particular, exhaustion and burnout are two of the risks of low-grade but long-lasting difficulties. And in the spiritual life, this can also happen in one’s efforts to pursue one’s calling to live a good and virtuous life. 

 

The Apostle Paul encouraged a group of first century believers,

 

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9, NIV)

 

It’s common for new believers—those who have recently undergone a conversion experience—to be energized and enthusiastic in their newfound faith, and this can, and should, be expressed in efforts to advance the Kingdom of God. But over time, it’s easy for these initially exciting adventures in “doing good” to start to feel burdensome. To use a running analogy: the spiritual life is a marathon, not a sprint, and what’s difficult is not so much the start of the race but rather its grueling length. Mental toughness is required in order not to grow weary. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Have you ever experienced weariness at doing good? How have you handled your weariness?

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize 1 Corinthians 15:58. Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to bring it to your mind the next time you’re tempted to take the easy way out, or to give up on doing some good thing that’s difficult.

 

[B]e steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV)

Lesson 5.27 – Toughening up, Part I: Fortitude as an acquired virtue

 

How do we grow in mental and physical toughness? There are two different methods, and they correspond to the ways the Christian tradition has described the acquisition of different virtues, as either “acquired” or “infused.” Put simply, an acquired virtue is a character trait that a person develops though training and effort. An infused virtue is one that is given to a person by God. 

 

The methods of developing acquired virtues were known in paganism. The great ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle is perhaps best known for his writings on virtue ethics, and these include instructions on how a person can acquire the cardinal virtues though practice and through imitation of those already recognized as virtuous. 

 

This method for acquiring mental and physical toughness is essentially the same as the one for developing courage. (This is not surprising, since both courage and toughness are facets of fortitude.) It’s the method of habituation. A person becomes more courageous by repeatedly experiencing danger. Over time and through training, as the experience becomes familiar, they’re able increasingly to handle the emotions of fear that accompany these experiences. Likewise, over time, a person can become tougher through repeated experiences of pain and stress, and, through the proper training, increasingly able to manage them. 

 

This method of acquiring fortitude through training by habituation to danger and hardship has been widely practiced from ancient times to today. Contemporary examples can be found in the training of emergency responders, such as fire-fighters, police officers, and paramedics. Emergencies of the relevant type are simulated, in order to habituate trainees to the dangers and stresses of real emergency situations, and to engrain the responses that are needed to handle these appropriately. Military training is another example of this method. 

 

There’s certainly a place for this kind of training in the moral and spiritual life, as well. Parents commonly expose their children to experiences designed to “toughen them up,” with the intention of helping to prepare their children for more difficult experiences later in life. This is well-intentioned and often effective to some degree. However, Christianity teaches another, more important and effective path to virtue. We’ll explore this next. 

Journal/Reflection:

What are some ways you have tried to develop mental and physical toughness? What habits have your parents/guardians, teachers, and coaches tried to instill in you to toughen you up? Have those methods worked?

Challenge: Gratitude

Continue the “Gratitude” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 5 of 6 total).

Lesson 5.28 – Toughening up, Part II: Fortitude as an infused virtue

Applying the methods of effort, training, habituation, and imitation of virtuous people is a tried-and-true way of making significant progress in acquiring the cardinal virtues. But according to Christian theology, these methods are not up to the task of fully equipping us for our true calling. Christianity teaches that the end for which human beings are created is eternal communion with God, and for this, we must be made perfect in virtue. (See Lessons 1.10 – 1.12 and Lesson 3.10 for a refresher on these topics.) The only means capable of making humans perfectly virtuous is the grace of God. 

In the Christian tradition, virtue that’s attained not by individual effort but rather by the grace of God is called infused virtue. It’s something that God gives to us, rather than something that we “earn” for ourselves through diligent moral and spiritual effort. Traditionally, the cardinal virtues have both acquired and infused forms. The theological virtues (faith, hope, and love), by contrast, are only and entirely infused. 

The infused virtues are famously described in the Christian tradition as that “which God works in us without us.” It’s important not to misconstrue the meaning of the phrase “without us” in this description. It doesn’t mean that God creates these virtues in a person against their will or even without their consent. The infused virtues are a work of God within us, but we have the choice either to receive and embrace this work or to reject it. 

But what does this look like, in practical terms? 

Journal/Reflection:

What do you think it would look like in practical terms for God to infuse fortitude in you? How might you become ready to receive God’s free gift of fortitude?

Challenge: Study

Grow in your understanding of infused virtue by reading this short interview with Dr. Angela Knobel on her book, Aquinas and the Infused Moral Virtues.

Lesson 5.29 – Receiving fortitude as an infused virtue

 

We ended the previous lesson by raising the question: What does it look like, in practical terms, for one to receive and embrace the infused versions of the cardinal virtues? 

 

The infused virtues are, by definition, a work of God within us. And as we’ve noted repeatedly, the means by which we open ourselves up to the work of God within us are the spiritual disciplines. Three of the most important disciplines are prayer, fasting, and the study of Scripture. It follows that the spiritual disciplines are a means by which we receive the infused virtues. 

 

We’ll explore the theory behind this idea in more detail in a later module (Lessons 7.1 – 7.7). For now, let’s think about how this might look in practical terms. 

 

Suppose that you’re facing a difficult, painful, or even terrifying situation. Suppose, for example, that a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness. The news is crushing, and you immediately feel that it’s more than you can possibly bear. You’re “in over your head,” facing a situation beyond your capacity to manage. You begin to pray. You cry out to God for help, both in your own words and in the words of other believers who have come before you (for example, praying the Psalms). You sit before God in silence, and you search the Scriptures for guidance. And you continue in your prayers, day after day. You begin to find, perhaps much to your surprise, that you have a strength to bear the trial, just enough to get through each day. It’s a strength that seems to come from both outside and within you, but it’s a strength that’s not your own—that is, a strength of which you are not the source. And you find that you have, at least in certain moments, an experience of inner peace that has no rational explanation in light of the circumstances. God is strengthening you, sustaining you, day by day, each step of the way through the trial. This is the experience—or rather, one version of the experience—of receiving fortitude as an infused virtue.  

Journal Reflection: 

What are you facing today that requires the type of strength only God can provide?

Challenge: Contemplative Prayer

In the first unit, you were introduced to an important form of prayer in the Christian tradition known as contemplative prayer (or “sitting with Jesus”). Practice contemplative prayer for at least five minutes today, and for each of the next four days. Review the method of contemplative prayer from Lesson 1.17, if needed. 

Lesson 5.30 – Perseverance in the spiritual disciplines, Part I

 

In the previous lesson, we discussed the spiritual disciplines as a means by which we open ourselves up to receive God’s grace in the infusion of the virtues. This can happen not only with the theological virtues (faith, hope, and love) but also with the cardinal virtues, such as fortitude. But fortitude is also something that we need in our practice of the spiritual disciplines. We need to persevere in prayer, in fasting, in the study of Scriptures, and so forth. In fact, the failure to do so is central to one of the seven capital vices, often referred to as “sloth,” but perhaps more accurately (because less misleadingly) called acedia. 

 

Acedia is described helpfully by philosopher Rebecca DeYoung as “resistance to the demands of love.” What God demands of us is that we become like Him in love. Sanctification is this process of transformation. The transformation is brought about by God, but we are called to participate in it, day by day, by practicing the spiritual disciplines, the various means by which we open ourselves up to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit within us. Acedia is the vice that works in the opposite direction of this. It’s a resistance to sanctification. And one of the main ways that believers can resist the full working out of salvation in their lives is by refusing to practice the spiritual disciplines. In this way, fortitude and acedia are opposing character traits. 

Journal/Reflection:

Read and take notes on this short introduction to the vice of sloth (acedia) and watch “The Seven Deadly Sins: Sloth” by Rebecca DeYoung. 

Challenge: Contemplative Prayer

Continue your practice of contemplative prayer for at least five minutes today, and for each of the next three days. Review the method of contemplative prayer from Lesson 1.17, if needed.

Lesson 5.31 – Perseverance in the spiritual disciplines, Part II

 

In the previous lesson, we identified acedia as the vice that stands in opposition to the virtue of fortitude. But it appears that we’ve now run into a problematic circularity. We said that fortitude is needed to persist in the practice of the spiritual disciplines, but also that persistence in the disciplines is needed to open ourselves up to God’s grace to receive infused virtues, including fortitude. It seems that each one is required as a precondition of the other, and thus the whole process could never get started.

 

In fact, there’s no real problem here. The thing to remember is that sanctification is a process: that is, something that happens over time, not something that happens all at once. God makes the first moves by convicting us of our sin and inviting us to receive forgiveness in Christ. At this point, we can either accept His invitation and allow His further, enabling work (responding in faith), or we can refuse these (hardening our hearts). If we respond in faith, the process of salvation begins. With each individual act of will by which we respond to God in faith—for example, by spending time in prayer each day—God responds by working within us to grow us a little more in faith and virtue. He gives us the power to continue (that is, the strength to persevere) which we can then use to open ourselves up to His transforming work again—and again, and again. The entire process is powered by God’s grace. But we have, at every point, the ability to resist or refuse. With each right decision to receive His strength to persevere, however, we gain momentum in our growth in virtue. And as we discussed in a previous module (Lesson 2.19), this principle of spiritual momentum is crucial to understanding the entire process of moral and spiritual development.  

 

Journal/Reflection:

Rebecca DeYoung notes that “we cannot lose sight of the role grace plays in any progress we make in holiness. Becoming Christlike doesn’t mean working like crazy to improve ourselves and merit a place in God’s favor. Sanctification requires effort—not earning.” (Glittering Vices: A New Look at the Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies, Second Edition). In support of these remarks, she cites 2 Peter 1:3-7, noting especially the phrase “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life” and the phrase “make every effort.” 

 

Review 2 Peter 1:3-7 (the focus of a Lectio Divina exercise in Lesson 1.16) and reflect in your journal on the following questions: Do you agree with DeYoung about what this passage teaches? Why or why not?

Challenge: Contemplative Prayer

Continue your practice of contemplative prayer for at least five minutes today, and for each of the next three days. Review the method of contemplative prayer from Lesson 1.17, if needed. 

Lesson 5.32 – Fortitude as essential to salvation

 

In order to fully appreciate the importance of fortitude, let’s bring together some points we’ve discussed in previous lessons.

 

First, sanctification is an essential part of salvation (see especially Lesson 1.21 and Lessons 3.9 – 3.10). It’s certainly true that salvation includes receiving God’s forgiveness for our sins, but this is the beginning of the process of salvation, not its end. Before our salvation is complete, we must be completely transformed in our character, remade into the “image” of Jesus Christ. 

 

Second, this process of reforming our character involves the painful process of dying to self (Lessons 5.16 – 5.18). Salvation is not simply a matter of coming to hold certain beliefs. It involves a reorienting and reforming of a person’s will, desires, and character. It’s the destruction of one identity and the creation of another—a process of death and rebirth.

 

Because this process is difficult and painful, it is tempting, even to those who have made a profession of faith in Christ, to want to resist the process of sanctification. This resistance is the vice of acedia (sloth). The virtue of perseverance is required to endure the process of salvation to its end. 

 

Seen in this light, we can appreciate the true significance of the virtue of fortitude. Its importance goes far beyond its usefulness in navigating difficult circumstances in life. It is, in fact, essential to salvation. 

 

To read more about this teaching in the Bible, see Romans 8:29, 1 Corinthians 15:49, 2 Corinthians 3:18, and 1 John 3:2.

 

Challenge: Contemplative Prayer

In the activity following Lesson 5.29, you were tasked with practicing contemplative prayer for at least five minutes each day for several days. Finish this assignment today, and then reflect on your experience in your journal. 

Journal/Reflection:

How did you feel before, during, and after your prayer times? What did you learn? 

 

Lesson 5.33 – Perseverance as faithfulness

 

The same conclusion that we reached in the previous lesson—that fortitude is essential to salvation—can be arrived at through a different line of reasoning. Salvation requires faithfulness to Christ, and faithfulness is a type of perseverance. To be faithful is to be steadfast in one’s loyalty, unwavering in one’s allegiance. In certain situations it can be very difficult and costly to remain faithful, in which cases faithfulness is a form of perseverance. 

 

We see the perseverance of faithfulness described in a passage in the gospels known as the Olivet Discourse, in which Jesus prophesies (foretells the future) concerning the hardships to be faced by some of his followers: 

 

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:9-13, NIV Bible).

 

Under the pressures of trials, persecutions, and the threat of death, many people turn away from the faith. And as evil and wickedness grow in the world, many people’s hearts grow cold in their love for God and other people. But those who persevere in their faithfulness to Christ, even under the most difficult of circumstances, will be saved. As Jesus tells his disciples in a parallel passage from the Gospel of Luke, “Stand firm, and you will win life” (Luke 21:19).

Journal/Reflection:

What is the connection between perseverance and faithfulness? 

Challenge: Gratitude

Complete the “Gratitude” Activity, designed by the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing (week 6 of 6 total).

 

Lesson 5.34 – The usefulness of trials in producing perseverance 

Our discussion in the previous lesson might have given the impression that trials are something that we should hope to avoid. Jesus says that the experience of trials will lead many people to grow cold in their love and to fall away from the faith. Surely it would be best to be spared from trials altogether. 

 

But in fact, this is not what the Bible teaches. Surprisingly, it teaches just the opposite: that we should consider ourselves blessed when we experience trials:

 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness [perseverance]. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4, ESV)

 

The Greek word translated as “perfect” in this verse (“that you may be perfect and complete”) is the same Greek word found in a passage we previously discussed (Lesson 3.10):

 

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48, ESV)

 

Putting this all together: Those who follow Jesus will experience trials, but God uses these painful experiences to produce perseverance, and in every case where this perseverance has its “full effect”—namely, in those who follow Jesus to the end—the result will be that these individuals are finally made perfect in virtue and love. 

 

This is why the followers of Christ are instructed to “take up their cross” in imitation of Jesus. It is through adversity and suffering that believers are perfected. The path of discipleship is the path of self-sacrifice and suffering, by which believers are made to be like Jesus: that is, made perfect in love. This is what it is to be saved. 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize James 1:2-4:

 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness [perseverance]. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4, ESV)

 

Journal/Reflection: Reflect on James 1:2-4

Once you have it memorized, meditate on these verses, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.

 

Lesson 5.35 – The connection between fortitude and all other virtues

 

“Fortitude is the guard and support of the other virtues.” – John Locke

 

It’s hopefully clear by now why fortitude is included among the list of core virtues, not only in paganism but also—and especially, for the reasons we’ve just discussed—in Christian theology. One final thing we should note before bringing our discussion of fortitude to a close. There’s a connection between fortitude and all other virtues, which becomes clear when we consider the philosophical definition of a virtue. 

 

Throughout our discussion so far, we’ve discussed virtues as personal qualities or character traits. But we could ask, “What exactly is a character trait?” A character trait is often defined by philosophers as a stable disposition to act (and also to think, desire, and feel) a certain way in a wide variety of circumstances. The key phrase that we need to unpack here is “stable disposition.” To say that a person is disposed to act in a certain way is to say that the behavior in question is the one that’s most natural to them, the one they’re most likely to perform, in all different kinds of situations. For example, an honest person is a person who’s disposed to tell the truth, not just when it’s easy or convenient or likely to have some personal benefit, but also when it’s difficult and costly. 

 

To say that a disposition is stable is to say that it’s a reliable predictor of a person’s behavior. It’s a relatively fixed part of their identity. A person’s character can develop and change over time, and thus a character trait need not be permanently fixed, but a certain way of behaving is “characteristic” (as we say) of a person only if it’s the way they ordinarily act. 

 

Fortitude is connected to all the other virtues because of this feature of stability. To possess the virtue of justice, for example, one must have a stable disposition to perform just acts in a wide variety of circumstances—including those in which it’s costly or difficult to act justly. All of the virtues are dispositions to seek the good and to love well in some respect, and it’s fortitude that ensures constancy in these efforts in the face of difficulties. In this way, fortitude is foundational to all other virtues.  

Journal/Reflection:

Summarize what you have learned about the various forms of fortitude in this module. 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize James 1:12. Once you have it memorized, meditate on this verse, asking God to reveal to you its meaning.

 

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12, ESV)

 

Module 6 Lessons (Wisdom)

 

Lesson 6.01 – What is wisdom? 

 

It’s time to begin our discussion of the fourth and final cardinal virtue. Although classically referred to as prudence, the more familiar name for this virtue is wisdom. Despite the familiarity of the term, however, there’s a lot of confusion about what wisdom really is. One reason for this confusion is that the popular usage of “wisdom” has diverged from its classical meaning. A second reason for confusion is that, even in its philosophically developed forms, wisdom comes in more than one type. 

 

We’ll begin by distinguishing the popular understanding, which we’ll call “shrewdness,” from the classical virtue, which we’ll call “prudence.” Once this distinction is clear, we’ll go on to distinguish prudence from the biblical understanding of wisdom.* We’ll spend most of our time in this module discussing the virtue of wisdom in this form. Along the way, we’ll explore not only what wisdom is, but where it comes from, how it’s acquired, and how it relates to other virtues. By the end, we’ll be able to appreciate why wisdom is so central to Christian virtue ethics. 

 

* Students of ethics should be aware that the way that we’ll be using—and distinguishing—the terms “prudence” and “wisdom” in these lessons is not exactly the same way that these terms are often used in the classical and medieval philosophical traditions. Aristotle, for example, uses “prudence” (phronesis) to refer to practical reasoning and reserves the term “wisdom” (sophia) for a type of theoretical insight. (See here.) Aquinas follows Aristotle in this usage. (See here.) In these lessons, we’ll be using “prudence” in a fairly traditional sense, but our usage of “wisdom” will be different. 

 

Challenge: Study

Watch “Prudence” (Aquinas 101)

Journal/Reflection: 

 

Lesson 6.02 – Shrewdness

 

What comes to mind when you think of the word “wisdom”? If you’re like most people, you think of someone who’s exceptionally knowledgeable, highly intelligent, and very resourceful; someone who’s adept in meeting challenges or navigating difficult circumstances, and who can advise others in doing the same. Maybe you imagine someone who’s very clever in the way they approach practical matters, someone who’s especially creative in the way they solve problems and effective in getting things done. Perhaps you even imagine someone who’s streetwise, or someone who understands “how to beat the system.” The wise person, on this view, is the one who knows how to take advantage of every opportunity and to live in such a way as to get the most out of life. For many people, this means someone who manages—not just by luck or privilege, but by personal skill and talent—to work their way up the social and career ladder and to attain significant wealth, status, influence, or power.

 

None of these qualities—neither individually nor collectively—amounts to the virtue of wisdom in either the classical or the Christian sense. (It will turn out to be true that the wise person is the one who knows how to live in such a way as to get the most out of life, but only in a very specific sense, and not in the sense described above.) The qualities we’ve just mentioned are better labeled “shrewdness.” Shrewdness is a quality that most people value and admire in others and wish to possess themselves. But according to both pagan and Christian virtue ethics, shrewdness is neither the same as wisdom, nor a quality that has much to do with happiness or human flourishing. 

 

Challenge: 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the following questions in your journal: What is it to be wise? What’s the difference between wisdom and shrewdness? Is it true that shrewdness has little to do with happiness or human flourishing? If so, why do most people consider shrewdness to be a valuable and admirable quality? 

 

Lesson 6.03 – Prudence as “right reason about things to be done”

 

In the previous lesson, we identified the popular understanding of wisdom to be shrewdness. One reason that shrewdness is crucially different from the cardinal virtue of prudence is that shrewdness is a quality that can be used for evil. Tyrants can be quite shrewd, and history’s most notorious tyrants have been exceptionally so—in fact, this is a large part of why they were so effective in amassing and maintaining power. But true virtue, unlike shrewdness, has an essential connection to goodness.

 

In classical virtue theory, prudence is the quality that governs the thinking and reasoning of the virtuous person. (The term in ancient Greek philosophy is phronesis, which is useful to know if you want to do some additional reading on this subject on your own.) The great thirteenth century Christian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas defined prudence as “right reason about things to be done.” Prudence guides the virtuous person in deliberating and deciding what is the right thing to do. 

 

Note the various senses of the word “right” as we’re using them here. To reason rightly (correctly) about matters is always, according to virtue theory, to reason in a way that leads to the right action—that is, the morally permissible, perhaps even morally required, action. Put simply: it’s never the right decision to do something bad or evil. Prudential reasoning—the thinking and deliberating of the virtuous person—is tied essentially to right action, which is to say that the two can never come apart. This is the crucial difference between shrewdness and prudence. 

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

 

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

 

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:13-18, NIV)

 

Journal/Reflection: 

 

Lesson 6.04 – Prudence as intellectual virtue / Prudence as practical wisdom

 

We previously noted Aquinas’s definition of prudence as “right reason about things to be done.” Prudence is an intellectual virtue, because it pertains to the intellect (reason), but it guides the virtuous person in deliberating about the right thing to do, and in this way it’s crucially connected to the moral virtues. This is why prudence is included among the cardinal virtues: it’s the quality by which the virtuous person knows how to apply the moral virtues (especially justice, temperance, and fortitude). 

 

The topic of intellectual virtue is very important in both classical and Christian virtue theory. An intellectual virtue is a virtuous quality of the mind: a way of thinking or reasoning that is characteristic of the virtuous person. There are many intellectual virtues; they include such qualities as intellectual honesty, intellectual courage, intellectual tenacity, and intellectual generosity. In a later unit, we’ll return to explore some of these in detail. What’s important to understand at this point is that prudence is the foundational intellectual virtue: it’s the one that governs all the others. (This is another reason it’s included among the cardinal virtues.) 

 

Even though prudence is an intellectual virtue, its application is very practical. In fact, prudence is often characterized as practical wisdom. The prudent person is not someone who just sits around all day, lost in deep thoughts. Rather, they’re the kind of person who’s able to discern the right course of action in any given situation. In many cases, this could be as mundane as deciding what to wear on a certain occasion, or deciding which route to take on a daily commute. But it also includes, most importantly, decisions of great moral significance. Morality, after all, is a very practical matter. Our actions have consequences, both for ourselves and others, and it makes a world of difference whether we act virtuously or not. Fundamental matters of happiness and flourishing are at stake.         

 

Challenge: Study

Read the following three paragraphs on Aquinas’s view of prudence (from an article in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy).  

 

In order to act well, we need to make good judgments about how we should behave. This is precisely the sort of habit associated with prudence, which Aquinas defines as “wisdom concerning human affairs” (STIIaIIae 47.2 ad 1) or “right reason with respect to action” (ST IIaIIae 47.4). In order to make good moral judgments, a twofold knowledge is required: one must know (1) the general moral principles that guide actions and (2) the particular circumstances in which a decision is required. For “actions are about singular matters: and so it is necessary for the prudent man to know both the universal principles of reason, and the singulars about which actions are concerned” (ST IIaIIae 47.3; Cf. STIaIIae 18.3). This passage may appear to suggest that prudence involves a fairly simple and straightforward process of applying moral rules to specific situations. But this is somewhat misleading since the activity of prudence involves a fairly developed ability to evaluate situations themselves. As Thomas Hibbs explains: “prudence involves not simply the subordination of particulars to appropriate universals, but the appraisal of concrete, contingent circumstances” (Hibbs, 2001: 92). From this perspective, good decisions will always be responsive to what our situation requires. Thus we cannot simply consult a list of moral prescriptions in determining what we should do. We must also “grasp what is pertinent and to assess what ought to be done in complex circumstances” (Ibid., 98).

