Passions and Virtue

by Servais Pinckaers, Benedict M Guevin OSB (Translator)

This book, the last that noted moral theologian Servais Pinckaers, OP, wrote before his death, was conceived as a follow-up to his previous work Plaidoyer pour la vertu (An Appeal for Virtue) (2007) Pinckaers' aim in Passions and Virtue was to show the positive and essential role that our emotions play in the life of virtue. His purpose is part of a larger project of renewing moral theology, a theology too often experienced as an ethics of obligation rather than as a practical guide to living virtuously. To this end, Pinckaers sketches a positive psychology of the passions as found in the biblical tradition, in the writings of the Fathers of the Church, in pagan authors and, especially, in the writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas. In addition to treating the virtues as they relate to the concupiscible and irascible appetites, the will, and the intellect, Pinckaers expands the discussion to include such unexpected topics as humor, silence, the positive role of anger in the life of virtue, work, rest and leisure, sports, the psychology of the virtues and, finally, the positive limits to a life of virtue in the useless servant. Pinckaers' book is an important contribution to the relatively recent retrieval of virtue ethics. His positive and unique assessment of the role of the emotions in the moral life will no doubt find favor among his English-speaking readers.

Genres: Philosophy, Theology

152 pages, Paperback

First published July 3, 2015

Reviews

[Clint Lum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful introduction to Thomas' teachings on the virtues. The book is also quite devotional in that the author offer reflections at the end of each chapter that are great.

For Protestants who might be intimidated by, or put off by, Thomas, I would recommend giving him a shot. Much of the thinking here is quite a long ways off from the Rome of the 15th and 16th centuries and much closer to Augustine.