According to Aquinas, then, the virtue of prudence is a kind of intellectual aptitude that enables us to make judgments that are consonant with (and indeed ordered to) our proper end (ST IaIIae 57.5). Note here that prudence does not establish the end at which we aim. Our end is the human good, which is predetermined by our rational nature (ST IIaIIae 47.6). Nor does prudence desire that end; for whether we desire our proper end depends on whether we have the rights sorts of appetitive inclinations (as we shall see below). According to Aquinas, prudence illuminates for us the course of action deemed most appropriate for achieving our antecedently established telos. It does this through three acts: (1) counsel, whereby we inquire about the available means of achieving the end; (2) judgment, whereby we determine the proper means for achieving the end; and finally (3) command, whereby we apply that judgment (ST IIaIIae 47.8). While we need a range of appetitive excellences in order to make good choices, we also need certain intellectual excellences as well. That is, we must be able to deliberate and choose well with respect to what is ultimately good for us.

As a cardinal virtue, prudence functions as a principal virtue on which a variety of other excellences hinge. Those excellences include: memory, intelligence, docility, shrewdness, reason, foresight, circumspection, and caution (ST IIaIIae 49.1-8).  Without these excellences, we may commit a number of cognitive errors that may prevent us from acting in a morally appropriate way. For example, we may reject the guidance of good counsel; make decisions precipitously; or act thoughtlessly by failing “to judge rightly through contempt or neglect of those things on which a right judgment depends” (ST IIaIIae 53.4). We may also act for the sake of goods that are contrary to our nature. This invariably happens when the passions cloud our judgment and make deficient objects of satisfaction look more choiceworthy than they really are. In order to make reliable judgments about what is really good, our passions need some measure of restraint so that they do not corrupt good judgment. In short, prudence depends on virtues of the appetite, and it is to these virtues we now turn.

 

Journal/Reflection: Interview an Intellectually Virtuous Person

Part I: What ways of thinking and reasoning are characteristic of the virtuous person? List as many such qualities as you can think of, and then rank them in importance.

Part II: Identify someone you know who exemplifies the intellectual virtue you think is most important. Have a conversation with this person: tell them the quality you admire about them, and ask them for advice about how you might develop (or grow in) this same quality.

Lesson 6.05 – Prudence as a “master virtue”

 

In the previous lesson, we noted that prudence is the quality by which the virtuous person knows how to apply the cardinal moral virtues of justice, temperance, and fortitude. Let’s explore this idea a bit further.

 

Imagine a captain tasked with flying a plane that has no windows, no cameras, and no guidance technology. The plane itself has the capacity to fly—it has a powerful engine, an aerodynamic frame, adequate wingspan, etc.—but the pilot who attempts to realize this capacity for flight will be doing so blindly. The chances of a successful flight under these conditions would be slim, to say the least. 

This is an analogy of what it would be like for a person to possess the virtues of justice, temperance, and fortitude without the virtue of prudence. It’s one thing to be a person disposed to desire and to intend to act in ways that promote justice, and another thing to know what justice requires, specifically, in a particular set of circumstances. Likewise for temperance and fortitude. In order to actually act in ways that are just, temperate, and fortitudinous, rather than just desiring or intending to do so, one must possess the quality of practical wisdom. Prudence is the quality that guides the virtuous person in acting in morally virtuous ways. 

 

It’s for this reason that prudence was identified by the ancients—in particular, the great ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle—as the “master virtue.” It “commands” the other virtues, so to speak, in how they should be deployed. To put the point another way, prudence is the master virtue because, without it, the other virtues could not be fully realized. In order to actually be just, one must perform actions that actually promote justice. And to do so consistently and reliably, one cannot be operating in the dark. 

 

Prudence is the bright light of virtuous reasoning that guides all virtuous action. Without prudence, we cannot be truly virtuous; we cannot flourish.       

 

Challenge: Scripture Reading and Reflection

Read 2 Chronicles 1:1-13, from the Old Testament, which tells the story of King Solomon’s request that God grant him wisdom to rule over ancient Israel. (You can find the passage here.) 

 

Journal/Reflection:

After you read this story, reflect in your journal on the following questions: Why did Solomon ask for wisdom when God gave him the opportunity to ask for, and to receive, anything he wanted? Did Solomon make the right choice? What would you have chosen if you had been in his place—and why? 

 

Lesson 6.06 – Pagan prudence vs. biblical wisdom

 

Thus far, we’ve distinguished a popular but misguided understanding of wisdom, which we called “shrewdness,” from the cardinal virtue of prudence. Even though it’s widely accepted in the Christian tradition that prudence rightly belongs among the cardinal virtues, it's not a uniquely Christian virtue. Much of the philosophical foundation of Christian virtue theory is shared in common with the pagan philosophies of Plato and Aristotle. In both the pagan and Christian virtue traditions, prudence is understood as practical wisdom concerning how to live a virtuous life; the traditions are in agreement that only a virtuous life is a truly flourishing life; and they agree that a flourishing life is one that accords with reason and that is conducive to the fulfillment of human nature.

 

Where the pagan and Christian virtue traditions part ways, however, is in their respective understandings of the content of this virtue: that is, the specific types of actions, beliefs, feelings, and desires that constitute the substance of practical wisdom. And this disagreement about content is rooted in a more fundamental disagreement about human nature. Whereas the pagan tradition understands human beings to be merely “rational animals” (as Aristotle put it), the Christian tradition understands humans to be creatures made in the image of God. 

 

This disagreement turns out to have enormous consequences for one’s understanding of what counts as a virtuous and flourishing life—that is, one’s understanding of how we ought to live. In fact, the differences are so stark as to be shocking. In the upcoming lessons, we’ll begin exploring the biblical understanding of wisdom, which begins in the Jewish scriptures (the Old Testament) and culminates in the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles (found in the New Testament). We’ll soon find that the pagan and Christian understandings of wisdom are in some ways almost exactly opposite of one another. From the perspective of worldly wisdom, biblical wisdom is foolishness, and this is the judgment rendered not only by crass versions of worldly wisdom, but also its most philosophically sophisticated versions. 

 

Challenge: 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Review Module 1, Lessons 1.9 – 1.12, on the topic of being made in the image of God. What is the significance of this idea for one’s understanding of wisdom? What sorts of things would count as wisdom if this view of humans is correct, but would not count as wisdom if humans are merely rational animals? 

 

Lesson 6.07 – The true value of wisdom 

 

What is biblical wisdom, and how is it different from the pagan understanding of prudence? We’ve already noted that in the pagan understanding, what is most distinctive about human nature is rationality. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, however, rationality is only part of what distinguishes humans from other beings. What is most important about humans is that we are creatures made in the image of God. And since God is love, to be made in His image is to be a creature whose nature is to love and to be loved, and whose flourishing is found only within relationships of loving communion (friendship) with God and other people.

It’s not surprising, then, that the content of biblical wisdom focuses on our relationship to God. We cannot be virtuous, and thus we cannot be happy, if this relationship is broken or strained. Just as, in pagan philosophy, prudence guides one in pursuing the good, so in Christian philosophy, wisdom guides one in pursuing God, who is not only the source of all goodness, but is Himself the very Good that our souls long for most deeply, and without which happiness lies eternally out of reach. (Recall from the assignment following Lesson 1.11 the famous saying about God from the Christian church father and theologian St. Augustine: “thou hast made us for thyself and restless is our heart until it comes to rest in thee.”)

The virtue of wisdom in the Christian life guides us toward communion with God. This is the reason we are told over and over in the Bible that wisdom is exceedingly valuable, and that we should acquire it at any cost. Wisdom is central to Judeo-Christian ethics and spirituality, which is why it’s the focus of so many passages—even entire books—in the Bible. You cannot live a truly good life without seeking out and attaining wisdom. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Reading and Reflection

Read Proverbs 3:13-18, slowly, multiple times. 

 

Proverbs 3:13-18

 

Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.
She is more precious than rubies;
    nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
    those who hold her fast will be blessed. (Proverbs 3:13-18, NIV)

 

Read Proverbs 4, which records a father’s instructions to his son concerning wisdom. 

 

Proverbs 4

Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
    pay attention and gain understanding.

I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching.

For I too was a son to my father,
    still tender, and cherished by my mother.

Then he taught me, and he said to me,
    “Take hold of my words with all your heart;
    keep my commands, and you will live.

Get wisdom, get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
    love her, and she will watch over you.

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
    Though it cost all you have,[b] get understanding.

Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.

She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.”

Listen, my son, accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.

I instruct you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble.

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life.

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
    or walk in the way of evildoers.

Avoid it, do not travel on it;
    turn from it and go on your way.

For they cannot rest until they do evil;
    they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.

They eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know what makes them stumble.

My son, pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.

Do not let them out of your sight,
    keep them within your heart;

for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.

Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.

Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet
    and be steadfast in all your ways.

Do not turn to the right or the left;
    keep your foot from evil.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflecting on Proverbs 3:13-18, Why is wisdom so important? Is the psalmist exaggerating in claiming that “nothing you desire can compare with her”? What does the psalmist mean that wisdom is “a tree of life” to those who possess it? Is it true that everyone who is wise “will be blessed”? Why or why not? 

 

In Proverbs 4, the father advises his son to acquire wisdom at any cost. Is this good advice? 

 

Lesson 6.08 – Wisdom vs intelligence 

We closed the previous lesson with the observation that you cannot live a truly good life without seeking out and attaining wisdom. This will seem horribly unfair if we conflate wisdom with intelligence. Intelligence is a natural capacity—something you’re born with, not something you choose—and while you can work to develop your intellectual abilities in order to realize your full intellectual potential, there are, for each of us, limits to our understanding beyond which we cannot exceed, no matter how much we study and learn. We aren’t all geniuses, and we can’t be. 

 

Fortunately, however, this has nothing to do with wisdom, nor with our capacity to seek and attain it. A person need not be especially intelligent to be wise. In fact, the two qualities can come apart rather dramatically. We’ve all heard about people (and most of us know some personally) who are exceptionally intelligent, but whose lives are a mess, because they make terrible choices that harm themselves and other people. Conversely, we know people who are both wise and “simple,” in the best sense of the term: people of integrity who are honest and straightforward in their dealings, who are loving and caring towards others, whose lives are governed by a steadfast commitment to simply doing what is right to the best of their ability, and whose decisions and actions consistently lead to flourishing in their own lives as well as to others in their communities. 

 

Virtue does not require any special education (other than training in virtue); neither does it require any special talent or ability. Every person has it within their power to live in right relationship to God, and thus to live wisely. God does not call anyone to a standard that He does not give them the ability to attain. And He calls all of us to virtue, including wisdom. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize the following verse:

 

The Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. (Psalm 19:7, NASB)

 

Once you have the verse memorized, meditate on its meaning. What is the connection between wisdom and the Law and testimony of the Lord?

 

Lesson 6.09 – Wisdom vs (mere) propositional knowledge, Part I

Conflating wisdom and intelligence is the first mistake we must avoid in our deliberations about this cardinal virtue. The second is more subtle. We must not conflate wisdom with mere propositional knowledge. 

 

Propositional knowledge is knowledge about something. In English, we indicate propositional knowledge by “that” clauses: you know that Caesar Augustus was the first Roman emperor; you know that 2+2=4, etc. Propositional knowledge is, for the most part, the kind of knowledge you acquire in your schooling.

 

It would be easy to assume (as many people do) that wisdom is simply a matter of knowing the truth about life’s most important matters. If this were the case, one could acquire wisdom by simply memorizing the right set of teachings, and thereby become wise oneself. 

 

Unfortunately, matters are not so easy as this. The virtue of wisdom, like other virtues, resides much deeper in a person’s character than a mere set of beliefs they hold. Acquiring wisdom is much more difficult than simply deciding which teachings and works of which great thinkers one will study. In the upcoming lessons, we’ll explore this idea in more detail. It will be important to understand the degree to which wisdom is a character trait of the virtuous person, rather than a mere set of beliefs, and it will be important to understand how this character trait shapes the way that the virtuous person sees and experiences the world.

 

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection: 

Do you agree that wisdom is not simply a matter of believing the right things about the answers to life’s most important questions? If so, what else is wisdom, beyond this? And does wisdom at least include such knowledge, even if it’s more than this? Why or why not? 

 

Lesson 6.10 – Wisdom vs (mere) propositional knowledge, Part II

In the previous lesson, we noted that wisdom is not reducible to a set of beliefs; it’s not a matter of simply believing the right things about important issues; it’s not a matter of simply possessing propositional knowledge. And yet, the pursuit of wisdom can—and often does—begin with some propositional knowledge. 

 

A philosopher would put the point like this: propositional knowledge is not sufficient for wisdom (it’s not enough, by itself), but some propositional knowledge is necessary for wisdom (required as a minimal condition). So, having noted in the previous lesson that it’s not sufficient, let’s now explore why some propositional knowledge is nonetheless necessary. 

 

The reason is simple: learning is an essential part of growing in wisdom; one must initially be instructed in what is right. And one of the main ways that we learn about the world is through the testimony of other people—that is, by listening to what others tell us and reading what they write. (Note that most of what you’ve learned in school has been of this type: knowledge you’ve gained by listening to the lectures of your teachers and by reading books from various authors. All of this counts as knowledge gained through testimony.) The type of knowledge you acquire through testimony is propositional knowledge. So if wisdom begins with the instruction (testimony) of wise people, then wisdom is built on a foundation of propositional knowledge. Training in wisdom is much more than just acquiring true beliefs about moral and spiritual matters, but it does include this. 

 

For Christians, the most important source of knowledge about moral and spiritual matters is the Bible: in particular, its teachings about God, human nature, and how we are to relate to one another and to God in our present condition. One of the most important parts of this instruction is the Bible’s revelation of the moral law: its teachings about right and wrong, given as commandments from God. This is information that we should, indeed, not only learn but memorize (we should “hide it in our heart,” as the psalmist puts it; see Psalm 119:11). These are teachings whose meaning we should ponder on a daily basis. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize the following verses, and then meditate on their relevance to the topic of wisdom:

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

 

Recall Psalm 19:7, which you memorized for the assignment accompanying Lesson 6.8:

 

The Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. (Psalm 19:7, NASB)

 

Meditate on this verse again, this time in relation to the following passage, which is a part of God’s instructions to the ancient Israelites when He gave them the Law through his prophet Moses:

 

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 11:18-19, NIV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 6.11 – Socratic wisdom

 

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates was famous both for his wisdom and for his insistence that he was not wise. According to the telling of his most famous student, Plato, Socrates was initially puzzled when the Oracle at Delphi declared that he (Socrates) was the wisest person in all of Athens. What puzzled Socrates about this message is that he considered himself to be someone who was seeking knowledge, but who did not yet possess it. And how could he be wise if he lacked knowledge? Eventually, however, Socrates decided that the meaning of the Oracle’s message was this: Socrates was wisest of all precisely because, unlike other people, he did not claim to know things that he didn’t really know. His wisdom was to recognize and openly admit the true extent of his own ignorance. 

 

There’s an interesting overlap between the pagan and Christian virtue traditions on this point. It’s a mark of wisdom for one to recognize and admit what one doesn’t know. Of course, we shouldn’t get carried away with this and claim that we know nothing. (Some ancient Greek and modern philosophers actually went this far; they’re called skeptics.) We do know some things, even a great many things. But we certainly don’t know everything, and more to the point, we don’t know everything about the most important issues that bear on human flourishing, the issues that pertain to wisdom. 

 

It’s the mark of foolishness to pretend to know more than we really do. As Socrates noticed, if a person is “wise in their own eyes”—that is, if they think themselves wise—the chances are good that they aren’t actually wise. And, interestingly, Socrates and the Bible are in agreement on this point: 

 

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
    and clever in their own sight. (Isaiah 5:21, NIV)

 

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
    and nourishment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8, NIV)

 

Challenge: 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Compare and contrast two people you know: first, someone you think is truly wise, and second, someone who considers themselves wise but who you think isn’t actually wise. How do each of these people talk about (and thus seem to think about) themselves? What differences do you notice about their lives? What can you learn from this? 

 

Lesson 6.12 – Wisdom as a never-ending quest

 

In the previous lesson, we noted the foolishness—even the danger—of thinking oneself to be wiser than one really is. Two of the most important parts of wisdom are (i) recognizing the limits of your own understanding and (ii) continuing to seek understanding in these areas. A person who thinks they know everything is a fool. A person who has no desire or inclination to know any more than they already do is certainly unwise. 

 

There are two important corollaries of these points. First, wise people recognize that there’s much they still do not know. No matter how much they grow in wisdom, they understand there’s always more to learn. Consequently, wise people are those for whom the quest for wisdom is never-ending.

 

We shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that the quest for wisdom is futile just because it’s never complete. The Bible makes it clear that wisdom is extremely valuable (as we’ve already noted) and also that it’s attainable, by God’s grace, even though our growth in wisdom should continue throughout our lives. Here as elsewhere, our ultimate destiny as believers is to be perfected in virtue (in this case, wisdom), but the process of reaching this point will not be completed in this life. Still, we should strive to make as much progress as we possibly can. And the more progress we make, the better our lives will be. 

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

 

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36, ESV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 6.13 – God as the source of all wisdom / The connection between wisdom, faith, and humility

 

We previously identified two of the most important parts of wisdom as (i) recognizing the limits of your own understanding and (ii) continuing to seek understanding in these areas. The wisest people (like Socrates) recognize that there’s much they do not know, so they continue to seek wisdom all their lives. 

 

But in order to grow in wisdom, we have to seek wisdom in the right places and through the right means. The Old Testament books of Psalms and Proverbs continually instruct us to seek wisdom, as does the Apostle James, but they make it clear that wisdom is received from God:

 

For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6, NIV)

 

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5, NIV)

 

Likewise, Jesus tells his disciples, 

 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7, NIV)

 

Ultimately, the source of all true wisdom is God, and the means of acquiring wisdom is to receive it from Him as a gracious gift. In order to make real gains in growth in wisdom, one must recognize one’s dependency on God. We must seek wisdom from Him, rather than trying to find it on our own, which is humbling. We must ask Him for wisdom, and receive what He gives us, even if it runs contrary to “worldly wisdom” (common sense)—in fact, even if it runs contrary to our own sensibilities. In this way, growth in wisdom is essentially connected to the virtues of both faith and humility.  

 

Challenge: Prayer

Memorize the following Prayer for Guidance, from the Book of Common Prayer. Once you have it memorized, begin to incorporate it into your daily prayers. 

 

O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 6.14 – The foolishness of worldly wisdom, Part I

 

We noted previously that growth in wisdom comes from receiving wisdom from God, who is the source of all true wisdom. This is certainly a controversial claim, and one that many people—both past and present—reject. There’s a long tradition of wisdom literature that’s based on human experience and reflection. We could call it “worldly wisdom.” The crass, self-serving version of it is what we previously labeled “shrewdness,” but worldly wisdom also comes in sophisticated forms. The Greek and Roman philosophical traditions are examples of worldly wisdom from some of the greatest minds the world has ever known, such as Plato, Aristotle, and Marcus Aurelius. In the East, we find wisdom traditions of comparable significance founded on the teachings of figures such as Confucius and Gautama Buddha.

 

These are towering figures in the history of human thought, and their teachings are certainly worth reading and studying. The ideas of such individuals (and others like them) have largely shaped the world as we know it. And yet, the Bible warns us not to seek true wisdom in these teachers or in the movements they founded. Even more shockingly, the Apostle Paul says that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.” (1 Corinthians 3:19, NIV, emphasis added)

 

This is certainly a puzzling claim, and it’s one that is easy to misunderstand. In the upcoming lessons, we’ll work to try to sort this out and to understand what the choice between worldly wisdom and biblical wisdom does, and does not, amount to. 

 

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection:

What do you think Paul might have meant in claiming that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight”? Give at least three possible interpretations, and respond to each. In reflecting on this issue, you might want to look at this verse in context; you can read the full chapter here. (In an upcoming assignment, we’ll continue this reflection by practicing Lectio Divina on 1 Corinthians 3:18-20.) 

 

Lesson 6.15 – The foolishness of worldly wisdom, Part II

 

In the previous lesson, we noted the Apostle Paul’s surprising, even shocking, teaching that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.” (1 Corinthians 3:19, NIV, emphasis added) What could Paul have meant by this?  

 

It’s certainly easy to misunderstand this claim. One might take Paul to be claiming that everything taught in the various worldly wisdom traditions is false. But this would be an outrageous claim. Surely there’s something right in these traditions! But even worse, Paul’s view would be self-refuting if this is what he had been claiming. After all, there are significant overlaps—that is, teachings shared in common—between certain worldly wisdom traditions and the wisdom taught in the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. If everything in the worldly wisdom traditions were false, it would follow that biblical wisdom is false in all these areas of overlap. Clearly, this is not what Paul intended. 

 

On a more charitable (and plausible) interpretation, the lesson we should draw from this verse is that worldly wisdom is false to the extent that it conflicts with biblical wisdom. This is not to say that worldly wisdom is entirely false. As we’ve just noted, some parts of biblical wisdom are shared in common with other traditions. But where they diverge from one another, worldly wisdom is mistaken. And—as we’ll soon see—these points of divergence are both many and significant.

 

Challenge: 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Based on your current understanding of biblical wisdom and other wisdom traditions (such as Stoicism, Confucianism, Buddhism, etc.), what are some points of overlap? Where do these traditions diverge from one other? Do you agree that there are many points of divergence, and that the differences in teaching are significant? In light of your answer to this question, consider another: Is it true that all of the various religions could be equally valid paths to salvation? Why or why not? 

 

Lesson 6.16 – The foolishness of worldly wisdom, Part III

 

In the previous lesson, we noted that Paul’s teaching that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight” should not be interpreted as a wholesale rejection of all the teachings of the various traditions of worldly wisdom. Some wisdom teaching found in the Bible can be found in other wisdom traditions as well. But wherever worldly wisdom conflicts with biblical wisdom, the former is mistaken. 

 

As important as this point is, it doesn’t yet get to the heart of what Paul is saying in this passage. Paul is instructing his readers—the first-century believers in the church at Corinth—that they should not put their trust in worldly wisdom traditions. And, no doubt, he would issue the same warning to us. True wisdom comes only from God. 

 

The phrase “in God’s sight” is important. God sees everything—the full sweep of history—and His knowledge is absolutely complete. Traditions of human wisdom are, at best, hit-and-miss. Other traditions may contain some genuine wisdom, but the only truly reliable and trustworthy source of wisdom is the self-revelation of God to human beings.

 

It is for this reason that Paul instructs the Corinthian believers that the foundation of their wisdom must not be in any worldly tradition or teacher. The foundation of Christian wisdom is the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. This point is especially clear when we read 1 Corinthians 3:19 within the context of the full chapter. Paul tells the Corinthian believers that they are not to regard any merely human teacher—including Paul himself!—as their guide. If any of them has become “wise” according to the standard of some tradition or teacher other than Jesus, Paul advises them to “become ‘fools’ so that you may become wise”—that is, to abandon the wisdom of these worldly traditions in order to embrace the wisdom that God reveals in the person and teachings of Jesus.  

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” (1 Corinthians 3:18-20, NIV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 6.17 – The “foolishness” of biblical wisdom, Part I

 

At the close of Lesson 6.15, the claim was made that there are many points of significant difference between biblical wisdom and the various traditions of worldly wisdom. You were asked to reflect on this claim, and whether you agree with it, in the activity that followed. We’ll now explore this issue in more detail. 

 

To begin, we need to broaden our focus. So far, we’ve been looking at a few verses from the close of 1 Corinthians chapter 3. We’re now going to look at more of what Paul says in the chapters leading up to this concluding passage. We’ll begin with a passage from chapter 1:

 

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25, NIV)

Here we see that, not only is worldly wisdom foolishness in the eyes of God, but biblical wisdom—in particular, the gospel—is foolishness in the eyes of the world. The Christian message of salvation—that Christ’s death on a cross is somehow, mysteriously, the means by which those who place their trust in him are saved—makes no sense at all from the perspective of worldly wisdom. Paul doesn’t try to construct a philosophical argument or a logical system to make sense of it; he says that he doesn’t preach “with wisdom and eloquence” (verse 17)—the kind of rhetoric that philosophy-loving ancient Greeks would have found persuasive. The power of the gospel does not lie in its ability to compel rational assent; it’s not like a mathematical proof. Does it follow—as many critics allege—that only fools believe it? 

 

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection:

On the basis of passages like the one discussed in this lesson, some Christians have advocated the view that faith is a matter of believing in the absence of evidence. In other words, to have faith is to believe what cannot be proven—moreover, to believe what we don’t even have good evidence to support. The greatest faith of all is to believe claims that run directly contrary to reason, claims that even seem absurd from the perspective of common sense. This view is called fideism. 

 

Answer the following in a discussion board: Is fideism the right way to understand what faith is all about? Why or why not? Reply to at least two other students’ comments. 

 

Lesson 6.18 – The “foolishness” of biblical wisdom, Part II

 

Why is the message of the gospel “foolishness” in the eyes of the world? Is it because it actually is foolishness? Is it a message that only fools could believe, as critics of Christianity commonly allege? If not, why does it at least seem this way to so many people? 

 

One way to begin sorting through this issue is to think about what kinds of things are “common sense” to ordinary human sensibilities. One thing that has seemed obvious to most people, across different times and cultures, is that it’s a sign of greatness (in both individuals and nations) to be able to impose one’s will on others through force—including violence, if necessary. This is how great people and great nations get great things done: they make demands accompanied by threats of violence for noncompliance, and they follow through on their threats if their demands aren’t met. Certainly, this was the logic of the Roman Empire, who crucified Jesus, along with many others it deemed threats to the empire. Power is displayed through the infliction of violence on one’s enemies. This is the way of the world. This is worldly wisdom. 

 

But the Christian gospel turns all of this on its head. According to the gospel, salvation is achieved not by violently conquering one’s enemies but by forgiving them, by willingly sacrificing one’s own life for them, out of love. This is what Jesus demonstrates on the cross. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize Matthew 5:43-45. After you have these verses memorized, meditate on them, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.   

 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:43-45, NIV)

 

Journal/Reflection: 

 

Lesson 6.19 – The “foolishness” of biblical wisdom, Part III

 

According to the Christian gospel, salvation is achieved not through violence but through forgiveness and love—a love that is so extreme, it makes one willing to sacrifice one’s own life even for one’s enemies. Jesus exemplifies this kind of love both in his life and in his death. As he was being crucified by the Romans at the demand of the Jewish leaders, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34, ESV) He thereby demonstrated, in the most dramatic way possible, the very thing he had commanded of his followers earlier in his ministry: 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:43-45, NIV)*

Jesus shows his disciples the way of salvation when he willingly lays down his life on the cross—and he calls his disciples to do the same. 

Contrary to worldly wisdom, the world will not—it cannot—be saved through political and military might, through greater force or violence, or through greater weapons of mass destruction. The world can be saved only through forgiveness and self-sacrifice—that is, only through love (agape). This is a logic that seems totally backward from the perspective of common sense. But it speaks powerfully to our hearts—and also to our minds—when we open them up to the transformative work of God within us. This is the power of the cross that confounds worldly wisdom. 

 

* Significantly, this teaching is followed almost immediately by the one we previously discussed at length: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

 

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on this claim from today’s lesson: The world can be saved only through forgiveness and self-sacrifice—that is, only through love (agape). Do you agree with it? Why or why not? 

 

Lesson 6.20 – The “foolishness” of biblical wisdom, Part IV

 

Paul unabashedly preached the “foolishness” of the gospel, and he claimed that “God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21) We might wonder, however, why God would choose such a counterintuitive way of bringing salvation to humankind. Why would this please Him? 

 

Paul goes on to write this: 

 

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

 

On a first reading, it might sound like God is just being mean: He wants to shame some people, and this is why he “chose the foolish things of the world” to use in His plan of salvation. But a more careful reading reveals a quite different motive. Note the final phrase, “that no one may boast before him.” The ones God seeks to shame are the prideful, those who boast in their wisdom and strength and might. God’s method is designed to destroy human pride. And that’s a very good thing, because—as we’ll see in later units that explore the capital vices—pride is the root of all evil and sin. It’s a good thing for the proud to be shamed—and not just good in general, or good for other people, but good for the very ones who are put to shame! This is what is required to bring them to salvation. Pride is the root of sin, and sin is what separates us from God, and separation from God, if it becomes permanent, is damnation (hell). God’s method, here as always, is motivated by love. In turning human wisdom on its head, in shaming the wise and the strong and the mighty, God is working out salvation in human history. He’s bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth! 

 

Challenge: Study

Watch this video: The Bible Project: “Gospel of the Kingdom”

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 6.21 – Acquiring wisdom through the revelation of the Spirit

 

At the end of Lesson 6.19, it was claimed that the logic of salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ seems confusing, even backward, from the perspective of common sense, but that it speaks powerfully to our hearts, and also to our minds, when we open them up to God. Paul says this to the first-century believers in Corinth: 

 

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. … these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. 

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. … The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:6-7, 10, 12, 14, NIV)

 

This is the way that believers acquire wisdom: through the revelation of the Spirit of God, who speaks to believers in their consciences. To those whose minds and hearts have not been opened up to God, the message of the gospel will seem to be foolishness. As we noted previously, true wisdom requires humility, because it must be received from God, and it requires faith, because one must trust Him to reveal what is true, even when it runs contrary to common sense. Once one has acquired the virtue of wisdom, however—true wisdom, biblical wisdom—one can see the wisdom of the gospel. This is what Paul means that it’s “a message of wisdom among the mature.” What we initially receive in faith, we end up being able to see for ourselves, because, by God’s grace, we receive “eyes to see” it. We’ll explore this in the upcoming lessons.     

 

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina on the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

 

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:6-10, NIV)

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 6.22 – “Though seeing, they do not see;   though hearing, they do not hear or understand”

 

The Bible contains a very important teaching about wisdom, and it’s one that’s repeated in various forms in both the Old and New Testaments. It’s stated cryptically in terms of having eyes but not being able to see, and having ears but not being able to hear. In the Old Testament, for example, we find a passage in which God instructs the great Hebrew prophet Jeremiah to begin a prophesy to the ancient Israelites this way: 

 

Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
    who have eyes but do not see,
    who have ears but do not hear:
Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 5:21-22, NIV)

 

A similar prophesy is given to Isaiah, another great prophet from the Old Testament, and Jesus refers to this prophesy in a conversation with his disciples:

 

The disciples came to him [Jesus] and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

He replied, “…This is why I speak to them in parables:

‘Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” (Matthew 13:10-11, 13-16, NIV)

These are confusing passages. What could they possibly mean? 

The first lesson to draw from these passages is that wisdom—the ability to discern moral and spiritual truth—is a kind of perception. Without wisdom, one will see the physical world but fail to perceive the Creator behind it; one will encounter divine revelation in Scripture but fail to understand it; one will hear the voice of God in one’s conscience but fail to recognize it, and so on. Without wisdom, a person is blind to moral and spiritual realities and deaf to the revelation of moral and spiritual truths. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Reading and Reflection

Read the biblical passages quoted in this lesson again, several times, slowly and meditatively. Do these passages suggest to you that those who are spiritually blind and deaf are somehow blameworthy for being this way? How could anyone be blameworthy for lacking a certain ability (in this case, an ability to understand moral and spiritual truths)? To answer this question, reflect on another as well: How does a person come to be morally and spiritually blind?     

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 6.23 – Hardness of heart

 

In the previous lesson, we discovered a recurring but cryptic teaching in the Bible: that some people are blind and deaf to moral and spiritual truth; some people “have eyes but do not see” and “ears but do not hear.” We concluded from this that wisdom is a kind of moral and spiritual perception. But important and troubling questions remain. For starters, how does this blindness and deafness come about? And how could anyone be blameworthy for being in such a state? 

The answer is given in a key phrase from Matthew 13:15: “For this people’s heart has become calloused.” Moral and spiritual blindness is the result of something the Bible calls hardness of heart. Hardness of heart is not something that just happens to a person; rather, it’s a spiritual condition that results from repeated acts of disobedience, or persistence in sin. It’s the cumulative effect of a person’s willful and ongoing refusal to listen to what God is telling them, because they don’t like what they’re hearing from Him. The Apostle Paul describes the condition of such people like this:

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. (Ephesians 4:18, NIV)

The more that a person refuses to listen to God, and the more they disobey His commands, the more spiritually blind they become. Once again, we find the principle of moral and spiritual momentum at work here: disobedience leads to hardness of heart, which leads to moral and spiritual blindness, which leads to further disobedience, which leads to even greater hardness of heart—and on and on. This is the path that—if taken all the way to its end—terminates in a state of final separation from God, and everlasting misery. Hardness of heart is thus one of the greatest dangers of the spiritual life, and one to be avoided and eliminated at all costs. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Do you agree that hardness of heart is one of the greatest dangers of the spiritual life? Why or why not? 

 

Challenge: Prayer

If you disagree, state what you consider to be a greater danger (and why). If you agree, try to identify some steps that could be taken to avoid or eliminate hardness of heart. Ask God to reveal to you any hardness of heart that you might have without being aware of it. If He reveals any to you, ask Him for forgiveness and for healing in this part of your life.  

 

Lesson 6.24 – Moral and spiritual understanding as a function of character 

 

We identified in the previous lesson one of the greatest dangers of the spiritual life, a condition referred to in the Bible as “hardness of heart.” It’s the spiritual condition that results from persistence in sin and disobedience to God, or from an ongoing refusal to listen to God and to respond to the conviction of His Spirit in one’s heart. One of the symptoms of hardness of heart is moral and spiritual blindness. The Bible sums up the point succinctly: 

Evildoers do not understand what is right, 

  but those who seek the Lord understand it fully. (Proverbs 28:5, NIV)

We here arrive at one of the most important principles of the moral and spiritual life: a person’s ability to perceive moral and spiritual truth is a function of their character. 

To be wicked is to be incapable of moral discernment. But the reverse is true as well. To be virtuous is to be capable of discerning moral truths and perceiving spiritual realities. Those who seek the Lord understand what is right because they seek the Lord. Wisdom comes to those who genuinely want to hear God and to do what He requires of them. Recall what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8, NIV) 

For this reason, wisdom is largely a matter of having a rightly formed conscience; it’s a matter of being attuned to the voice of God within oneself. This forming and attuning is something that takes time and training. But the process is driven by a willingness to hear God and to obey, a desire to know and love Him more, and an openness (receptivity) to being formed by His Spirit. 

Wisdom is thus inseparable from the love of God, and from the other virtues. We can now see why wisdom is not simply a matter of holding certain beliefs or possessing certain knowledge. Wisdom is something deep in a person’s character. And we can now see just how central this character trait—this cardinal virtue—is to Christian ethics, and to the spiritual life of the believer.  

Challenge: Breath Prayer

Review the following verse, which was given as a Scripture memorization assignment in Lesson 3.19:

 

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10, NIV)

 

Using the first stanza of this verse (“Create in me / a pure heart, O God”), practice breath prayer for at least three minutes. Review the assignment following Lesson 3.19 for more detailed instructions, if needed.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Discuss the claim that a person’s ability to perceive moral and spiritual truth is a function of their character. Do you agree that this is a valid moral principle? Why or why not? If you disagree, develop a critique. If you agree, try to offer some supporting evidence. Respond to the posts of at least two other students. 

 

Lesson 6.25 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” 

 

We’ll bring our reflections on wisdom to a close by considering where wisdom begins. The Bible is clear on this issue, and the answer is given repeatedly:

 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10, NIV)

 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
    To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111:10, NIV)

 

Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord,
    and humility comes before honor. (Proverbs 15:33, NIV)

 

What is “the fear of the Lord”? To begin, the fear of the Lord is reverence, a deep respect, mixed with wonder and awe, the kinds of emotions one feels in the presence of something immeasurably greater than oneself. To fear the Lord is to acknowledge His infinite greatness, to marvel at His goodness, and to recognize His authority over oneself and all the world. To fear the Lord is to dread the possibility of wronging God, or displeasing Him, or damaging one’s relationship to Him. To fear the Lord is to recognize one’s absolute dependence on God, both for one’s very existence and for every good thing that there is in the world.

 

In a word, the fear of the Lord is worship. To worship is, in the words of one great philosopher, to confirm “the infinite, chasmic, qualitative abyss” between God and human beings (Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness unto Death). The fear of the Lord is an acknowledgement of who God is and who we are in relation to Him. It’s a sober assessment of the truth about reality, and, in particular, one’s standing before God. 

 

This is the beginning of wisdom. It begins in humility, in an honest recognition of one’s complete inability to attain wisdom by one’s own power, and an unqualified acceptance of one’s absolute dependence on God. To recognize that one is presently without wisdom, that God is the source of all wisdom, and that wisdom can only be attained by submitting oneself to God and receiving wisdom from Him—this is the beginning of true wisdom. And those who seek wisdom in this way will be blessed by God. As Mary says in her song of praise when she received the announcement that she would bear Jesus, the Son of God: 

“His mercy extends to those who fear him,
          from generation to generation.” (Luke 1:50, NIV)

 

Challenge: Study

Watch this video: The Bible Project, “The Book of Proverbs”

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Module 7 Lessons (Introduction to the Theological Virtues)

 

Lesson 7.01 – Cardinal vs theological virtues 

 

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 

 

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:12-13, NIV)

Units 2–6 explore the cardinal virtues of justice, temperance, fortitude, and wisdom. In this unit, we will begin a very different set of discussions, on the theological virtues. The three theological virtues are faith, hope, and love. We’ll discuss these in order, starting with faith. Before we do so, however, we’ll begin with some orienting points about the theological virtues in general. 

The most important distinction between the cardinal and theological virtues, as general categories, has to do with the means by which a person comes to possess the virtues of each type. This is a point that we briefly touched on in Module 5 (Lessons 5.27 – 5.29): the cardinal virtues can be “acquired,” but the theological virtues are wholly “infused.” An acquired virtue is a character trait that a person develops though training and effort. An infused virtue is one that is given to a person by God.

A helpful source of insight on these matters is the great thirteenth century philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas. While we won’t be following Aquinas’s lead exactly throughout our discussions, his ideas about acquired and infused virtue are a very good place to begin. Watch the following video, and pay careful attention to the descriptions of the theological virtues given in this short talk.

Challenge: Sabbath-keeping

As we begin this module on the theological virtues, it is important to remember that we are dependent on God’s grace for salvation and for growth in virtue. One way we can remind ourselves of our dependency on God is to rest from our labors by keeping the Sabbath. This week, if you do not already have a habit of sabbath-keeping, practice it this weekend. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Watch “The Theological Virtues” (Aquinas 101) and write down your thoughts on the difference between the cardinal virtues and the theological virtues.

 

Lesson 7.02 – Acquired vs infused virtues

 

Aquinas’s distinction between acquired and infused virtues is helpful for understanding a fundamental difference between the cardinal and theological virtues. But it’s important to remember that the categories of “acquired” and “infused” are not entirely exclusive. We noted in our discussions of fortitude that there are infused versions of the cardinal virtues, as well as acquired versions. There’s a type of courage that can be acquired through a process of habituation to danger, for example, and another type of courage that is given to a person by God, a kind of “inner strengthening” that is a work of the Holy Spirit within a person. 

 

By contrast, a person comes to possess the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love only and solely through the process of divine infusion. Becoming a person of faith, hope, and love is an essential part of what it is to be saved. This is entirely a work of God within the believer, not a human achievement brought about by a process of diligent effort. This is not to deny, however, that effort is required on the part of the believer throughout the process of salvation, and it’s not to deny that the process is difficult. 

 

This is potentially a very confusing set of claims. We’ll explore them more in the next lesson.  

 

Challenge: Worship

 

Journal/Reflection:

Is it a logical contradiction to claim both that the theological virtues are entirely infused—that is, created entirely by a work of God within a person—and that the process of becoming a person of faith, hope, and love is difficult and requires great effort? If you believe these claims are not contradictory, try to explain how they could both be true. 

 

Lesson 7.03 – Confusion about infusion

 

The concept of infusion (in its theological sense) can be confusing. On the one hand, we noted that an infused virtue is one that’s given to a person by God, and we said that the theological virtues are only and wholly infused. It follows that faith, hope, and love—in their Christian versions—are qualities that are created in a person by God, not qualities that a person acquires even partially through their own effort. But we also claimed, seemingly paradoxically, that it doesn’t follow from this that the process by which a person comes to possess these virtues is easy or effortless. To the contrary, the process is difficult, and great effort is required on the part of the believer. As Jesus puts it, “the way is hard that leads to life.” (Matthew 7:14, ESV, emphasis added). 

 

How can this be? Aren’t these various claims just obviously contradictory?  

 

In fact, they are not. The key to understanding them is to remember the role of the spiritual disciplines in the process of sanctification. 

 

Recall from Lessons 1.20 – 1.21 that the spiritual disciplines are practices by which we open ourselves up to God; they are means of being receptive to God’s grace and the work of His Spirit within us. Becoming a person of faith, hope, and love is an essential part of what it is to be saved. This is entirely a work of God within the believer. The believer’s role is to be receptive to it. 

 

Being receptive, however, is not always an easy matter. Some things can be received with little or no effort: receiving a small package from a delivery person, for example. But other things can be received only with great difficulty and strenuous effort. We’ll develop an analogy to help make this clear in the next lesson. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization and Meditation 

Memorize the following verses. Once you have them memorized, meditate on these verses, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.

 

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14, ESV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

Write down your meditation on Matthew 7:13-14.

 

Lesson 7.04 – The hospital analogy, Part I

 

We’ll begin today’s reflection with a thought experiment: an imagined scenario that’s designed to reveal or clarify something theologically significant. 

 

Imagine that you are homeless, destitute, and penniless. To make matters even worse, you have a form of cancer that’s certain to kill you if it’s not treated. The type of cancer you have is treatable with chemotherapy, and the treatments are offered at a nearby hospital. Unfortunately, the treatments are extremely expensive, the hospital requires full payment up front, and you have no way of paying even a fraction of the cost. Your situation is dire. 

 

However, a benevolent stranger becomes aware of your situation, finds you on the street, and takes you up to the hospital. The stranger pays the entirety of the cost of the chemotherapy and all related expenses for your cancer treatment, in full. All you need to do is go to the hospital each day, which is within walking distance. Each day, upon your arrival, the medical staff lead you to a chair, administer an IV, and begin the treatment. At that point, you must remain in the chair until the end of the daily treatment, and then return the next day, and every day after that until the entire treatment for the cancer is complete. 

 

A detail worth noting is that the chemotherapy treatments can be unpleasant: they often make you nauseous during the treatments, fatigued afterward, and there are other side effects, such as losing all your hair. Nevertheless, you return each day until the treatment is complete, at which point your cancer is cured and your health is completely and permanently restored.

Reflect carefully on this thought experiment, in each of its details. In the upcoming lessons, we’ll ask some questions about it, and see what clarity or insight it might offer to the larger discussion we’ve been having. 

 

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection:

What do you think the hospital analogy is meant to demonstrate? Can you guess what each detail or component of the thought experiment is meant to symbolize?

 

Lesson 7.05 – The hospital analogy, Part II

 

In the previous lesson, we developed a thought experiment involving a hospital and cancer treatments. Review the thought experiment (here) and then, when it’s again fresh on your mind, return to this lesson.  

 

Now let’s ask some questions about your experience in this imagined scenario. 

 

First: Did you heal yourself of cancer? Obviously not. There are various people and various things in the story that could reasonably be credited with your healing—the benevolent stranger who paid for the treatments, the hospital staff who administered the treatments, the chemotherapy treatments themselves—but there’s no reasonable sense in which you were responsible for your own healing. The healing was accomplished, we might say, in you (that is, in your body) but without you (that is, without your doing anything that directly contributed to the treatment or healing itself). 

 

Now a second question: Was the treatment difficult? It was, because the treatments were often unpleasant, and there were painful side-effects as well.  

 

Finally: Did the process of being healed of cancer require any effort on your part? It did, in several ways. First, you had to make the trip to the hospital each day. This required effort, especially since you were often fatigued from the previous day’s treatment. Second, you had to remain in the chair while the treatments were being carried out. This required effort because the treatments were often unpleasant. On such occasions, it would have been tempting to cut the treatments short and leave the hospital, and it would have been tempting not to return, so as to avoid any further pain from the treatments. Effort was required to overcome these temptations and to stick with the treatments all the way to the end. 

 

Challenge: 

 

Journal/Reflection: 

Do you agree with the three answers given to the three questions discussed in this lesson? If not, why not? If so, try to explain why this combination of questions and answers is significant—in particular, try to explain why it might be theologically significant.

 

Lesson 7.06 – The hospital analogy, Part III

 

Hopefully by this point, it’s clear that the scenario we’ve been imagining is an analogy of the process of salvation, which includes sanctification and the infusion of the theological virtues. Let’s note each of the individual elements of the analogy. 

• The disease of cancer is analogous to the spiritual disease of sin. 
• Your destitute state is analogous to your complete inability to solve the problem of sin in your own life. 
• The benevolent stranger is analogous to Jesus, who provides the means of salvation (healing) and without whom the process of salvation could not even begin to take place.* 
• The treatments are analogous to the work of the Holy Spirit within you, healing you from the spiritual disease of sin. 
• Your effort in repeatedly going to the hospital and remaining in the chair throughout the treatments is analogous to the practice of the spiritual disciplines; these efforts are the means by which the believer is receptive to God’s grace, analogous to the way that your going in for treatments was the means by which you were receptive to the cancer treatment. 
• The hospital staff is analogous to the Church, the body of believers; the staff helps to administer the treatments, an (admittedly imperfect) analogy of the way that God’s grace often comes to individual believers through other members of the community of faith. 

 

The analogy is imperfect, of course—as every analogy is—and no doubt we could push it to the point that it breaks down. All that’s required for the analogy to be successful, however, is that it makes it clear how something that’s received entirely freely and without merit could nonetheless be very difficult and require significant effort on the part of the recipient. And this is just what the hospital analogy does. It thereby helps us to understand the synergy (working together) of God’s grace and the individual believer’s efforts in the process of salvation. 

 

* Protestant readers will appreciate that the benevolent stranger “paid the price” of admission to the hospital. However, the hospital analogy works just as well without this detail. (Imagine, for example, that the stranger was the owner of the hospital.) The analogy is meant to remain neutral between rival theories of the atonement, a highly disputed topic among orthodox Christians of various traditions. Readers who have no idea what this footnote is talking about should feel free to completely ignore it! 

 

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection:

Address the following questions in a discussion board: Do you think the hospital analogy is an effective / helpful / theologically accurate way of thinking about salvation? Why or why not? Respond to the posts of at least two other students. 

 

Lesson 7.07 – The hospital analogy, Part IV

 

Over the past few lessons, we’ve discussed the hospital analogy as a way of making sense of two ideas that at first seemed contradictory: (i) that the process of salvation is entirely a work of God within the life of each believer and not something that the believer accomplishes through effort; (ii) that the process of salvation is difficult and requires significant effort on the part of the believer to be brought to completion. The key to reconciling these two ideas is the insight that the spiritual disciplines—which require effort—are the means by which believers open themselves up to the saving work of God in their lives.* The work of salvation is God’s alone. But the individual must be receptive to it. And the particular practices that the Church has long recognized as the most effective means of being receptive to God’s grace—prayer, fasting, meditation, studying the Scriptures, etc.—all require effort.

Our discussion so far has focused on the process of salvation. But, as we already noted, part of salvation is sanctification, the process of being “conformed to the image” of Christ, and part of this process of becoming like Jesus is becoming a person of faith, hope, and love. These theological virtues are entirely infused, that is, created in a person by God. And the same points that we’ve been making about the process of salvation in general apply to this particular part of it. It’s entirely a work of God within the believer, and also a process in which the believer plays an essential part through efforts to remain, continually, open and receptive to God’s work, through the practice of the spiritual disciplines.

In short, the hospital analogy helps to clarify the way that infusion works with the theological virtues, just as it helps us to understand the more general synergy of divine grace and human effort in the overall process of salvation.

* It may be that, as many Christians believe, the sacraments are also a means of participating in God’s grace in our lives. However, with the rites that are widely recognized as sacraments—baptism and the Eucharist—it’s not obvious that much effort is involved, and with those that clearly involve effort—matrimony and holy orders, for example—there’s disagreement among Christians about whether these qualify as sacraments. So for present purposes, we’re limiting our discussion to spiritual disciplines. Once again, readers who have no idea what this footnote is talking about should feel free to completely ignore it!

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection:

Watch “Where Does Virtue Come From?” (Aquinas 101 video) and write down your reflections on what you have learned from it.

 

 

Lesson 7.08 – “Every good and perfect gift is from above”

 

Our introduction to the theological virtues has focused especially on the concept of infusion. We’ve noted that faith, hope, and love are entirely infused virtues: that is, virtues that are created in a person by God. Why is this so important? 

 

It’s important for several reasons. First, it reminds us that everything that is truly good comes from God. Here’s what the Apostle James says:

 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. […] Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 1:17-18, 21, NIV)

 

The final phrase of this passage (“the word planted in you, which can save you”) is a reference to faith. Faith is a “good and perfect gift” from God, and the means by which God saves us. And not only faith, but everything in our lives that brings us true happiness and joy, everything that unites us to God and to one another, is a gift from God.

 

To the extent that we really understand this, to the extent that we truly believe and internalize it, we will be filled with gratitude to God. And gratitude is one of the most important parts of worship. This is the natural and appropriate response to God, to whom we owe our very existence, our salvation, and everything good in our lives. 

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization and Breath Prayer

Memorize the following verse. 

 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

    His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1, NIV)

 

Once you have the verse memorized, practice it as a breath prayer for at least five minutes. (Review Lesson 3.19 for instructions, if needed.) You can use either the first stanza alone, or the entire verse prayed over the course of two breaths. With the latter approach, the pattern of inhalation / exhalation is as follows: “Give thanks to the Lord / for he is good. / His love endures / forever.”

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

 

Lesson 7.09 – Friendship with God

 

In the previous lesson, we noted that everything in our lives that is truly good, everything that brings real happiness and joy, everything that unites us to God and to one another, is a gift from God. This includes the gift of faith, as well as hope and love (the other theological virtues), because these qualities, more than any others, enable us to commune with God. And as we’ve noted repeatedly, communion with God (and with one another) is the very purpose of our existence and the fulfillment of our nature as human beings. 

 

But what exactly do we mean by “communion” with God? And how do we commune with God? 

 

Communion is a kind of friendship—thus we could equally say that the purpose of human existence and the fulfillment of human nature is friendship with God. So now, reflect for a moment on the closest friendships you have (and have ever had) in your life. Friendship is a kind of love, and, typically, deep and lasting friendships develop only among people who share common interests and values. It’s a love between two (or more) people that’s partially based on a shared love of other people and things. 

 

To be friends with God, we must become like Him: we must become loving people. And more specifically, we must come to love everything that God loves, including God Himself and everything He has created. And among those things that God has created are the world (creation) and other people. We are called to be caretakers of creation (see Lesson 2.24) and we are called to love the Lord with all our hearts, and to love our neighbors as ourselves (see Lesson 1.13). In doing so, by God’s grace, we are formed into the image of Jesus (Lessons 5.12 and 5.32), and we come to share in the fellowship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the three persons of the Holy Trinity.*

 

* According to Christian theology, there is only one God, but God exists as (or in) three divine persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. This is one of the most foundational, most important, and most mysterious doctrines of the Christian faith. We’ll explore it further in a later unit.   

 

Challenge: Bible Study

What does it mean to be a friend of God? In the Bible, the patriarch Abraham is identified as the father of faith (Romans 4:16, Galatians 3:6-9) and listed among a famous rollcall of heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11:17-19); he’s also several times identified as a “friend” of God (Isaiah 41:8, 2 Chronicles 41:8, and James 2:23). 

Watch the following video, which summarizes chapters 12-50 of the Old Testament book of Genesis, and pay special attention to the story of Abraham. The Bible Project, “Genesis 12-50”

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect in your journal about what it means to be a friend of God in light of what you learn about Abraham. 

 

Lesson 7.10 – “Through them you may become partakers of the divine nature”

 

The theological virtues, more than any other qualities, are the ones that bring us close to God in friendship. As we are perfected in virtue, by the infusion of God’s grace at work within us, we are increasingly able to commune with—that is, to be friends with—God. And we’re able to do so because we’re becoming more and more like God. In fact, the Bible teaches us that, as we come to acquire these virtues by God’s grace, we also come to participate in the divine nature:   

 

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” (2 Peter 1:3-7, ESV)

 

This is one of the most incredible and astonishing teachings in all of the Bible. Salvation is a process of coming to share in the very nature and life of God! It’s a process of coming to share His desires, His interests, His values, His loves. And the virtues that are formed in us, which enable this deep communion with God, are themselves gifts of God. They are infused virtues. The transformation in our nature is something that happens entirely by His grace, not by our own effort or merit. And yet—as the Apostle Peter tells us—we should “make every effort” to obtain these virtues! You now know, from our previous discussion of the hospital analogy, how to hold these two ideas together. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization

Memorize 2 Peter 1:3-4. As you do so, pay special attention to the phrases underlined above. 

 

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:3-4, ESV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

Once you have these verses memorized, meditate on them, asking God to reveal to you their meaning. Write down what you discover.

 

Lesson 7.11 – Salvation by grace through faith

 

We previously raised the question of why the concept of infusion is so important. So far, we’ve found it to be key to understanding the synergy between divine grace and human effort in the process of salvation, and also something that should fill us with gratitude to God when we understand it. The point about gratitude is connected to something else very important. When we understand that the theological virtues are infused, we realize that we have no basis for being prideful about any spiritual progress we’ve made. Our salvation, including our sanctification (growth in virtue, becoming more like Jesus), is entirely a gift of God and a work of God within us. 

 

The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)

 

Pride is the root of all sin and spiritual vice. It’s absolutely crucial that we understand, and deeply internalize, this point: that our salvation is not something that we accomplish, but rather something that God accomplishes in us. If we truly believe this, then there can be no place for pride in our spiritual lives.

 

We can put the point another way. Love is the deepest source of all virtue, and pride the deepest source of all vice. There can be no growth in virtue that has its source in pride. We can grow in faith, hope, and love only by being receptive to God’s work within us. Pride is the fundamental barrier to all such work, and thus it must be rooted out for sanctification to proceed. This is why it’s so important to understand and internalize the point that our growth as believers in faith, hope, and love is solely by the grace of God—that is, that the theological virtues are wholly infused. 

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize Ephesians 2:8-9. One you have it memorized, meditate on these verses, asking God to reveal to you their meaning. Pray that God will bring these verses to mind the next time you are tempted to pride because of the progress that you’re experiencing in your spiritual life. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Module 8 Lessons (Faith – Part I)

 

Lesson 8.01: What is faith? Popular view #1: Faith is believing with certainty

 

Lesson Text: 

We’re finally ready to begin our discussion of our first theological virtue: faith. Of all the virtues, faith is the one most likely to be misunderstood—and also the one that it’s most dangerous to misunderstand, because of the practical consequences for a person’s spiritual life. 

 

We’ll begin by considering the most famous verse in the Bible about faith. In the New Testament book of Hebrews, we find what appears to be a definition of faith:

 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

 

What does this verse mean? What does it tell us about the nature or essence of faith? What is it to have faith? 

 

We’ll begin with two popular understandings of faith. Here’s the first: Faith is a matter of holding your religious beliefs with certainty.

 

It’s easy to see how someone might arrive at this conclusion. One focuses on the word “assurance” in the Hebrews 11:1, and interprets this to mean “a feeling or sense of certainty.” Some other translations of the Bible seem to encourage this interpretation of the verse even more: 

 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (NIV, emphasis added)

 

Certainty is a type of confidence—a confidence that you’re right about something. This confidence is a feeling or attitude that you can have about various things, including your own beliefs, and it comes in degrees: notice that you can be more or less confident that a certain belief you hold is correct. (Compare your respective feelings about these two beliefs: Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth President of the U.S.; two plus two equals four. You’re more confident about the second belief, aren’t you?) Certainty is the uppermost limit of this confidence. To be certain is to be very confident, even supremely and unwaveringly confident, that you’re right about something. 

 

This is a popular way of understanding what it is to have faith: it’s a matter of believing certain things, especially things about God, with absolute certainty. 

 

But is this the right way to think about faith? 

 

Challenge: Discipleship/Mentorship

Meet with someone older than you whom you respect for their faith - it could be your mentor, advisor, or family - and ask them these questions.

• What is faith?
• How has your faith impacted your life? Ask them to share specific stories.
• How have you grown in your faith?

 

Journal/Reflection: Faith as Certainty

Consider this statement: Faith is a matter of holding your religious beliefs with certainty. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Try to give an argument that either supports or refutes this view of faith. Reply to the posts of at least two other students. 

 

 

 

Lesson 8.02: What faith is not, Part I

 

Lesson Text: 

In the previous lesson, we considered one popular view about the nature of faith: namely, that faith is a matter of holding your religious beliefs with certainty. Is this the correct understanding of faith?

 

Actually, it is not. In fact, there are many problems with it—more than we have time to explore in these lessons, so we’ll confine our discussion to two of these. 

 

First off, on this way of understanding faith, it’s not at all clear why faith would be a virtue. A feeling of certainty is not necessarily a reliable guide to truth. We all know someone who is very certain about things that they don’t actually know. They have mere opinions—perhaps even baseless opinions—about which they feel supremely confident. This just goes to show that a feeling of certainty, by itself, is no good indication that a person’s belief is true, or even reasonable. Sometimes people believe things simply because they want those things to be true. If this desire is strong enough, it can itself lead to a feeling of certainty. This is a type of self-deception, which is a vice, not a virtue. 

 

Moreover, even when it’s not motivated by self-deception, an exaggerated sense of certainty—that is, a degree of certainty that’s far out of proportion to one’s actual evidence or good reasons for belief—is often evidence of pride. It’s typically not a sign of virtue but rather foolishness and arrogance for a person to think that they couldn’t possibly be wrong about some controversial view that they hold.

 

Whatever faith is, it must be something that’s fully compatible with humility. It must not resemble an intellectual vice. So it must have nothing to do with pride or arrogance. This is one good reason to reject the view that faith is equivalent to a feeling of certainty. 

 

In the upcoming lessons, we’ll explore some further reasons. 

 

Challenge: Worship

A great way to grow in faith is to worship regularly with other believers. Throughout this unit, you will be encouraged to attend a worship service at least once a week. You do not have to attend a service on the exact day of the assignment, so you can check it off the list before or after you receive the reminder.

 

If you need another reason to attend a worship service, research suggests that regular attenders live longer, healthier, and happier lives than those who do not attend. Check out The Harvard Human Flourishing Program for more information on their research findings.

 

So, here’s your first encouragement and challenge: Attend a worship service this week. 

 

Journal/Reflection: Faith and Doubt

Is it a sign of a lack of faith to experience doubts or to feel some uncertainty about your religious beliefs? Why or why not? 

 

Lesson 8.03: Anti-intellectualism

 

Lesson Text: 

In the previous lesson, we considered a problem for the view that faith is a matter of feeling certain about your religious beliefs: namely, this view makes it seem that faith is a vice rather than a virtue. We all know people who are supremely confident that they’re right about nearly everything, including their religious beliefs, but their unshakable confidence is a symptom of their pride and arrogance, not a display of virtue. 

 

There’s another problem with the view of faith as certainty: it encourages hostility to critical thinking. If faith is a matter of feeling certain about your beliefs, then critical thinking is a threat to faith. The practices of listening to one’s critics, carefully considering counterarguments to one’s views, considering opposing views charitably and trying sincerely to understand them—in other words, the practices of critical thinkers—are practices that tend to lessen a person’s feeling of certainty. So if faith were simply a matter of feeling certain, then critical thinking would be something to be avoided. 

 

Unfortunately, this is exactly the attitude that some people take. They refuse to listen charitably to their critics; they’re hostile to every opposing idea or position. They dismiss out of hand theories that challenge their prevailing views, refusing even to study or try to understand them—even when these theories are a part of rigorous academic disciplines. 

 

This attitude is called anti-intellectualism. It’s not a virtuous quality. In fact, it can have very destructive consequences, both for a person’s intellectual development and for their spiritual lives. 

 

Challenge: Hospitality

Find or create an opportunity to exercise intellectual hospitality this week. If you can’t host people immediately, make concrete plans now when you will do so and start inviting people. Practicing intellectual hospitality involves inviting others into an exchange of ideas, perhaps over food or age-appropriate beverages provided by you at your home or in a public space like a lunch table or restaurant. Pick a topic for discussion. Come up with some questions that will generate conversation. Importantly for this challenge, avoid offering your viewpoint unless directly asked for it, and even if it is asked for, keep your remarks brief. Your goal is to listen, to allow yourself to be challenged by opposing viewpoints, to generously open up your mind as you have opened up your home or lunch table. Of course, this is not to say that you should embrace every viewpoint shared by those you invite. Some ideas are wrong. Some can lead us astray. The point of this exercise is to grow in generosity, intellectual humility, and patience so that you can be better equipped to seek truth, beauty, and goodness with other people.

 

Journal/Reflection: Anti-Intellectualism

Have you ever encountered anti-intellectualism? Describe your experience. What was the context? Who displayed an attitude of anti-intellectualism, and how? What sort of impression did it make on you? Write down your reflections in your private journal.

 

Lesson 8.04: Commitment to truth vs commitment to being right

 

Lesson Text: 

When believers equate faith with a feeling of certainty, it’s understandable that they would want to avoid anything that makes them feel uncertain. This view of faith naturally encourages an attitude of hostility towards critical thinking and an embracing of anti-intellectualism, as we discussed in the previous lesson. But this hostility can be subdivided into two types, which correspond to the two primary sources of anti-intellectualism: pride and fear. 

 

Some people are hostile to critical thinking because they want to avoid the experience of ever being proven wrong. Their attitude is rooted in pride: what they value most is being right. They relish the feeling of certainty, because it carries with it a sense of security. A person who has this priority is unwilling to examine opposing arguments and counterevidence to their existing views, because they don’t want to find out that any of their views are mistaken. They’re unwilling to listen to their critics, because they don’t want to be proven wrong. Their priority is to maintain their feeling of certainty—even if it’s at the risk of persisting in error. Their whole intellectual posture is motivated by pride, not by a respect for truth.

 

In stark contrast to this, those who are intellectually virtuous are committed to discovering the truth. Because of this, they’re willing to listen to their critics, consider opposing arguments, and examine counterevidence to their existing views. If they’re mistaken about something, they want to find out. The methods of critical thinking are effective in discovering truth, which is why they employ them.

 

If faith is a virtue, it must be compatible with this intellectually virtuous approach.   

 

Challenge: Prayer

Before beginning your school day, or before you begin your homework and studying, pray this prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas:

 

Ineffable Creator,

Who, from the treasures of Your wisdom,

have established three hierarchies of angels,

have arrayed them in marvelous order

above the fiery heavens,

and have marshaled the regions

of the universe with such artful skill,

 

You are proclaimed

the true font of light and wisdom,

and the primal origin

raised high beyond all things.

 

Pour forth a ray of Your brightness

into the darkened places of my mind;

disperse from my soul

the twofold darkness

into which I was born:

sin and ignorance.

 

You make eloquent the tongues of infants.

refine my speech

and pour forth upon my lips

The goodness of Your blessing.

 

Grant to me

keenness of mind,

capacity to remember,

skill in learning,

subtlety to interpret,

and eloquence in speech.

 

May You

guide the beginning of my work,

direct its progress,

and bring it to completion.

 

You Who are true God and true Man,

who live and reign, world without end.

Amen.

Journal/Reflection:

Part I: Think about someone you know who seems genuinely committed to seeking out and discovering the truth about various things in the world, including religious matters. Now think about someone who seems most concerned about always being right. What other qualities do you notice about each of these respective individuals? 

 

Part II: Would you rather (i) be refuted by someone who disagrees with you and thereby come to realize and to believe the truth about a certain matter (because your critic helped you to see the error of your previous view) or (ii) believe something false but never come to discover your error, because you never discuss the matter with anyone who disagrees with you? Put differently, is it more important to believe the truth or to avoid the experience of being proven wrong? Why did you pick the option you did? 

 

Lesson 8.05: Responding to religious doubts and hard questions

 

Lesson Text: 

In the previous lesson, we explored a type of anti-intellectualism that’s rooted in pride. But this attitude can also be rooted in fear and shame: the shame of having doubts, and the fear of losing one’s faith. 

 

It’s easy to see how the logic of this view works. If faith is about feeling certain, then having doubts means that one’s faith is weak. Hence the presence of doubts is a source of shame. And harboring doubts is incompatible with feeling certain—that is, with having faith. Hence the presence of doubts is a cause of fear: a fear that one is losing one’s faith. In these ways, the equating of faith with certainty often leads to feelings of anxiety, fear, and shame. 

 

Moreover, this view of faith encourages people to be dishonest in how they handle religious doubts and hard questions. In communities that equate faith with certainty, those with doubts will feel pressure to try to stifle or hide these doubts from others in the community; they may even try to hide these doubts from themselves (that is, engage in denial and self-deception). Likewise, religious leaders of such communities tend to discourage their members from asking hard questions about the faith. They suspect that the voicing of hard questions might diminish the sense of certainty—that is, the faith—of those in the community.

 

These are very destructive practices. Doubts that are stifled and ignored do not go away. As a general rule, it's a reliable principle of the spiritual life that if you bury the seeds of doubt, they will grow.

 

The intention of the aforementioned practices is to try to preserve faith, but the actual effect is just to make believers’ anxieties and doubts even worse. And when hard questions are systematically discouraged rather than addressed within religious communities, those who harbor them eventually begin to suspect that their questions are unanswerable. And that suspicion often leads, sooner or later, to a crisis of faith.  

 

For all these reasons, equating faith with certainty is not only misguided, but spiritually dangerous. Rather than rejecting critical thinking, embracing anti-intellectualism, stifling doubts, and running away from hard questions, we instead need to find a better way of understanding what faith is all about. 

 

Challenge: Discipleship/Mentorship

The next time you get together with your mentor, ask him or her about times of doubt and how he or she handled it. Share whatever doubts you may have about the faith with your mentor.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Have you ever had the experience of asking a hard question about your faith—perhaps something that was very troubling to you—and having your question dismissed, or even feeling shamed for having asked it? What was the effect? Did it ease your mind? Did it make your doubt or troubled feeling go away? Or did it instead make them even worse?

 

Lesson 8.06: Popular view #2: Faith is believing without evidence

 

Lesson Text: 

We’ve considered a first, popular view of faith—namely, that faith is a matter of feeling certain—and found it to be lacking. Let’s now consider a second view: Faith is a matter of believing something you can’t prove.

 

This is one of the most common and popular views about faith. Once you understand the basic idea and learn to recognize it, you’ll find that you encounter it all the time. It’s the implicit assumption that lies behind many—very likely most—things that you’ll hear people say about faith (both believers and critics alike).

 

According to this view, a person believes something in faith whenever they can’t prove what they believe. But what do we mean by “prove”? If we set the standards for proof too high, almost nothing can be proven. (Philosophers have been trying to prove the existence of a world outside our minds for centuries, and no one has yet succeeded!) On a reasonable standard, proving a certain belief is a matter of supporting it with sufficient evidence, or good arguments, or compelling reasons. So the view of faith that we’re considering is better stated like this: Faith is a matter of believing something without evidence. (Sometimes this idea is stated as “faith is believing in the absence of evidence.”) 

 

Once again, it’s easy to see how a person might arrive at this view. Consider again the famous verse about faith from the book of Hebrews:

 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

 

The phrase “conviction of things not seen” (or “assurance about what we do not see,” as it’s rendered in the NIV translation) can be taken to suggest an attitude of belief in a situation where we lack proof or evidence.

 

So is this, perhaps, the biblical view of faith?

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection:

Evaluate these claims: Faith is a matter of believing something you can’t prove. / Faith is a matter of believing something without evidence. Would you agree or disagree with these claims? Why? Do you think Hebrews 11:1 is advocating this view? Why or why not?  

 

Lesson 8.07: Fideism: faith and reason are opposites

 

Lesson Text: 

In the previous lesson, we introduced a second view of faith, one that is perhaps more popular (or at least more common) than any other: namely, that faith is a matter of believing something without evidence.

 

You’ll often hear people express this view when they feel cornered in a conversation with someone who’s critical of their religious beliefs. When they’re pressed for reasons or evidence—for example, some proof that God really does exist—they respond with a comment like this: “Of course I can’t prove it; I believe it in faith. Anything you can prove doesn’t require faith to believe.”

 

Sometimes believers try to “turn the tables” on their critics, arguing that certain aspects of a secular worldview are likewise unprovable (or at least currently unproven) and thus are accepted as “articles of faith.” These believers say things like, “Secular people believe that life emerged from inorganic matter, but that’s just as much a matter of faith as the view that life was created by God. Neither view can be proven.” The implicit assumption behind comments like these is that faith is a matter of believing something that goes beyond what the evidence can support. 

 

Notice, however, that evidence comes in degrees, and a belief could be more or less supported by evidence. So if faith is a matter of believing without evidence, then faith also comes in degrees. To the degree that you have reasons or arguments or evidence for your beliefs, you don’t hold those beliefs in faith. And to the degree that you believe something in faith, you don’t believe it on the basis of reasons or arguments or evidence. To believe something purely in faith is to believe it wholly without evidence. 

We could sum up this view by saying that faith and reason are opposites. 

 

There’s a fancy name for this way of understanding faith. It’s called fideism. We’ll consider it further in the next lesson. 

Challenge: Worship

Attend a worship service this week. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Evaluate this claim: Faith and reason are opposites. Would you agree or disagree with this claim? Why? In the course of answering this question, address the argument that was given in the lesson today (the one that begins “To the degree that you have reasons…”). Is this a good argument? If not, state what you think is wrong with it. 

 

Lesson 8.08: What faith is not, Part II

Lesson Text: 

In the previous lesson, we considered a second view of faith, called fideism. This is the view that faith is a matter of believing something you can’t prove, something for which you have no evidence, something you cannot support with arguments or reasons. According to this view, faith and reason are opposites. To the degree that you believe something in faith, you lack evidence and reasons to support that belief—and vice-versa. 

 

Fideism is a very common view of faith (even though the term “fideism” is not very common or well-known). Despite its popularity, however, it’s a very confused and potentially dangerous view of faith. We’ll begin with a discussion of why it’s confused. 

 

One very serious problem with fideism is that it tends to be self-refuting. The fideist (a person who accepts fideism as the correct understanding of faith) claims that we should hold our religious views in faith, and that faith is a matter of believing something for which we have no proof, or evidence, or arguments, or reasons. But notice that fideism is itself a religious belief: it’s a belief about the way that religious convictions ought to be held. So if someone were to accept fideism on the basis of some proof, or evidence, or argument, their view would be inconsistent. In order to be a truly consistent fideist, one would have to accept fideism for no reason whatsoever. But to hold a belief in that way is irrational. 

 

The argument just given is challenging, and you may find that you need to reread it several times and think about it very carefully before you understand it. The point of the argument is simple, however: a person’s belief in fideism must be either inconsistent or baseless. There’s no way to be a reasonable fideist. 

 

Matters are actually even worse than this for fideists. Fideism isn’t just confused; it’s also destructive and dangerous. We’ll explore the reasons why in the upcoming lessons. 

 

Challenge:

 

Journal/Reflection:

Study the argument in the lesson for why fideism is self-refuting. Try to restate the argument in your own words. Does it convince you that faith is not a matter of believing without evidence? Does it convince you that faith and reason cannot be opposites? 

 

Lesson 8.09: Anti-intellectualism again

 

We found in the previous lesson that fideism—despite its popularity as a way of understanding faith—is a thoroughly unreasonable view for anyone to hold. But this doesn’t yet demonstrate that fideism is a destructive or dangerous view. To be either of these, fideism would have to have some practical consequences. Unfortunately, fideism does tend to have some very serious, practical, and negative consequences for those individuals and communities who accept it.

 

First off, fideism encourages the same attitude of anti-intellectualism and hostility to critical thinking that we encountered with the first view of faith (the view that faith is a matter of feeling certain about one’s beliefs). But it does so for a different reason. If faith were a matter of believing something without evidence, then—assuming faith is a good thing—it would follow that we ought to avoid having any evidence for our religious beliefs. It would follow that we should have nothing to do with any argument which tries to make a case for the reasonableness of religious belief—whether a philosophical argument, a historical argument, a biblical argument, or any other type. It would follow, in short, that we should have nothing to do with apologetics. The person of faith would be someone who shuns all attempts to construct an intellectual defense of the faith, and who holds their own religious beliefs without having any reasons or evidence to support them. In this way, fideism leads to anti-intellectualism.   

 

Hopefully, it’s obvious from our previous discussions that anti-intellectualism is not a virtuous approach to the spiritual life. Anti-intellectualism is a destructive attitude for many reasons, not least because it stunts the intellectual development of those who adopt it. It’s also very harmful in the message that it conveys about the Christian faith. It suggests that Christianity is indefensible, and thus irrational to accept. This is certainly false, and thus fideism is a view of faith that Christians should wholly reject. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization

 

[B]ut in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…. (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

 

Recite the verse on video and upload it to Flip.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Once you have it memorized 1 Peter 3:15, reflect in your journal about the implications of this verse for the matters we’ve discussed in this lesson. Is this a biblical refutation of fideism?

Lesson 8.10 – Faith as right doctrine

 

We found, in the previous lesson, that fideism encourages us to reject altogether any attempt to explain or defend the rationality of religious belief. It leads to anti-intellectualism. But there’s another problem for fideism that’s even worse.  

 

The problem we’re about to develop is actually one that applies to both of the views of faith that we’ve been discussing: that is, both fideism and the view that faith is a matter of believing with certainty. Both of these views assume that faith is a matter of believing the right things in the right way. These views disagree with one another about what, exactly, is “the right way,” but they agree that faith is a certain way of holding one’s religious beliefs. 

 

And what exactly do we mean by “religious beliefs”? We mean, primarily, doctrines: claims about God and other theological matters that are considered religiously important, such as the nature of salvation, baptism, biblical inspiration, church structure, heaven and hell, etc. The danger for those who accept either fideism or the view of faith-as-certainty is the temptation to imagine that their spiritual lives are in order just in case they believe all the right doctrines (and believe them in the right way). Rather than understanding faith to include right doctrine, these believers reduce faith to right doctrine. 

 

Challenge

 

Journal/Reflection:

What is the danger in reducing faith to right doctrine? What is the alternative? That is, what’s the right way to think about the relationship between faith and doctrine? 

 

Lesson 8.11 – Telltale signs of faith as right doctrine  

 

In the previous lesson, we noted that both fideism and the view of faith-as-certainty regard faith to be a matter of believing the right things in the right way. Rather than understanding faith to include right doctrine, these views reduce faith to right doctrine. 

 

There are telltale signs that a person has fallen into this way of thinking. They display an inordinate preoccupation, even obsession, with “having good theology.” While all orthodox Christians agree that it’s important to have right doctrine (we’ll explore this more in the upcoming lessons), these Christians go much further, treating doctrinal matters as if they’re the most important part of what it is to be a Christian; even worse, that it’s everything.

 

Such Christians may devote the majority of their spiritual energies toward the task of deciding which theological positions are the correct ones, down to the most minute detail—far beyond what Scripture clearly teaches or the Church has established. They regard their controversial theological opinions as if they’re all essential doctrines that every Christian must accept in order to be a “true” believer. Their concern isn’t limited to their own beliefs; they often feel the need to monitor and even try to impose or enforce these theological opinions on others. In the worst cases, these Christians embark on “witch hunts,” endeavoring to expose, expel, and even persecute other Christians whose theology differs from their own in any way, no matter how small. 

 

What underlies this entire set of misguided commitments and destructive practices is the mistaken belief that having faith is equivalent to believing all the right things about God. 

 

The Bible itself offers a simple and compelling refutation of this view. We’ll explore it next. 

Challenge: Bible Study

Read the following Bible passages and then answer the question:

• In what ways do you think Jesus either encouraged or discouraged the view of faith as right doctrine in his teachings? 

Bible passage 1

Bible passage 2

Bible passage 3

 

Journal/Reflection:

Try to think of an example—either an historical example, or one from your own experience—of an individual believer or a Christian community that seemed to go too far in their emphasis of right doctrine. What was the evidence that they had gone too far? What specific mistake did they make, in your opinion? What were the consequences of this mistake—that is, what damage did it cause? 

 

Lesson 8.12 – The biblical refutation of faith as right doctrine

 

In the previous lessons, we noted that both fideism and the view of faith-as-certainty assume that faith is a matter of believing the right things in the right way. Consequently, these views of faith encourage the mistaken belief that one’s spiritual life is in order just in case one believes all the right doctrines. 

 

These views of faith are spiritually dangerous. Faith is much more than just believing the right things about God and related matters. The Apostle James admonished his first-century Christian readers, 

 

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. (James 2:19, NLT)

 

Do you see James’s point? Even the demons believe some true things about God: they believe that there is one God (the doctrine of monotheism), for example. But the demons certainly don’t have faith! Obviously, having faith is more than just believing the right things about God, including theologically correct (and important) doctrines. If we fall into the trap of reducing faith to right doctrine, we’re in danger of neglecting the biggest part of our spiritual lives, and thereby imperiling our own salvation, which requires a lot more than just having good theology! 

 

Clearly, we haven’t yet identified what faith is really all about. We’ve established that it’s not simply a matter of feeling certain about your religious beliefs, and it’s not a matter of believing without evidence. In the upcoming lessons, we’ll try to begin making some real progress toward a right understanding of the virtue of faith.

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina with the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Module 1, if needed):

 

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no amadeeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

 

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:12-19, NIV)

 

Journal/Reflection: Lectio Divina Reflection

Write down your reflections on what you learned from the lectio divina exercise on James 2:12-19.

 

Lesson 8.13 – Four aspects of faith

In the previous lessons, we explored several popular but misguided views about what faith is. It was important to address these views first, because they’re very common ideas about faith, and they’re also sources of spiritual confusion and dysfunction in the lives of many believers and religious communities. 

Now that we’ve completed the deconstructive project—establishing what faith is not—, it’s time to begin the constructive project of understanding what faith really is.

The first point to emphasize is that faith is multi-faceted. In addition to all the other problems with the views of faith we’ve discussed so far, these views understand faith too simplistically. They reduce faith to only one of its components—belief—and any view that does this is bound to be distorted and problematic.

There are at least four different aspects of faith: belief, trust, allegiance, and construal. There’s certainly room for disagreement about which of these is most important or foundational, but all four aspects are essential to faith. So we’ll explore each of these elements in turn. Some aspects of faith may be more familiar to you than others. Each aspect is richer and more complex than what most people—even many believers—have fully considered.

Challenge: Worship

Attend a worship service this week. 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the claim that there are four different aspects of faith: belief, trust, allegiance and construal. Would you agree with this claim? (It’s ok if you don’t yet fully understand what each of these elements might be. You can just comment on the parts that you’ve thought about.) If you do agree with this claim, try to describe each of the four components in detail. Return to this journal entry at the end of the two units on faith, and see if there’s anything you would add or change.  

 

Lesson 8.14: Faith as belief

 

In Lessons 8.10 – 8.12, we explored the temptation and the danger of reducing faith to right belief. Faith is certainly more than just believing all the right doctrines. Nevertheless, faith includes a belief component. 

 

To see this, imagine what it would be like if someone claimed to have faith without any belief component. Suppose someone said this: “I have faith in God, but my faith doesn’t include any beliefs about God. I don’t believe that He created the world, and I don’t believe that He didn’t. I don’t have a belief about the matter either way. I don’t believe that God is good or not good; powerful or not; knowledgeable or not—I don’t have any beliefs about any of these matters. I don’t even believe that God exists or that He doesn’t. I just have faith in God.” 

 

Obviously, this depiction of faith is incoherent. A faith that didn’t include a belief component would be no faith at all. 

 

Clearly, then, we need to find a middle ground between the dangerous and misguided view that faith is reducible to a set of beliefs and the incoherent view that faith has nothing to do with holding a certain set of beliefs. The middle ground is obvious: faith includes belief—that is, holding certain beliefs is an important part of faith, but not its entirety. 

 

We’ll explore the belief component of faith further in the upcoming lessons. 

 

Challenge: Scripture Memorization 

Memorize the following verse. After you have it memorized, meditate on its meaning, and in particular its implications for the view that faith includes belief. 

 

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 8.15: Great creeds of the Christian faith

 

What do Christians believe, and what does this have to do with Christian faith? We noted in the last lesson that while faith is not reducible to belief, it does include a certain set of beliefs. The most important such beliefs are those that comprise the core of orthodox Christian theology. These core beliefs are stated in the great creeds formulated by the early Church: most importantly, the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed—which is an expanded version of the Apostles’ Creed—, and the Athanasian Creed. 

 

These creeds, and especially the Apostles’ and Nicene creeds, are recited by millions of Christians worldwide on a regular basis, both in corporate (communal, church) gatherings and in individual prayers. But why? It’s perhaps obvious why early Christians would want to formulate a list of core beliefs, but what’s the point of reciting them as a regular part of religious practice? 

 

The answer, in short, is that believers have found it important to confess their faith, and this for several reasons. The first and most important reason is that it’s an act of worship. A second reason is that it’s a way for Christians to identify themselves to, and also distinguish themselves from, the surrounding world; it’s a way of expressing the beliefs that are distinctively Christian. A third reason—perhaps initially more puzzling—is that it’s a way for believers to remind themselves on a regular basis of what they believe. 

 

We’ll explore each of these reasons in turn. 

 

Challenge: Creed Memorization 

Memorize the opening lines of the Apostles’ Creed. (Memorization of the remainder of the creed will be assigned in the upcoming lessons.) 

I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. 

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 

He descended to the dead. 

On the third day he rose again. 

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 

He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, 

the holy catholic Church, 

the communion of saints, 

the forgiveness of sins, 

the resurrection of the body, 

and the life everlasting. 

Amen.

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 8.16: Reciting the creeds as an act of worship and profession of faith

The first and most important reason that it’s important to recite the great creeds of the Christian faith is that doing so is an act of worship. 

 

The creeds do not just make claims about God; they also include lines that are meant to be expressions of the beliefs of the one reciting them. The Apostles’ Creed, for example, contains several iterations of the phrase “I believe….” (The Nicene Creed replaces this with the communal expression, “We believe….”) To recite the creeds sincerely is to make a personal confession of faith.

Reciting the creeds is an act of worship for another reason: they are affirmations of the most important truths about God and our relation to Him. To affirm these truths sincerely is to worship the One true God for who He is and for what He has done. 

 

Regarding the latter (what God has done), the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds emphasize the two greatest acts of God: creation and redemption. The first line of the Apostles’ Creed affirms divine creation: “I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.” The subsequent lines are an expression of the structure of human redemption—that is, God’s plan of salvation for humankind. They begin with a recognition of who Jesus is (the Father’s only Son, our Lord), what he did for us (suffered crucifixion, death, burial, and then was raised from the dead), and concludes with a statement of the effects of this work for us (communion, forgiveness of sins, resurrection, life everlasting). Again, to affirm these truths sincerely is to worship the One whose nature and works they recount. 

 

Challenge: Creed Memorization 

Review the opening lines of the Apostles’ Creed, which you were assigned to memorize in the previous lesson. Then memorize the next section (highlighted below). 

 

I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. 

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 

He descended to the dead. 

On the third day he rose again. 

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 

He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, 

the holy catholic Church, 

the communion of saints, 

the forgiveness of sins, 

the resurrection of the body, 

and the life everlasting. 

Amen.

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 8.17: Reciting the creeds as a statement and expression of Christian identity

Christianity is a religion that grew out of Judaism—Jesus himself was a Jew, as were all of the Apostles and many of the earliest believers—and it developed in a cultural context in which it was surrounded by other belief systems. For this reason, it was important for early Christians to be able to identify, and to state, the doctrinal distinctives of their faith. 

 

The Apostles’ Creed is a way of expressing the beliefs that are most foundational to the Christian faith. The creed wasn’t written by the Apostles (Jesus’ inner circle of followers, his closest disciples), despite what the name might be thought to suggest, but it summarizes their major teachings. It doesn’t “get into the weeds” about various theological controversies that exist even among Christians. It’s a minimal statement of the fundamental tenets of the Christian faith: the set of core claims that all orthodox believers affirm.

 

For this reason, the Apostles’ Creed continues to be used today as an ecumenical statement of faith: that is, a way of expressing what all Christians share in common, especially as a way of emphasizing and promoting Christian unity. It’s worth noting that the word “catholic” as it’s used in the creed (“I believe in … the holy catholic Church”) means universal. To believe in the holy catholic Church is to believe in the unity of the body of believers—that is, the unity of all the true followers of Jesus, throughout all times and places and cultures. 

 

Challenge: Creed Memorization 

Review the part of the Apostles’ Creed that you were assigned to memorize in the previous two lessons. Then memorize the final section (highlighted below). 

 

I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. 

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 

He descended to the dead. 

On the third day he rose again. 

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 

He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, 

the holy catholic Church, 

the communion of saints, 

the forgiveness of sins, 

the resurrection of the body, 

and the life everlasting. 

Amen.

 

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 8.18: The one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church

 

We noted in the previous lesson that it was important for early Christians to be able to identify, and to state, the doctrinal distinctives of their faith. It was also important to the early Church to be able to distinguish right doctrine from heresy: that is, false doctrines that were presented as authentic expressions of Christian faith, but were dangerously distorted in some way, being contrary to the Bible, the teachings of Jesus, and/or the teachings of the Apostles.

 

One of the primary purposes of the creeds, especially the later creeds, was to express the doctrines that were a part of orthodoxy—literally “right belief”—and to condemn heretical beliefs. In this way, anyone who chose to be a follower of Christ could know what beliefs he or she should accept in order to be in agreement and communion with the body of Christian believers who trace their faith back to the Apostles, and to Jesus. This is why the body of orthodox Christian believers is often referred to as “the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church” (from the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, emphasis added.) The word “apostolic” here means that the Church traces its lineage back to the original Apostles of Jesus, whose teachings—as we noted in the previous lesson—are summarized in the Apostles’ Creed. 

 

Challenge: Prayer

Now that you have the entirety of the Apostles’ Creed memorized, begin reciting it daily as a part of your prayers. Today, as you recite the creed, reflect carefully on the meaning of each individual line, considering why it expresses something foundational to the Christian faith. 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Record your reflections in your journal. 

 

Lesson 8.19: Reminding ourselves what we believe, Part I

So far, we’ve discussed two purposes of the Christian practice of reciting creeds: as an act of worship, and as a way of stating the beliefs that are distinctive and foundational to the Christian faith. 

 

There’s a third reason to recite the creeds, and it’s one that’s perhaps less obvious than the first two. Christians recite the creeds as a way of reminding themselves what they believe. 

 

This might at first seem very puzzling. Doesn’t everyone know what they believe? Why would anyone need to remind themselves of their own beliefs? 

 

The twentieth century scholar and popular author C. S. Lewis explains this point well: A person could have compelling rational reasons for adopting a certain set of beliefs. But as time goes by, circumstances may arise that cause them to “feel” differently about matters. What struck them as plausible initially—and for very good reason—might no longer seem plausible, not because they’ve encountered good arguments or evidence against those beliefs, but simply because they find themselves in a different mood. For this reason, Lewis says, “The battle is between faith and reason on one side and emotion and imagination on the other. …Faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.” (Mere Christianity, Book III, Chapter 11) 

 

We’ll develop this idea further in the next lesson. 

 

Challenge: Discipleship/Seeking Council

Recite the Apostle's Creed to your mentor and then discuss what has stood out to you from memorizing and praying the creed.

 

Journal/Reflection:

Have you ever experienced the phenomenon that C.S. Lewis describes? Does it sometimes seem to you, in a certain mood, that your religious beliefs are somehow less plausible than what you previously (or ordinarily) have thought them to be? What do you think was the cause of this experience? What’s the best way to handle a situation like this, do you think? 

 

Lesson 8.20: Reminding ourselves what we believe, Part II

 

Author C. S. Lewis identified faith, in one of its forms, as “the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.” His point was this: it’s difficult to be constant in one’s faith commitments, not because they run contrary to reason, but rather because our moods tend to change with the circumstances, and what “feels” plausible at one time may not at a later time, even though nothing has changed with respect to one’s actual evidence or reasons for belief. Lewis gave some good advice for how to handle this aspect of our spiritual lives: 

 

“The first step is to recognize the fact that your moods change. The next is to make sure that, if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day. That is why daily prayers, and religious reading, and church going are necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed. And as a matter of fact, if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away?” (Mere Christianity, Book III, Chapter 11) 

 

This is the third function of reciting the creeds: it’s a way of “[holding] before your mind” the main doctrines of Christianity—that is, a way of reminding yourself what you believe. We need these reminders, and we need them on a regular basis. This is why the practice of reciting the creeds in personal prayers and church gatherings is so important. It’s a crucial part of the way in which faith is nourished and maintained. 

Challenge: Worship

Attend a worship service this week. 

 

Journal/Reflection: Impact of Media Consumption on Faith

Consider the books and articles you’ve read recently, the movies and TV shows you’ve watched, the music you’ve listened to, the conversations you’ve had, and the events you’ve attended. Now make two lists. In the first, list the books, movies, events, etc. that have reminded you, encouraged you, or otherwise supported you in your current faith commitments and beliefs. In the second, list those that have challenged those beliefs in some way, whether by presenting an argument against them, portraying them negatively (for example, a TV show that mocks Christian values), or presenting an argument or positive depiction of some other set of beliefs that is inconsistent with yours. Which list is longer? Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with this result? What changes, if any, do you feel you should make in your regular activities or media consumption? 

 

Lesson 8.21: The importance of orthodoxy

 

In previous lessons, we discussed the great creeds as statements of Christian orthodoxy (right belief). But why is orthodoxy so important? After all, it’s one thing to point out that “orthodoxy” literally means “right belief,” and another thing to have some good reason to think that orthodoxy is actually the set of doctrines we ought to accept. Is there any good reason to think so? 

 

There is. Not surprisingly, the issue is more complex than we have space to unpack here, but we can at least make a start, and that start is comprised of two basic points.

 

The first is this. If we’re followers of Jesus, then of course we want our beliefs to align with what Jesus actually taught, and we want our beliefs about the events of his life to be historically accurate. The Apostles—as Jesus’s inner circle and closest disciples—were those best positioned to hear and understand Jesus’s teachings, and to observe and report the events of Jesus’s life. So our best chance of forming such beliefs is to make sure that they align with what the Apostles and other earliest disciples wrote and taught about the life and teaching of Jesus. These are preserved in the New Testament and in the oral teachings that were passed down from the Apostles and eventually codified (arranged in a formal and systematic way) in the great creeds of the early Church.

 

By studying the Scriptures and adopting the statements of faith expressed in the creeds—that is, by accepting Christian orthodoxy—we align our beliefs with the teachings of Jesus, passed on to us through his earliest followers: most importantly, the Apostles. 

 

Challenge: Bible Study

Watch this video: The Bible Project, “What is the Bible?”

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 8.22: Early Christian councils

 

In the previous lesson, we noted that, if we’re followers of Jesus, we want our religious beliefs to align with what Jesus actually taught, and we want our historical beliefs to align with the actual events of his life. Our best sources of such beliefs are the writings of the Apostles and earliest disciples of Jesus contained in the gospels and letters of the New Testament, along with the oral tradition of the Apostles passed down and eventually recorded in the earliest creeds. 

 

There is, however, a great deal of development in Christian theology that happens later in the history of the Church. The doctrine of the Trinity, for example—the doctrine which states that the one true God exists in three distinct “persons” of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is not explicitly stated in the Bible, but rather was developed as an interpretation of the Bible and Apostolic teachings by later Christian church leaders. These leaders were responding to the emergence of heretical teachings that had arisen and were growing among the Christian communities of their day. It was primarily in order to stop the spread of various heretical teachings that early councils (gatherings of church leaders) were convened. And out of these councils came some of the most important creeds of the Christian faith. 

 

But what reason do we have to believe that these church leaders made the right decisions in their interpretations of Scripture and Apostolic tradition? In one sense, the proclamations that emerged from these councils were orthodox in a purely definitional sense: they established what would henceforth qualify as “right doctrine.” But this, by itself, gives us no reason to think that these “orthodox” teachings are actually true. Something more is needed. We’ll discuss what this is in the next lesson. 

 

Challenge: 

 

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on this question in your journal: Do we have good reason to believe that Christian theology, as it developed in the first centuries of the Church, is really the way that Jesus intended his teachings to be interpreted and developed? Why or why not? 

 

Lesson 8.23: The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Part I 

 

Christian doctrine developed over many centuries, much of it formalized and given the official stamp of “orthodoxy” by leaders of the Church who convened to discuss, make decisions about, and publish their verdicts on controversial matters that had arisen in the Church. But who’s to say they actually got things right? Why should we think that the theological pronouncements that came out of these councils—including the creeds—are actually true? 

 

The grounding of this Christian confidence is one of the most important doctrines of the faith—one that is clearly taught in the Bible and personally confirmed by countless believers. It’s the doctrine of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

 

The word “indwelling” may be unfamiliar to you. What it means, in simplest terms, is that followers of Jesus have the Holy Spirit inside of them, and the Spirit “speaks” to those who belong to Christ and guides them. This is both deeply mysterious and a fundamental teaching of the Christian faith. The story of how the first disciples received the Holy Spirit is recorded in the New Testament book of Acts, chapter 2. This event is called Pentecost, and it’s celebrated as a part of the Christian calendar every year. What’s especially important for our discussion is the teaching that all who accept the gospel receive the Holy Spirit:

 

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14, NIV)

 

What does this have to do with our discussions of councils and creeds and orthodoxy? We’ll explore this in the next lesson. 

 

Challenge: 

Watch this video: The Bible Project, “Holy Spirit”

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 8.24: The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Part II

 

One of the most important teachings of the Christian faith is that believers are “indwelt” by the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the Apostles that they would receive the Holy Spirit after his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven:

 

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.” (John 16:11-14, NIV)

 

This receiving of the Holy Spirit by the disciples of Jesus is the event that first took place at Pentecost (see Acts 2). And as we noted in the previous lesson, all believers receive the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). 

 

Putting these teachings together, we have very good reason for confidence that God has faithfully guided His Church in its development, including the development of its official teachings, through the indwelling and leading of the Holy Spirit. Those who convened the early councils and made decisions of far-reaching and lasting consequence for the Church regarding Christian doctrine and the boundaries of orthodoxy were not operating on their own. They were guided by the Holy Spirit in their decisions. God preserved the teachings of Jesus by inspiring certain Apostles and other early disciples to write gospels and letters that accurately conveyed his teachings (the documents of the New Testament), and by inspiring later Church leaders in their development of Christian theology—the doctrines that we find in the great creeds. These are the sources of “right belief” for orthodox Christians. And since part of true faith is right belief, it’s vitally important that we draw our theological beliefs from these sources.   

   

Challenge: 

Watch this video: The Bible Project, “The Royal Priesthood”

Journal/Reflection:

 

Lesson 8.25: The importance of right belief, Part I

 

In Lessons 8.10 – 8.12, we discussed the dangerous mistake of reducing faith to right belief – that is, understanding faith to be nothing more than believing all the right things about God. But we now see that there’s a danger in the opposite direction as well: the mistake of thinking that the beliefs we hold about God don’t really matter. Some people seem to think that right doctrine is everything, and that the entirety of the spiritual life consists in working out the correct theological system and believing the right doctrines unwaveringly. Others seem to think that theology is a pointless exercise in baseless speculation about God, and that it doesn’t matter what doctrines we believe, because it’s all just personal opinion. 

 

Both of these views are dangerously mistaken. Since we’ve already addressed the first danger, it’s time now to discuss the second.  

 

What is theology, and why is it important? Theology is just thinking about God—the word “theology” literally means “the study of God”—but it makes a world of difference how we think about God. Contrary to what many people assume, theology is an extremely practical discipline. Why? Because the way that you think about God shapes the way that you understand the world and your place in it. Your theology will determine the answers that you give to the most important questions that you can possibly ask: questions like, What’s the point of human existence? What makes for a good life? How ought I to live? And the answers that you give to questions like these will shape the entire course of your life. 

 

The stakes could hardly be higher. It matters, a great deal, what you believe about God. 

 

Challenge: Worship

Attend a worship service this week.

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect on the following statements in your journal:

• Theology is a very practical discipline (area of study).  
• What you believe about God is very important.
• The theology that you accept will shape the course of your life. 

Do you agree with each of these claims? Why or why not? 

 

Lesson 8.26: The importance of right belief, Part II

 

In the previous lesson, we noted that theology is vitally important, because your beliefs about God determine the answers that you give to the most important questions you can ask: questions like, What’s the point of human existence? What makes for a good life? and How ought I to live? Christian orthodoxy is a set of beliefs that offers answers to questions like these—and many others—which is grounded in the self-revelation of God to human beings. This self-revelation of God began many thousands of years ago, and it was given to diverse peoples, whose experiences of God are recorded in the stories of the Old Testament. This self-revelation continues, and culminates, in the supreme self-revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ. The experiences of those who witnessed first-hand the events of Jesus’s life and ministry, and whose lives were completely changed by their encounter with God in Christ, are recorded in the New Testament. 

 

Christian theology is not baseless speculation. It’s the culmination of centuries of reflection about what God has revealed about Himself to humankind. To be an orthodox Christian—whether Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestant—is to accept this repository of wisdom as we receive it from the multitudes of believers of centuries past. The guide that they have left us is orthodox Christian theology. It’s a roadmap to the spiritual life, based on the experiences of those who have navigated it successfully. 

Trying to follow Jesus without any theology is like trying to cross the ocean without any map or compass or guide. And trying to follow Jesus in light of a theology that isn’t orthodox is like trying to cross the ocean using a map that’s inaccurate. Either way, the endeavor is reckless, and bound to end badly. 

 

This is why right belief is a crucial part of faith, and why it’s not up to us, individually, to decide which beliefs about God are the right ones. To be an orthodox Christian is to walk a path well-worn by multitudes of Christ-followers who have come before you, who were themselves following in the footsteps of Jesus, who shows us all the way. 

 

Challenge: 

The idea of theology as a map is developed by C. S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity. Watch the first 5:10 of the following video, which gives a reading and “Doodle” of the relevant section of Lewis’s book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RAsb3lv968

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect in your journal on the ideas that Lewis presents here. 

 

Module 9 Lessons (Faith – Part II)

 

 

Lesson 9.1 – Believing that vs believing in

 

In a previous unit (Lesson 6.09), we introduced the concept of propositional knowledge. Propositional knowledge is knowledge about something. We noted that in English, propositional knowledge is typically expressed by “that” clauses: you know that Caesar Augustus was the first Roman emperor, for example. This also applies to theological knowledge. Perhaps you know (or at least believe) that God exists, that human beings are made in His image, that Christ died to save us from our sins, etc. The creeds express beliefs of this type: for example, that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (a line familiar to you from the Apostles’ Creed).

 

In the second half of the previous unit (Lessons 8.14 – 8.26), we explored the propositional dimension of faith. This is the part of faith that pertains to belief. More precisely, it’s the part of faith that pertains to belief of one type—the type that’s sometimes called “intellectual assent.”

 

There’s another kind of belief, and it’s something we commonly refer to as “belief in.” This is a type of belief that’s importantly different from propositional belief (“belief that”). To believe in someone is not simply to believe things about them. This is important, because faith is often described as “belief in God,” and Christian faith, specifically, is often described as “belief in Jesus Christ.”

 

So what, exactly, do we mean by these phrases? What is it to believe in someone? What is it to have faith in someone? Answering these questions will help us to understand the second—and possibly the most central and foundational—aspect of faith.

 

 

Journal/Reflection

What does it mean to believe in God? How is it different from believing things about God? Is it possible to have one of these types of belief without the other? If so, what would this look like?

 

 

 

 

Lesson 9.2 – Faith as trust

 

What does it mean to believe in God? How is this different from believing things about God?

 

To answer this question, let’s first consider what we typically mean by the phrase “believe in” when we use it in a non-religious context. Suppose someone says, “I believe in you.” What are they saying? They’re not claiming to simply hold certain beliefs about you. Instead, most likely, they’re trying to express their confidence in you: in your potential, perhaps, or in your abilities, or—especially—in your character. To believe in someone is to adopt a certain kind of attitude or posture toward them.

 

Notice that Christians, in addition to saying that they “believe in God,” also say that they “have faith in God.” What is it to have faith in someone? Once again, consider what the expression means in a non-religious context. Suppose someone says, “I wish you would have a little faith in me.” What are they expressing a desire for? They’re not wishing that you would merely believe certain things about them. Rather, what they want is for you to have some confidence in them. What they desire is your trust.

 

It’s an odd thing that many Christians seem to regard the phrases “believe in” and “have faith in” as somehow having a totally different meaning when applied to God as they do when applied to other people. They assume it means believing things about God—or, perhaps more specifically, believing things about God with certainty, or believing things about God for which we have no evidence (the views of faith discussed in the previous unit). But there’s a much more sensible way to understand what it means to believe in God, or to have faith in God. To believe in God is to have confidence in His character; to have faith in God is to trust Him.

This is the second part of faith, and arguably the most central and important part. Faith is a matter of trusting God. 

 

 

Assignment – Lectio Divina  

Psalm 23 is the most famous of all the psalms in Scripture. It’s one of the psalms of David, the greatest of the kings of ancient Israel. It’s a psalm of praise in which David expresses his trust (faith) in God. The psalm clearly conveys the sense of security that David experiences in his relationship with God because of God’s goodness.

 

In later lessons, you’ll be assigned the task of memorizing this psalm in order to incorporate it into your daily prayers. For now, practice Lectio Divina with it (review instructions on Lectio Divina, if needed):

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
    He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever. (Psalm 23, NIV)

 

 

 

Lesson 9.3 – Confidence in the character of God, Part I: His goodness

 

Let’s explore the idea of faith as trust in more detail. What is it to trust God—or, as it’s often expressed, to believe in God?

First, to believe in God is to have confidence in His character.

 

Faith in God is a matter of trust, but, contrary to what many critics and even (unfortunately) some believers assume, it is not a blind trust. A believer can, and does, have very good reasons for trusting God. God has proven Himself trustworthy time and time again, both in history and also in the lives of individual believers. Most importantly, Christians experience the goodness of God in Jesus Christ. We read about God’s love for us in Scripture; we hear about it in the retelling of the gospel; we experience His love when we receive forgiveness for our sins, and when God is at work in our hearts and in our lives, drawing us to Himself and healing us from the spiritual disease of sin.

 

One of the psalms of David includes the famous line, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8, NIV) The phrase “Taste and see” is David’s way of saying, “Don’t just take my word for it; experience it for yourself.” Millions of Christians through the ages have done so—and discovered for themselves that God is, in fact, very good.

 

This experience of God’s goodness, both individual and communal, is the basis of Christians’ faith in God. Contrary to what advocates of fideism claim (see Lessons X), faith and reason are in no way opposites, or even in tension with one another. Faith in God—confidence in His character, trust—is perfectly reasonable, because it’s built on the solid foundation of personal experience (both individual and communal experiences) of the goodness and faithfulness of God.      

 

 

Assignment – Challenge

There’s a common practice in Christian communities that's often called "giving your testimony": that is, telling your story of the ways you've personally experienced God in your life. There are many reasons to give these testimonies, and one of these reasons is to remind others in the community of the goodness of God in the lives of His people.

 

Write out your own testimony in your journal today. In the upcoming weeks, look for an opportunity to share your testimony, either in a private conversation with someone you trust, or even to an entire community of faith (for example, in a church service). Wait with hopeful expectation to see how God might use your testimony to encourage others! 

 

 

 

Lesson 9.4 – Confidence in the character of God, Part II: His faithfulness

 

In the previous lesson, we noted that having faith in God is, first off, having confidence in His character: specifically, in His goodness, which countless believers have experienced both firsthand and through the testimonies of other believers. (This includes the testimonies of those who wrote the various books collected in the Bible.)

 

Another facet of God’s character that gives Christians good reason to trust in Him is His faithfulness.

 

Faithfulness is a matter of being true to one’s word; being loyal, dependable and reliable; keeping one’s promises; never vacillating or being fickle in one’s commitments. To be faithful requires having a character that is constant.

 

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew term for this facet of God’s character is emet, which combines the notions of truth and faithfulness and constancy and trustworthiness all together in one concept. Although we might find it a bit strange to include “truth” in this bundle, the combination of the other qualities is easy to understand. The quality of faithfulness is closely connected to trustworthiness, in particular, which is especially helpful in understanding the notion of faith as trust.

 

The psalms continually praise this facet of God’s nature:

 

All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful [emet]
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. (Psalm 25:10, NIV)

 

As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
    your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness [emet] will
    ever preserve me! (Psalm 40:11, ESV)

 

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness [emet] reaches to the skies. (Psalm 57:10, NIV)

 

Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness [emet];
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name. (Psalm 86:11, NIV)

 

To trust in God is to recognize and regard Him as faithful. God’s faithfulness, along with His goodness, is the basis of the believer’s faith in Him.

 

 

Assignment – Video

Watch the video below to learn more about God’s faithfulness and the biblical concept of emet. Take careful notes over the video in your journal.

 

The Bible Project, “Faithful”

 

 

 

Lesson 9.5 – Believing the promises of God, Part I

 

A significant part of the believer’s experience of God faithfulness is the history of God’s keeping His promises. Throughout the Bible, there are stories in which God makes promises to His people, which He then (in later stories) goes on to fulfill. God is trustworthy, because He can be relied on to keep His word.

 

The Bible contains lots of individual stories. But one of the overall stories of the Bible—a story that’s being told from its beginning all the way to its end—involves God calling out and forming a people for Himself. At first, this group is limited to the ancient Israelites—the descendants of Abraham—which is described in the Old Testament. This is the history of the relationship between God and the Jews. Later, the group of God’s chosen people is expanded to include all the followers of Jesus—the Church—which is described in the New Testament.

 

The special relationships of each of these groups of people to God are based on covenants: solemn and binding agreements that inaugurate a certain kind of partnership. Covenants are very important to the message of the Bible. In fact, the word translated “Testament” (as in, Old Testament and New Testament) can also be translated “Covenant.”

 

Covenants come in different types. In most covenants, one party makes promises to the other, but the fulfillment of these promises is dependent on the other’s party’s continued, faithful commitment or allegiance. But in the most important covenants of Scripture, God makes a unilateral promise: that is, He promises to do something, and the keeping of this promise is not dependent on the actions of the other members of the covenant. At the heart of these covenants is a promise that God makes to redeem the world: that is, to restore the world to its original goodness, before it was corrupted by human sin, and to provide a way for each person to be restored in their relationship to God and to be healed of the devastating effects of sin in their life. The believer’s experience of the fulfillment of this promise in their own life is a big part of what grounds their confidence (faith) in God.  

 

 

Assignment – Video

Watch the video below to learn more about the biblical concept of covenants. Take careful notes over the video in your journal.

 

The Bible Project, “Covenants”

 

 

 

 

Lesson 9.6 – Believing the promises of God, Part II

 

Believing the promises of God is not always easy. God has promised to make the world right, but it’s evident all around us, at present, that the world is very not right. The presence of evil in the world, especially horrendous evil and suffering, makes it difficult to believe that the world is in the process of being restored. And when that evil and suffering touches our own lives, it can be very hard to believe the biblical teaching that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28, NIV, emphasis added).

 

But this is what faith is all about: trusting that God is, in fact, working all things for good in the lives of all who love Him. This is the very heart of faith. We often cannot see or understand how this redemptive work is taking place, at least not in the details of our daily lives. But we trust that God is faithful, and that He is working “behind the scenes” to weave the fabric of our lives—including the most difficult and painful parts of it—into a beautiful tapestry which tells the story of our salvation.

 

But—one might ask—aren’t we now back to the view that faith is a matter of believing without—or even against—evidence? If we can’t see for ourselves that God is working all thing for good in our lives, and yet we believe it anyway, aren’t we believing something that we lack evidence to support? And isn’t that what fideism is all about?

 

The answer is no, and for two different reasons. We’ll explore these in the next lesson.

 

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization

Memorize the following verse. After you have it memorized, meditate on this verse. Ask God to bring it to your mind the next time that you’re facing a difficult situation or something stressful or painful in your life.

 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28, NIV)

 

 

 

Lesson 9.7 – Fideism, revisited

 

We noted in the previous lesson that it can sometimes be difficult to believe the promises of God, especially when what God has promised seems to be at odds with what we presently see in the world around us. We’re told in Scripture that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28, NIV), but in many cases, we’re unable to see this good in the midst of all the evil and suffering that we’re experiencing in our lives. So if we believe it anyway, aren’t we exercising faith in the sense of believing something without evidence? And isn’t that just fideism—the view of faith that we previously considered, critiqued, and ultimately rejected (Lessons 8.6 – 8.9)?

 

In fact, this is not a return to fideism, for two different reasons.

 

First, exercising faith—in the sense of believing the promises of God, including the promise that God is working all things for good in our lives—is not simply a matter of believing things about God, as fideism implies. It’s a matter of trusting God. To have faith is to place one’s trust in God, to trust that He is at work, fulfilling His promises, even when it’s not apparent.

 

Second, believing the promises of God is not unreasonable, even when one cannot presently see those promises being fulfilled. It’s reasonable to believe that God will fulfill His promises, based on our (individual and collective) experience of God in the past and our understanding of His nature. He has shown Himself, time and time again, to be a faithful God. So our faith in God, expressed in the form of believing His promises, is not unreasonable. This is contrary to fideism, which holds that faith and reason are opposites.

 

Journal/Reflection

Part I: Describe a time in your life when it was not at all apparent to you that God was working things for your good. How did the situation turn out? What effect did this experience have on your faith?

 

Part II: What do you think it means that God “works for the good” of those who love Him? Does it mean that He spares those who love Him from ever being harmed, or from experiencing hardship or tragedy or suffering? If not, then what does it mean?

 

 

 

 

Lesson 9.8 – The kernel of truth in fideism

 

We saw in the previous lesson that believing the promises of God—even when doing so involves accepting something that you cannot presently see for yourself—is not a return to fideism. However, our discussion has also now put us in a position to understand the kernel of truth in fideism that makes it seem, at first, plausible.

 

When we believe that God is working all things for good in our lives, even though this seems contrary to what we presently observe, we’re believing something that God has told us, and we’re believing it because God has told us. That is, we’re taking God at His word. This is an act of faith. It’s an act of trust. We’re believing something not because we can see it for ourselves, but because we trust the One who told us.

 

It turns out that this sort of thing is not limited to our relationship with God, and it’s not limited to religious or theological matters. In fact, it happens all the time. It happens every time someone believes something on the basis of testimony: that is, on the basis of what someone else tells them* (see Lesson 6.10). It’s particularly common whenever one person is an expert on something, and they’re reporting what they know to someone who’s not an expert.

 

Here’s a simple example: Suppose you’re reading a book written by a cosmologist—a scientist who studies the universe—and on the basis of what you read, you form the belief that black holes exist. Your belief is not based on evidence; you’ve never seen any black holes, and you haven’t done any experiments yourself to try to verify their existence. You believe it because you have faith in the scientific community. Your faith is not just in the scientific method, but in the members of the scientific community, whom you’re trusting to carry out these methods with integrity and report the results honestly.

 

Seen in this light, we believe things in faith all the time, and it’s perfectly reasonable to do so.

 

* Notice that we’ve used the term “testimony” in two different ways in these lessons. We’ve used it in a general sense, to refer to anything that anyone reports to someone else, and we’ve used it in a specific sense, to refer to a believer’s telling of their personal experience of God (“giving their testimony”). Here we’re using “testimony” in the first sense.  

 

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization

Memorize the following verses. One you have these verses memorized, meditate on them, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;

 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)

 

 

 

Lesson 9.9 – Taking God at His word

 

We’ve uncovered a kernel of truth in fideism: it often happens, when we believe something on the basis of the testimony of an expert, that we’re believing something for which we ourselves (the non-experts) have no evidence, and in these cases, it’s fair to say that we’re believing something in faith. The mistake of the fideist, however, is to misidentify which part of this scenario is the faith component.

 

The fideist confuses faith itself with one of its common byproducts. The essence of faith is trust. In the type of case just mentioned, the element of faith is the trust that’s placed in someone who’s an expert. The byproduct is that the non-expert is accepting a belief for which they themselves have little or no evidence. Believing without evidence is not the essence of faith. But it’s something that often happens when knowledge is transmitted between people who have unequal levels of understanding or expertise.

 

Understood in this light, it’s not at all surprising that many religious beliefs which are held in faith—that is, on the basis of the believer’s trust in God—also happen to be ones for which the believer lacks evidence. God, after all, possesses infinitely greater knowledge and understanding of the world than any human being. He is the ultimate expert on everything.

 

Some of the things that God reveals to us are things that, at least eventually, we might come to see for ourselves: for example, the revelation that all people have equal moral worth (an idea virtually unknown to the ancient world prior to the Jews, but widespread today). But there are other things that God reveals that we couldn’t possibly discover for ourselves, and some of these are things that we cannot fully understand even after they’re revealed. The central mysteries of the Christian faith—in particular, the doctrines of the trinity and the incarnation—are the clearest examples of the latter. In believing these, we’re simply taking God at His word. We’re believing a revelation of God in faith—that is, on the basis of our trust in God, rooted in our past experience of His trustworthiness.

 

 

Assignment – Breath Prayer

Practice breath prayer for at least five minutes (review instructions here, if needed). Use the first line of Proverbs 3:5-6, the verses you memorized in the previous assignment: “Trust in the Lord / with all your heart.”

 

 

 

Lesson 9.10 – Trusting in the providence of God

 

We’ve seen that part of what it means to trust God is to believe the promises He has made. This aspect of faith—trusting in the faithfulness of God and putting one’s hope in the fulfillment of His promises—is closely tied to another: trusting in the providence of God.

 

The term “providence” may be unfamiliar to you, but it’s a very important theological concept. It refers both to God’s guidance of the world and to His care and protection of those who put their trust in Him. Part of what it means to have a deep and abiding faith in God is to entrust your life to Him: that is, to trust God to guide your life and to bring it to its fulfilment.

 

Providence is a concept that’s easy to misunderstand. First off, it does not mean that God is orchestrating every single thing that happens in the world. Providence is not equivalent to fatalism, or determinism. Human beings have free will, and we can use our freedom to act contrary to what God desires and intends for us. So we shouldn’t think of providence as a complete control that God exerts over the world, extending to everything, even our choices.

 

Second, God’s providence does not mean that believers are spared from suffering or tragedy in their lives. Bad things often happen to good people—and oftentimes, these bad things are the result of other people misusing their free will. Believing in God’s providence does not mean that one expects to be magically protected from all harm.

 

The right way to understand God’s providence is in relation to the biblical teaching we previously discussed: that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” (Romans 8:28, NIV) This means that God is at work even in the painful and tragic events of our lives. Though God is not the cause of many of these events, He uses these events to draw us closer to Himself and to perfect us in virtue—that is, in love—and thereby to guide us towards the fulfilment of our natures. It is in this sense that God is fully in control of the world, and on this basis that believers rightly entrust their lives and souls to Him.

 

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization

Memorize the following verse. Ask God to bring this verse to mind the next time you’re feeling anxious.

 

“Cast all your anxiety on [God] because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV)

 

Pray that God will help you to believe fully in His providence, and in this way to increase your faith.

 

 

Additional Journal/Reflection

Review your journal entry from Lesson 9.7. Do you still agree with what you wrote? Would you now revise it in any way?

 

 

 

Lesson 9.11 – Prayers of faith

 

How do we grow in our trust towards God? One of the most important ways we do so is through prayer. A set of lessons from a previous unit (Lessons 4.14 – 4.15) explored the question, What is the purpose of prayer? Here it was noted that there’s much debate about whether we can change God’s mind with our prayers, or persuade God to do something He wasn’t already planning to do, but, regardless, this certainly isn’t the primary purpose of prayer. The primary purpose of prayer is spiritual formation.

 

We are shaped by the repeated experiences that make up our daily habits, for better and worse. This is a significant part of how character is forged. The most important habits we can form are daily practices of the spiritual disciplines. Recall from Lesson 7.02 that the theological virtues are entirely infused. It follows that faith in all its aspects—including trust—is something that God creates in us when we’re receptive to it. The spiritual disciplines are practices by which we open ourselves up to God’s influence and transforming power, and prayer is among the most important of these disciplines. This is why it’s so important that we make prayer a part of our daily practice, and why this practice should include prayers of trust.

The richest source of material for such prayers are the psalms in the Bible. Praying the psalms is one of the oldest and most important forms of Christian prayer. In some religious communities, the complete cycle of all one hundred and fifty psalms are prayed every week!

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization

As we noted in the assignment following Lesson 9.02, the most famous of all the psalms in Scripture is Psalm 23, one of the psalms of David. In this psalm, David expresses his trust and gratitude to God and the sense of security that he experiences in his relationship with God because of His faithful provision (the ways that God faithfully provides for David’s needs) and His providential guidance (the ways that God is with David, guiding him through difficult passages of his life). It’s a beautiful love poem, and one that millions of Christians pray daily as their own expression of faith and gratitude toward God. 

Today, memorize the first half of Psalm 23. (You’ll be tasked with memorizing the second half in the next assignment.) Begin incorporating it into your daily prayers, with the aim of being formed by this great psalm and growing in trust towards God.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
    He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever. (Psalm 23, NIV)

 

 

 

Lesson 9.12 – Faith as allegiance

 

We noted previously (in Lesson 9.05) that the concept of covenants are central to the message of the Bible, and that the most important covenant—called the New Covenant—involves a promise of God to redeem the world. This redemption involves the restoration of the world to its original goodness, before it was corrupted by human sin, and provision for each person to be restored in their relationship to God and healed from the devastating effects of sin in their life. Redemption of the world is achieved through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who inaugurates (first establishes) the Kingdom of God on earth and invites each person to become a citizen of this Kingdom by pledging their allegiance to him as King.

 

We’ve explored in detail the first two parts of faith: belief and trust. We’ve now arrived at the third part. Faith is a matter of allegiance. Specifically, Christian faith is allegiance to Jesus Christ.

 

There are several facets of this allegiance. The first we have already indicated: pledging one’s allegiance to Jesus is a matter of recognizing him as the rightful King—not only of the Kingdom of God, but of all creation. Second, allegiance to Jesus is a matter of recognizing him as the Son of God. Third, allegiance to Jesus a matter of submitting to him as Lord. And finally, allegiance to Jesus is a matter of accepting him as the Messiah (Savior)—both the Savior of the world and one’s personal Savior.

We’ll explore each of these facets of faith as allegiance to Jesus Christ in the upcoming lessons.

 

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization

Review the first half of Psalm 23, which you were assigned to memorize in the previous lesson. Then memorize the second half (highlighted below). Once you have the entire psalm memorized, begin to recite it as a part of your daily prayers.

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
    He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever. (Psalm 23, NIV)

 

 

 

Lesson 9.13 – Accepting Jesus as the Son of God

 

In the previous lesson, we identified four facets of faith as allegiance to Jesus Christ. To pledge one’s allegiance to Jesus is to recognize him as the Son of God, the Lord of all creation (including one’s own life), the promised Messiah (Savior), and the rightful head of the Kingdom of God.

 

These four facets of faith as allegiance are all tightly interconnected. For starters, the reason that Jesus is the Lord of all creation is that he is the Son of God through whom all creation was made. This remarkable set of teachings is found in multiple places in the New Testament. Here’s what the Apostle Paul writes:

 

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17, NIV)

 

The Apostle John says the same thing about Jesus, whom he identifies as the Word of God:

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3, NIV)

 

These are theologically deep waters! As the Son of God, Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity, existing from all eternity past with God the Father. The verses above contain some very provocative but deeply mysterious claims about the role of the Son in creation: that everything in heaven and earth was created “through him” and that “in him all things hold together.” What is most important for the present discussion, however, is the teaching that everything in heaven and earth is created “for him.” Think about that. Everything was created for Jesus. The entirety of creation is one big gift from the Father to the Son!

 

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization and Meditation  

Memorize Colossians 1:15-17. If you prefer, you can memorize the following, slightly abridged version:

 

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. …[A]ll things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

 

One you have these verses memorized, meditate on them, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.

 

 

 

Lesson 9.14 – Accepting Jesus as Lord

 

Everything and everyone rightfully belongs to Jesus. But not everyone accepts this. Faith as allegiance to Jesus involves recognizing and gratefully accepting this fact about creation, and applying it specifically to yourself: that is, recognizing that you belong to Jesus, and accepting him as the Lord of your life.

 

But what, exactly, does it mean to accept Jesus as Lord?

 

“Lord” is a title that denotes power and authority; it’s a term that’s used to refer to a master or ruler. To accept Jesus as Lord is to recognize Jesus as the rightful ruler of your life, and to accept and submit to his authority. And what this means, in practical terms, is that you strive daily to obey God’s commands and to live faithfully in accordance with the teachings of Jesus. This, according to Jesus, is the mark of a true disciple:

 

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, NLT)

 

Each of these verses has a separate point that we need to unpack and consider carefully. We’ll do so in the upcoming lessons.  

 

 

Journal/Reflection

How do you feel about the idea that you rightfully belong to Jesus, and that he has a rightful claim to your life? Do you find it offensive? Or perhaps comforting? Pay attention to your feelings, and then reflect in your journal about what you think is behind these feelings.

 

 

 

Lesson 9.15 – Faith without works is dead

 

“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.’” (John 8:31, NLT)

 

We noted in the previous lesson that obedience is the mark of true discipleship. But the Bible goes further than this. It contains some very serious warnings for those who presume to have faith but are not willing to actually obey God’s commands. The Apostle James admonished his first-century readers,

 

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1:22-24, NIV)

 

It might seem like James is simply telling us that it’s foolish, even comical, for someone to hear or read God’s word and then fail to do what it commands. But it’s much worse than this. James goes on to say that “faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26, ESV, emphasis added). James is here thinking especially about “the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (James 2:8). A faith that does not obey God’s command to love our neighbors (that is, other people) is not a saving faith. Faith in God and love for one’s neighbor are inseparable.

 

There’s certainly nothing comical about the consequences for those who would try to separate the two. In one of the most sobering passages of the entire New Testament, Jesus says this:

 

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” (Matthew 7:21-23, NLT)

 

The third part of faith is allegiance to Christ, and this requires accepting Jesus as Lord, which in turn requires obedience. It is a catastrophic mistake to imagine that one can have saving faith without obeying God’s commands, and in particular His command to love one another.

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize James 2:24 and 2:26. One you have these verses memorized, meditate on them, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.

 

 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. […] For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (James 2:24, 26, ESV)

 

 

 

Lesson 9.16 – Freedom in Christ, Part I

 

In the previous lesson, we reflected on the sobering biblical teaching that even some people who call Jesus “Lord” are not true disciples, because they don’t obey God’s commands. As the Apostle James put it, “faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26, ESV).

 

There’s a flip side to this teaching, however, that we should not overlook. In addition to the stern warnings that he gave about the inseparability of saving faith and obedience, Jesus also said this:

 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV)

 

A yoke is a device that was put on the necks of two animals in order to make them work together in some task, such as pulling a plow or a cart. What Jesus is saying in this passage is that being joined to him in discipleship is not a burden. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Recall the verse about obedience with which we began in Lesson 9.14:

 

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, NLT)

 

Think about that final phrase: the truth will set you free. To accept Jesus as Lord is to accept him as master. But unlike earthly masters, who use their power to dominate and enslave those they rule, Jesus gives freedom to those whose lives he rules.

 

But what does this mean, exactly? We’ll explore it more in the next lesson.

 

 

Assignment – Scripture Memorization and Meditation

Memorize John 8:31-32 (see Lesson above). After you’ve memorized these verses, meditate on them, asking God to reveal to you their meaning.

 

 

 

Lesson 9.17 – Freedom in Christ, Part II

What did Jesus mean when he said that “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)? And why did he say that “my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30)? Jesus seems to be saying that, unlike earthly masters, who use their power to dominate and enslave those they rule, Jesus gives rest and freedom to those whose lives he rules—that is, to those who accept him as Lord. But how does this work, exactly?

It at first seems to be another paradoxical teaching of Christianity. You may have encountered something like this before, in Jesus’s teaching that “whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it" (Matthew 16:25, NIV). In an earlier unit (Lesson 5.16), we unpacked the meaning of this verse: namely, that salvation includes a process of sanctification, and this process requires dying to self. The process of dying to self is difficult, and it requires great effort to continue, day after day, being receptive to God and allowing Him to cure us of the spiritual disease of sin.

So how is any of this restful? How is this freedom?

A few verses after the one where Jesus says that “the truth will set you free,” Jesus tells his listeners that “everyone who sins is a slave to sin,” but that “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34, 36, NIV). Here is the answer to our question: true freedom is found in deliverance from the bondage of sin.

We’ll unpack this idea in the next lesson.

 

Journal/Reflection

Consider the claim that true freedom is found in deliverance from the bondage of sin. What do you think this means? Is this a plausible definition of freedom? Is this what you think freedom really is? Why or why not?

 

 

 

Lesson 9.18 – Freedom in Christ, Part III

 

Jesus taught that “everyone who sins is a slave to sin,” but that “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:34, 36, NIV) The implication is that true freedom is deliverance from the bondage of sin.

 

This might seem like a trick, like some sort of theological slight-of-hand. But it’s not. To understand it, we just have to remember that true and lasting happiness requires virtue, and that sin which is entrenched in a person’s character—otherwise known as vice—is the very opposite of virtue. To have a vice is to have an ingrained habit, a character trait, which disposes one to act in ways that are contrary to one’s own true happiness and flourishing. This is why everyone who is in the grip of sin is internally conflicted, and thus never truly at peace in their soul.

 

Vice is a kind of addiction: an addiction to sin. And as every addict knows, addiction is the very opposite of freedom.

 

To be healed of our addiction to sin is to be set free to live in the only way that brings true happiness and fulfillment. Freedom, in this sense, is the capacity to act in accordance with one’s true nature: that is, the nature that God created us to have (not the fallen nature we’ve forged for ourselves through sin).

 

We’ve noted many times that to be human is to be made for love; we are made to exist in relationships of everlasting and perfect loving communion (friendship) with God and with other people. But we are capable of this only if we are perfected in virtue, which requires that we be healed completely of our addiction to sin. And this is what happens when we are “yoked” to Christ in discipleship. This is why Jesus said,

 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV)

 

When we remain in a relationship of submission to Christ, his Spirit transforms us from the inside, enabling us to live in the only way that brings lasting happiness and joy. This is true freedom.  

 

 

Assignment – Lectio Divina

Practice Lectio Divina on the following passage (review instructions on Lectio Divina from Unit 1, if needed):

 

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:9-11, NIV)

 

Additional Assignment (optional): Scripture Reading and Reflection

The language of “remaining” or “abiding” in Christ is found most prominently in the Gospel of John, especially chapter 15. Read John 15:1-11 (you can find it here in two different translations). Reflect in your journal about what you think it means to remain (or abide) in Christ, and the connection between this and experiencing freedom and joy in your life.

 

 

 

Lesson 9.19 – Accepting Jesus as Messiah (King)

 

Faith as allegiance to Christ means accepting Jesus as the Son of God and as Lord. It also means accepting Jesus as the promised Messiah—the Christ—and as King.  

 

It helps to understand the terminology being used here. The Hebrew word “messiah” means “anointed.” The word “Christ” is a title in Greek which means “anointed one.” An “anointing” is a religious ritual in which someone is officially appointed as king. (The ritual involves pouring or rubbing oil on the appointed individual; see, for example, 1 Samuel 10:1 and 16:10-13.)

 

In the Old Testament, a great king was prophesied (foretold) by various prophets—a king in the line of David who would liberate the Jewish people from their oppressors, defeat their enemies, and inaugurate an eternal kingdom of peace and justice. This king was God’s chosen (“anointed”) one, whom Jews came to refer to as “the Messiah.” For many centuries leading up to the time when Jesus was born, Jewish people were looking forward to the coming Messiah, whom they understood God to have promised as the deliverer of His people.

 

It turned out that the Messiah was both less and more than what the ancient Jews were expecting. He was not someone who would immediately deliver the Jewish people from their earthly oppressors, as they expected. (These oppressors were many, throughout history, but in the first century, it was the Roman Empire.) Instead, the Messiah would accomplish something infinitely greater. He would deliver his people from their bondage to sin and death.

 

 

Assignment – Scripture Reading and Reflection

There are cryptic references to, and prophesies about, the Messiah throughout the Old Testament, though it was difficult to recognize all of them or understand their meaning fully until they were fulfilled in Jesus. The earliest such prophesy is in Genesis chapter 3, the story of the Fall of humankind. Here God prophesies that a certain “offspring” of the first woman (Eve) would “crush” the head of the deceiving serpent who tempted humans to rebel against Him (Genesis 3:15). Christians understand this to be a prophesy about Jesus, who defeated the powers of sin and death on the cross. For this reason, Genesis 3:15 is called the protoevangelium—that is, the first gospel.

 

Read Genesis 3 (available here) and reflect in your journal about the meaning of verse 15. How do you interpret it?

 

 

 

Lesson 9.20 – “King of kings and Lord of lords”

 

To accept Jesus as the Messiah (Christ) is also to accept him as King. But he is a king far greater than any other. His kingdom is a kingdom not of this world, as he told the first century Roman official, Pontius Pilate (see John 18:36). His kingdom is, instead, the kingdom of God.

 

The inauguration of the kingdom of God—the point when it first came to earth—was when Jesus "was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary" (Apostles' Creed). His birth was recognized and celebrated by wise men from the East as the birth of a great king, whose arrival was indicated by a star rising in the heavens—a star which guided the wise men to the childhood home of Jesus (see Matthew 2:1-12). When they arrived, they presented gifts to Jesus meant to recognize and honor him as king of the Jews.

 

The Apostle Matthew emphasizes throughout his gospel that Jesus is the last king of Israel, a priestly king, the rightful heir to the throne of David, the promised Messiah, God’s anointed one. Throughout his ministry, Jesus and his disciples went about proclaiming that “the kingdom of God is at hand” (see Matthew 3:1-2 and 4:12-17; Mark 1:14-15). The reason the kingdom of God was at hand is that the King had finally arrived!

 

To have faith in Christ is to be part of the kingdom of God, and this begins by accepting and honoring Jesus as King. Believers are already citizens of the kingdom of God. The final book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, prophesies that at the end of the age, Jesus will be revealed to all as “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:11-16). The citizens of the kingdom of God are those who recognize and honor Jesus as such, even now.

 

 

Assignment – Videos

In addition to being King, Jesus is also the Royal Priest. Watch the following two videos to learn more about this important idea in Scripture.

“David the Priestly King”

“Jesus the Royal Priest”

 

 

 

Lesson 9.21 – Accepting Jesus as Savior

 

In Lesson 9.19, we noted that the Jesus turned out to be both less and more than what the ancient Jews had been expecting in the Messiah. They were expecting a savior in the sense of someone who would deliver them from their enemies. They were expecting a political and military leader, someone who would overthrow their Roman oppressors and restore the nation of Israel to its rightful sovereignty. Jesus was none of these things.

 

As it turned out, the Messiah was a savior of a very different sort. Rather than being a military or political savior of a nation, as the ancient Jews had been anticipating, Jesus was—and is!—the one who saves his people from the bondage of sin and death.

 

The problem that Jesus came to solve was much bigger, and much more intractable, than the problem of Roman imperial rule. Regardless of whether we live our lives as free citizens or as slaves, as members of a democracy or a totalitarian regime, we will all eventually die. And throughout our lives, we all suffer from the effects of sin and evil—both the evil that’s perpetrated by others and the evil that’s within our own souls. Nations and empires rise and fall, but evil, sin, and death are the constants of human existence—as they have been from the beginning (recall Genesis 3).

 

Faith as allegiance to Jesus Christ means accepting him as Savior. There are two parts to this. To be a believer is to accept Jesus as your personal savior: the one who saves you from your sins. But he is also the savior of the world: the one promised by God since the time of the Fall (Genesis 3:15), the one who will liberate all creation from its bondage to sin and death. The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

 

For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. (Romans 8:19-21, NLT)

 

 

Journal/Reflection

How do you interpret Romans 8:19-21? Specifically, what do you think it means that “all creation was subjected to God’s curse” and that “creation is waiting eagerly for that future day” when there will be “glorious freedom from death and decay”?

 

 

 

Lesson 9.22 – Faith as construal

 

So far, we’ve considered three facets of faith: belief, trust, and allegiance. The fourth and final part of faith that we’ll discuss is construal. This aspect of faith is more subtle and difficult to explain than the other three, and it will be touched on only briefly here.

 

The simplest way to understand construal is that it’s a way of seeing. More specifically, it’s a matter of seeing something as something.

 

Perhaps you’re familiar with the duck/rabbit illusion. (If not, you can view it here.) In one way of viewing the image, you see it as a duck. In another way, you see it as a rabbit. What we mean by “construal” is this notion of seeing as. What’s really interesting and important about construal is that it applies not just to the way one views individual images, but to one’s entire experience of the world.

To have faith is to see the world in a certain characteristic way. Instead of seeing the world as a cosmic accident, for example, the person of faith sees it as a work of divine creation. Instead of seeing human beings as complex bits of matter in motion, the person of faith sees them as creatures made in the image of God. Instead of seeing moral obligations as mere social conventions, the person of faith sees them as divine requirements communicated through revelation and individual conscience. And so on.  

 

For believers, the world is filled with “signs” that point to God. But part of faith is being able to “see” these signs. It’s not a simple matter of vision. It’s a matter of construal. And your construal of the world is tied to deep features of who you are, as an individual. We’ll explore this next, in our final reflection on faith.

 

 

Journal/Reflection

Reflect on at least one of the following in your journal:

 

(1)    List some further ways that believers might see the world differently than nonbelievers (beyond the three ways mentioned in the lesson). How significant is the sum total of all these differences, do you think? That is, how much of a difference does it make to a person’s life whether they see things in one way rather than the other?

 

(2)    Why might it be the case that the way a person construes the world is tied to deep features of who they are as an individual?

 

 

 

Lesson 9.23 – The connection between faith and wisdom

 

In the simplest forms of construal, such as the one at work in the duck/rabbit example (mentioned in the previous lesson), switching back and forth between different construals is something that can be done at will. You more or less just decide to see the image as a duck, and the duck image “appears” to you, and if you then decide to see it as a rabbit, your perception of the image changes. In more complex forms of construal, however, it’s not like this. In particular, the kind of “seeing as” involved in faith is not a simple matter of just deciding to see the world differently.

 

In complex forms of construal, the way that a person sees the world is tied to their other beliefs, experiences, values, training, background knowledge, and more. And in the most complex forms of construal—those involving moral and spiritual matters—the way a person sees the world is tied to their character.

 

In this respect, faith as construal is much like wisdom. Several lessons from the unit on wisdom (6.22 – 6.24) explored the idea that a person’s ability to perceive moral and spiritual truth is a function of their character. Like wisdom, faith is a virtue—a character trait—and not simply a set of beliefs. Faith is a character trait that enables one to perceive certain truths and to experience certain parts of reality to which a person is otherwise blind.

 

Contrary to what many critics allege, faith is not a matter of willing oneself to believe things for which one has no evidence. And faith is not blind. In fact, just the opposite: faith is the means by which a person is enabled to see the world as it really is.

 

 

Assignment – Scripture Meditation and Journal Reflection

The idea that faith enables a person to see is encountered throughout Scripture. Meditate on the following verses, and then record your insights in your journal. Pay special attention to the references to seeing and purity in these passages.

 

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8, NIV)

 

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3, NIV)

 

 

 

Module 10 Lessons (Hope)

 

Lesson 10.01 – Introduction to Christian Hope

 “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV)

St. Paul’s famous eulogy of love highlights the three traits of believers (followers of Jesus) that church tradition would later refer to as the theological virtues. In the previous two modules, we discussed the first of these—the virtue of faith—and in the next module we’ll examine the Christian virtue of love. In this module, our focus will be the virtue of hope.

The term “hope” can be used in many different ways and requires some careful analysis. Hope has many cousin terms, sometimes used as synonyms; these concepts include wish, longing, and expectancy. Hopefulness has its own related terms as well, such as optimism and positivity. Hope is most often contrasted with despair (literally a lack of hope), but it can also be contrasted with a worldly kind of shrewdness, bitterness, small-mindedness, and even malice.

We are looking at the virtue of hope, but much like love, hope is a virtue with a strong emotional component. Hope is both how one is disposed to act but also how one is disposed to feel. (Because it’s related to Christian faith, we’ll also find that hope concerns how one is disposed to believe.) The connection with love is not accidental, and as a Christian virtue much of our focus will be on how hope is related to love, as the verse above suggests.

Journal/Reflection

Define “hope” as you think most people understand it. Then write a sentence or two on how Christian hope might be different from this usual understanding. 

Challenge: Encouragement 

Think of someone who is struggling with a lack of hope today. Perhaps they are worried about the future or despairing that a present struggle will never end. Offer them a word of encouragement and see if there is a way you could practically support them. 

 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.02 – A Future Orientation

Hope is something one possesses in the present that concerns the future, which is the realm of possibility. Unlike the past, which is closed to our present actions (multiverse movies aside), the future seems open to us, and things in our future can turn out well or they can turn out poorly. As Christian philosopher Robert C. Roberts puts it, “Hope is a construal of one’s future as holding good prospects” (Roberts, Spiritual Emotions, 148). Despair is the opposite: it’s a way of construing one’s future as holding only bad prospects. Hope’s positive view toward the future includes an awareness that things might not turn out positively, so hope involves a measure of willfulness that something will happen rather than another thing, namely good rather than bad. Hope, therefore, requires a measure of tenacity.

Because our hopes are often mistaken—I hoped I would get an A on the paper, but I got a C—hope can appear to be irrational, and thus a vice rather than a virtue. In fact, sometimes hope in everyday language just means “wishful thinking.” I hope I win the lottery. Christian hope has a uniquely defined end, what Thomas Aquinas calls “eternal happiness.” Christian hope concerns the reconciliation of our lives with God in an eternally restful, loving union. Because of the confidence Christian faith has in God’s ultimate making of all things right, Christian hope is not irrational nor baseless, but finds its support in the promises of Scripture.

Journal/Reflection

Think back on a time when you experienced some wishful thinking, an experience you might have called ‘hoping,’ but there was little basis for your wish. Do you think wishful thinking is immoral? Do you think it’s irrational? Why or why not? 

Challenge: Silence and Solitude

Modern life is full of distractions that make it difficult to think clearly and deeply about matters of great importance like our own character formation. Today’s challenge is to put aside all digital technology (phones, televisions, computers, radios, etc.) and find a place where you can be alone with your thoughts. Take your journal with you, and write the Journal/Reflection 10.02 assignment at the top of a new page in your journal. Once you find a place where you can be alone and free from distractions and interruptions, commit to staying there for 30 minutes and to focusing your mind on the task at hand. Spend at least 10 minutes (5 minutes for middle schoolers) quietly contemplating the difference between wishful thinking and hope. Following this time of reflection, write your journal entry. Spend the remainder of the 30 minutes in prayer. (Your prayer can be of any type, including contemplative prayer or "sitting with Jesus.")

 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.03 – Living Hope

Let’s dig a little deeper into the theological basis of Christian hope. When we explore Christian love, we’ll spend some time on the story of Simon Peter, the disciple of Jesus and leader of the early church. Peter’s ascendancy as the ‘rock’ on which the church would be built was itself rocky; Peter famously betrayed Jesus and, subsequently, experienced deep shame. He was initially unable to forgive himself. Many years after this event, we read these words in a letter to churches in modern day Turkey:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. (1 Peter 1:3–5, NIV)

Peter describes the hope he possesses as “living hope,” which means several things. First, Peter has a deep, personal experience of God’s forgiveness that empowers him not only to forgive himself but to move forward boldly in the mission to share the Good News with others who are similarly wounded. Second, the basis for Peter’s “new birth” is the new life of Jesus, a resurrected life. Though Jesus died, Christians from the beginning have understood their worship to be directed to one who is alive, because Jesus was resurrected. Third, because of that historical event, Peter’s hope is living because his inheritance from God is living, imperishable. It is securely in God’s hands, to be received in the future.

To summarize: Peter has experienced redemption in his past, has embraced the miracle of Jesus’s resurrection, and thus has a basis for eternal hope.

Journal/Reflection

Reflect on the story of St. Peter. What does it teach us about the relationship between forgiveness and hope? How might forgiveness lead to hope?

Challenge: Gratitude

In this lesson, we explored the "living hope" of Peter, born out of his experience of God's mercy and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This hope is anchored in gratitude for what God has done in his life. Today, take a moment to write down five things you are grateful for on a physical piece of paper or sticky note. Your five things can be simple or significant. Stick the note in a prominent place where you will see it all week like a bathroom mirror or near your desk. For each item, offer a prayer of gratitude to God and/or an expression of thanks to someone who has blessed you. 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.04 – Resurrection as the Basis for Hope

Christian hope is theologically rooted in the resurrection of Jesus, which tells us something about God and something about ourselves. The resurrection of Jesus tells us that God has power stronger than death (2 Timothy 1:10) and that God seeks to make all that is broken and corrupt new (Revelation 21:5). The resurrection of Jesus tells us that God will go to the furthest lengths to express His love for us (John 3:16) and that nothing can come between us and God’s love (Romans 8:31–39).

Listen to the poetry of the English poet, John Donne:

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow

Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

Journal/Reflection

Reread this poem several times until you have a firm grasp on its message. Meditate on the hope expressed here.

Challenge: Scripture Memory and Recitation

Today's challenge is to commit a key Bible verse from this lesson to memory. The passages from 2 Timothy, Revelation, and John should be fairly easy to memorize. If you’re looking for an extra challenge, try committing all of Romans 8:31–39 to memory. 

After you've memorized the verse, take a few moments to meditate on its meaning and how it relates to the lesson on Christian hope rooted in the resurrection. How does the verse inspire you to hope more deeply? How can you apply this verse to areas in your life where hope may be lacking?

Lastly, record a video in portrait mode (vertical) of yourself reciting the Bible verse and upload it.

Here is the text for each verse:

2 Timothy 1:9–10 (NIV)

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 

Revelation 21:4-5a (NIV)

“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’  or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!””

John 3:16-17 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

Lesson 10.05 – Mature or Immature?

For most young people, life seems wide open and the possibilities endless. Your vocation, future life partner, socio–economic status, and much more seem like open roads on an endless frontier, and you have near infinite possibilities as to which paths you’ll take. For those of retirement age, what is possible to do or to be in life are rapidly diminishing categories. Most of life’s experiences are, at this point, in the rearview mirror.

For this reason, many people look down on hope as a kind of youthful passion, a naive if not irresponsible character trait to possess. Hope, in this light, is something to grow out of. Once someone undergoes the school of life and experiences the dashing of youthful hopes, one realizes that it is better to be “realistic” or measured rather than hopeful.

Without question, wisdom very often accompanies aging (see Proverbs 16:31), and older people have a perspective only age can provide. However, because Christian hope concerns not this or that plan for one’s life, but an eternal happiness and communion with God, it is not a trait to be outgrown and shed like the skin of a snake. Quite to the contrary, Christian hope is a virtue that should mature over time. The hope for union with God has the potential to grow stronger and stronger for the older person, because that person quite possibly has had more opportunities to trust God with his or her life.

Journal/Reflection

In your journal: 

1. Make a list of 8-10 hopes you have for your future. Be honest with yourself about what you wish for and what you imagine your near or distant future to be like.
2. Pray over this list and ask God to help you focus on hopes that draw you closer to eternal happiness and communion with Him. 
3. After praying, circle three hopes you believe God wants you to continue to cultivate because they are aligned with His purposes.
4. Then put a box around two hopes you sense God is calling you to surrender to Him and possibly give up or realign with His purposes for your life.

 

If possible, discuss your reflections with someone older and wiser in the faith. Ask for their perspective on how hope has matured in their life and how you might nurture a similar maturation in your own hope.

Spend a few minutes praying through each item you circled or boxed, following it with Jesus’ words “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Challenge: Discernment

In this lesson, we've examined how hope changes at different life stages and challenged the notion that hope is merely a youthful passion. You've learned that Christian hope should mature and grow stronger with time, as it focuses on eternal happiness and communion with God.

 

Today, practice the discipline of discernment through journaling, prayer, and seeking wise counsel. In what follows, you’ll take some time to consider your own hopes and dreams for your future and then discern which hopes are aligned with the ultimate Christian hope of eternal communion with God, and which may be based on worldly or immature perspectives.

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.06 – Atheistic Hope

When someone dismisses hope as a youthful or irresponsible passion, we call them jaded, which means they’re tired or bored from their own life experiences. A jaded person projects their dissatisfaction on others who remain hopeful. Undoubtedly this kind of person is no fun to be around. However, one might critique hope for other, philosophical reasons as well.

One of the twentieth century’s most famous atheists, British philosopher Bertrand Russell, believed that despair rather than hope should be chosen on the basis of philosophical reasoning. Russell was a philosophical naturalist and believed that all there was in the entire universe was physical matter. As members of this universe, humans are no more than matter in motion, nothing “but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms,” he claimed (Russell, “A Free Man’s Worship”).

This view is diametrically opposed to the Christian view that one day God will make all things new and we will be united to Him. Russell’s view is one in which there is no room for God, let alone God’s promises. It rules out the very existence of values—of good and bad, right and wrong—as we typically understand them, as transcendent goods. After all, values are not natural or physical things, and therefore to speak of them from Russell’s perspective is to speak of something that humans invent. Basing happiness and hope on ideas we invent is a feeble undertaking, Russell recognizes. He concludes that we ought to withdraw our hope in anything outside of our own ideas and inventions. We must recognize that one day the world will swallow us up as it has with all of our predecessors.

Journal/Reflection

Evaluate Bertrand Russell’s view of hope. What would you say in response? Is he right? Is his view merely “sobering”—that is, one that brings us back to our senses, back to what is sensible and free of comforting delusions—or is it itself deluded?

Challenge: Sabbath-Keeping

In Exodus 20:8-11, God commands his people to 

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

This week, reserve Saturday or Sunday as a day of rest. Refrain from doing work or homework for the whole day. Slow down, rest, and do something recreational that will restore your body, mind, and spirit instead. This will require you to get your work done completely on the other six days of the week. Plan for that and make the Sabbath a priority.

 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.07 – Hope as Habit

In both the classical virtue tradition (represented by Aristotle [link to Lesson 7]) and the Christian virtue tradition, one or two virtuous acts does not a virtuous person make. Virtue is possessed only when it becomes dispositional or habitual, only when it becomes normal for someone to act in this or that way. What goes for other virtues goes for the Christian theological virtue of hope.

The nineteenth century Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard says this about the continuity and persistence of the hopeful individual:

No indolence of habit, no pettiness of mind, no hairsplitting of sagacity, no quantities of experience, no slackness of the years, no bitterness of evil passions corrupt for him his hope or counterfeit the possibility for him; every morning, yes, every moment, he renews his hope and refreshes possibility … (Kierkegaard, Works of Love, 258).

What Kierkegaard is highlighting in this passage is the extent to which hope is grounded in the human will. In this way it is very much like other, more commonly recognized virtues. In order for a person who has developed a bad habit of lying to make a change and begin to cultivate the virtue of honesty, they must make a choice over and over, throughout each day, that this time I will not be dishonest but will speak the truth. Similarly, as a decision of the will, hope must confront the tendency we often have to catastrophize, to assume the worst will occur. The cultivation of hope, like the cultivation of all virtues, therefore requires the will’s decision to be disciplined.

Journal/Reflection

Think first, then write about the last time you felt hopeless, whether it was a momentary sense of hopelessness or a deeper sort of despair. What thoughts ran through your mind during that time? What emotions did you feel? How did your body feel? What sorts of actions did you do? 

Then think and write about the habits of thought, feeling, and action you would need to cultivate to counter the despair. What truth might you need to think about when you are tempted with despair? What feelings do you need to tap into? What activities should you do to prevent a downward spiral of hopelessness?

Challenge: Accountability

If you already have an accountability partner or group, connect with them again for this exercise. If you do not have an accountability partner or group, select a friend or a small group of close friends to serve as your accountability group. The whole group must be committed to honesty, transparency, and confidentiality for this to work. Once you have your partner or group, do the following together:

1. Look back over your journal entries from lessons 10.01-10.06. If your partner(s) are not doing the Gravitas Character Formation Program with you, ask them to sign up for it or feel free to share the assignments with them so they can do some journaling in advance. 
2. Share your hopes as well as the things that cause you anxiety with your group. 
3. As a group, share at least one hope you would like to see become more aligned with God’s purpose or one source of anxiety you would like to surrender to God.
4. Pray together about these hopes and fears.
5. Commit to checking in with each other at least once a week to see how each of you is doing with respect to your hopes and fears. Pray for each other daily, and commit to encouraging each other. In later lessons you’ll be reminded to check up on your accountability friends.

 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.08 – Infused Virtue

We may agree that hope requires persistence, tenacity, and a disciplined will. But the standard of the person who “every moment” renews their hope seems impossibly high. Ironically, hope functioning at this level of discipline may seem so out of reach for us that it could lead one to despair.

Thankfully, we are not alone. As a theological virtue, hope is not simply a product of human willpower. Hope, along with faith and love, is “infused in us by God alone” (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, I–II, q. 62, a. 1). Our very ability to attain Christian hope is a gift from God.

In a beautiful passage by the Hebrew prophet Isaiah, hope for a coming messenger of God (that is, the Messiah or “anointed one”) who will reveal “the glory of the LORD” is proclaimed as strongly as the power of God Himself, before whom “the nations are like a drop in the bucket” (Isaiah 40:5, 15, NIV). The context for this prophecy is important: the Israelites are God’s people currently exiled in Babylon, but the end of their exile is near. While they would have every reason to despair, the prophet reminds them that their God is stronger than their oppressor, and therefore there is hope. Chapter 40 of the book of Isaiah famously concludes:

but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31, NIV)

Journal/Reflection

Read Isaiah 40 and reflect in your journal on your takeaways from this chapter.

Challenge: Contemplation

Listen to Isaiah 40:5 famously put to music by Handel.

 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.09 – God as Hope’s Object

As one of the theological virtues, hope is “infused in us by God alone,” but another mark of these virtues is that “their object is God” (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, I–II, q. 62, a. 1). We previously hinted at this facet of Christian hope in claiming that it fundamentally concerns our hope for loving communion with God, which includes our eternal happiness, ultimate peace, salvation rest, the forgiveness of our sins in Christ, our redemption and reconciliation with God the Father, etc. All of these biblical phrases are part of what it means to say that hope’s object is God.

Because hope’s object is God, it is tempting to think that Christian hope has no relevance to earthly hopes, whether they be as mundane as I hope I get into the college of my dreams or as spiritual sounding as I hope my friends see Jesus in my life. Even though the second example seems entirely consistent with Christian practice, it doesn’t appear to have God as its object—it is, after all, a hope about one’s friends—and thus it initially seems that this is not a variety of Christian hope. But is this correct?

In many ways, Christian hope is like Christian love (the virtue we will explore in the next unit). Christian love—also known as neighbor love—does not destroy friendship, romantic love, or family kinds of love; nor is it completely separate from these. Rather, Christian love sanctifies ordinary loves; it strengthens them by locating those relationships in the light of God’s command to love one’s neighbor. Similarly, Christian hope sanctifies our earthly hopes; it allows us to hope for earthly goods, but it does so in a way that subordinates all earthly hopes to God.

Journal/Reflection

Reflect on one very important hope that you’d call “earthly,” not in a bad sense, but in the sense that it has no immediate religious or faith component. What would it mean to allow God to sanctify this hope? Write your answer and then pray through this hope, using the words of Jesus: “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42, NIV).

Challenge: Service

Think about someone you know in your community who is presently in need, and something you could do for them or give to them that would help. Perhaps you could visit someone who is lonely in a nursing home (giving of your time), or take a meal to someone who is homebound (giving of your means), or mow the lawn for someone who is disabled (giving of your abilities). Contact this person and let them know that you would like to serve them in this way, and ask them for their permission to do so. 

 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.10 – Optimism vs Hope

We are now in a position to contrast the Christian virtue of hope with the ordinary quality of optimism, or worldly hopefulness. Like Christian hope, optimism involves confidence in a future state of affairs, such as I’m optimistic about my chances of getting the job. But when the hoped-for state of affairs turns out otherwise, the optimist has little recourse. They got it wrong, despite their positive attitude about the future. As a result, the optimist has two choices, which are not mutually exclusive. They can be crushed by a bad piece of news, or they can put their energy into something new: I am now optimistic about my chances of getting this other job. It is easy to see that with worldly optimism, the fulfillment of one’s hopes is in no way guaranteed. And if a person is unrealistic—for example, if they overestimate their vocational talents and abilities—the experience of crushing disappointment could be repeated over and over.

The significance of such experiences can extend far beyond a momentary feeling of disappointment. Our deepest hopes are connected to our sense of identity. If the optimist’s identity is largely defined by a successful career, for example, and yet they keep getting rejected from potential jobs, their sense of identity will be threatened. Repeated disappointments may result not only in a loss of optimism, but disillusionment and finally despair.

In this way, worldly optimism can be a serious liability. Recognition of this fact has led certain wisdom traditions, including classical Stoicism and Buddhism, to advise the reduction of one’s cares and desires. If I cease to desire the job that will complete my identity, then not getting the job will not crush me.

The logic of this reasoning makes sense. And yet, it seems at its core to be a strategy of abandoning hope and replacing it with resignation. Is there no other way to guard one’s heart against despair?

Journal/Reflection

Reflect on a time when something you hoped for did not work out as you expected. What happened next? Did you shift your hope to something else? Did you suffer in the loss of hope? Do you think you coped well or poorly?

Challenge: Contemplative Prayer

An important form of prayer in the Christian tradition is contemplative prayer. Some Christians call it “sitting with Jesus.” In prayer of this type, you don’t say or think of any words. You just sit down, quiet your mind, try to become aware of the presence of God, and do your best to listen to what God might have to say to you. Practice “sitting with Jesus” for at least five minutes. 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.11 – Ordering Hopes

In the previous lesson, we noted that putting one’s hopes in earthly things is a dangerous gamble; it can easily lead to disappointment, and if these disappointments involve one’s deepest hopes, the eventual outcome could be despair. One strategy for trying to prevent this outcome is to try to extinguish one’s desires before they can ever be frustrated. The Christian strategy, however, is different from this.

Christian hope sanctifies earthly hopes by retaining God as its ultimate object and making all other hopes subservient to the hope of eternal union with God. Being a follower of Jesus does not mean that you will get everything you want out of life; it doesn’t mean that all your hopes and dreams will be fulfilled. But nor does it require that you give up all earthly hopes. To take one example: you likely have a hope that one day you will have a rewarding career, and you might even be justifiably optimistic about your chances of attaining this. If you have Christian hope, however, a deep disappointment in this area—and any other—will be mitigated by your ultimate hope in God. It is here that the Christian’s identity lies, and while crushed earthly hopes can be a source of real suffering, they do not destroy the believer’s sense of identity or meaning or purpose. The one with Christian hope need not experience despair, no matter how painful the earthly disappointment or loss, because their ultimate hope is in God and His salvation.

To hope in the Lord means that crushed earthly hopes are not the final story. The promises of God are trustworthy, and the deepest hope of the believer is the hope that God will one day bring their salvation to completion. As St. Paul said to a group of first-century believers,

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

Challenge: Lectio Divina

Review instructions on Lectio Divina if needed from Lesson 1.13. Then practice Lectio Divina on Psalm 130. Imagine you are captive in Babylon, repeating this psalm that King David wrote when his very life was being threatened. How might this Psalm restore your hope?

Psalm 130 (NIV)

A song of ascents. 

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; 

2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. 

3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? 

4 But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. 

5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. 

6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. 

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. 

8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

Journal/Reflection

After practicing Lectio Divina on Psalm 130, write down what you learned from the passage and from God speaking to you through the passage. 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.12 – Resignation

We previously noted that some wisdom traditions, such as Stoicism and Buddhism, recognize the problem of suffering caused by disappointment. In response, they advise a preemptive strategy of extinguishing desire. There are some desires, however, that a Christian ought never to extinguish: most importantly, the desire for union with God. Hope for the fulfillment of this desire is central to the Christian’s identity, and such hope should never be resigned.

Nevertheless, there’s a kernel of truth in the Stoic / Buddhist approach that is wise for the Christian to appreciate. Much suffering is caused by frustrated desire, and if we didn’t have these desires, or if they didn’t have such a strong hold on us, we wouldn’t suffer to the extent that we do. And many of our desires, even strong desires, are for things of relatively little importance, especially when viewed from the perspective of eternity.

There is, then, a certain place for a version of the practice of resignation in the Christian life. Robert Roberts describes resignation as a “downward adjustment” of a hope, “a sort of halfway house between hope and despair,” and “a way of tolerating the future” as opposed to “welcoming” the future, as hope does (Roberts, Spiritual Emotions, 148–49). We’ve already noted that certain hopes—the hope of salvation, most importantly—should never be resigned, and certain desires—the desire for union with God, for example—should never be extinguished. But many hopes and desires are not like these. If we’re being honest with ourselves, many of the things for which we hope or desire are rather trivial in the grand scheme of things: a hope that our favored sports team will win, a desire for a nicer car, etc. Other preferences are more significant than these, but still are far removed from the conditions of living a flourishing life: the desire to attend a top university or to get a job in a certain part of the country.

To resign your preference about such matters is to “downwardly adjust” your desire, to lessen the intensity of your hope for a certain outcome, recognizing that such an adjustment will help you to receive whatever happens with more ease and gratitude. Resignation is not obligatory to the Christian life, but it can come alongside your practice of hope to help you better deal with the pain of disappointment—and in some cases, perhaps to eliminate some of this pain altogether.

Journal/Reflection

To what extent is the Stoic / Buddhist practice of resignation compatible with the Christian virtue of hope? To what extent is it incompatible? Are there any preferences you have for your life that it might be wise to resign?Challenge: Fasting

Select something that gives you pleasure, ideally something you turn to for comfort when you are feeling sad, lonely, discouraged, or tired, when you should be turning to God as your source of hope and comfort. Arrange a fast from that thing. This might look like a 24-hour or week-long fast from social media or gaming or a month-long fast from a particular food or drink you find yourself relying on to get you through the day. The thing you are fasting from need not be something that is bad in itself. What makes it bad is the use to which you have been putting it. You have been making it an idol, putting it in the place in your heart where God alone belongs. At some point this week, start your fast and stick to it. If needed, call upon your accountability partner(s) to help you stick to your commitment. 

 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.13 – Hope as Taking Dictation 

There could be different reasons why one might lack the virtue of hope. Obviously, if one does not believe in God, then one will lack hope in God, as hope’s starting point rests on the beliefs that God exists and can be trusted. Moreover, if love is the “mother of the virtues,” as Aquinas claims, then hope will be impossible for someone who altogether lacks the virtue of love. We will return to the relation of hope and love shortly.

Kierkegaard employs an interesting metaphor to get to the psychological root of those who tend to lack hope, including those who otherwise might describe themselves as religious. He describes the one with hope as someone who takes dictation. Imagine you need directions to a party from a friend, and as your friend speaks, you write down what he or she says. You are taking dictation, and if you value your friend’s information, then you must listen carefully and write your notes exactly, lest you make a mistake and end up in the wrong location. Furthermore, you must take down all the directions. You can’t take the first three out of four or five out of ten.

To have hope is to attend to the very words of God, as to dictation. The one who lacks hope “ends where the end is not” and either writes down a period before the meaning is complete or rebelliously throws away the pen (Kierkegaard, Works of Love, 252). Psychologically speaking, therefore, a lack of hope could have several different possible sources: in impatience, in simple inattentiveness or distractedness, or—worst of all—in rebellion or willful disobedience. In the latter case, a lack of hope could be a method of trying to seize control of the narrative of one’s life.

Journal/Reflection:

Reflect upon a time when you have lacked hope. Which of the following would you attribute that lack of hope to?

• Lack of belief in God? 
• Lack of love of God? 
• Impatience? 
• Inattentiveness or distractedness? 
• Willful disobedience?

Explain your answer in your journal.

Challenge: Study

Watch the Bible Project’s video on hope.

 

Submissions:

 

Lesson 10.14 – Hope’s Enemies

 There are other enemies of hope worth considering, beyond those discussed at the end of the previous lesson.  

•   There is a kind of worldly wisdom that not only resigns preferences—the Stoic/Buddhist strategy we already discussed—but resigns all or nearly all other hopes in order to avoid ever being mistaken or duped.
•   Pusillanimity, or small–mindedness, also can oppose hope. Rooted not only in a lack of imagination but in cowardice, this vice as it relates specifically to Christian hope expresses a lack of faith in God and specifically God’s power to change a life.
•   Bitter anger can keep hope from growing, as it may include a lack of forgiveness of oneself or another, therefore depriving one of the hope of moving past some sin. Such anger can have its root in fear that, for example, I am incapable of some good or, second, that others may surpass me. Either way the bitter root of anger keeps hope from forming.
•   Envy, which Rebecca DeYoung calls the “enemy of love” (Glittering Vices, chp. 2) can oppose hope, as well, since envy and its cousin malice long for the downfall of another.

Journal/Reflection

Return to your own definition of hope from Lesson 10.01 of this module; write two or three sentences on what you think the enemy of this kind of hope might be.

Challenge: Accountability

In the challenge for 10.07, you shared your hopes and fears with your accountability partner or group. Check back in with that group if you have not done so already:

1. As a group, share your progress on aligning your hopes with God’s purpose and surrendering your anxiety to God. 
2. Confess any hopes or fears you have been clinging to that are not in line with God’s will for your future.
3. Discuss which of the “enemies of hope” you struggle with the most: Is it reliance on worldly wisdom? Pusillanimity? Bitter anger? Envy?
4. Pray together about your hopes, your fears, and your struggles with the “enemies of hope.”
5. Commit to continuing to check in with each other at least once a week to see how each of you is doing with respect to these matters. Pray for each other daily, and commit to encouraging each other. In later lessons you’ll be rem