In chapter two, Lewis sets out to expand the discussion of morality because the simplified three-part division he references in the first chapter was intentionally brief for the sake of his on-air talks. Here in the book, however, he wants to include a longer scheme or framework for how we think of morality, which includes seven different virtues.
Prudence - Fortitude - Temperance - Justice - Faith - Hope - Love
Lewis says the seven virtues (which he did not make up himself but which originated from the "old writers") can be divided into four Cardinal virtues (or virtues that all civilized people recognize and know about) and three Theological virtues (those that are only understood properly by Christians).
| Cardinal Virtues Prudence Temperance Justice Fortitude | Theological Virtues Faith Hope Love |
Lewis then spends some time defining and describing the Cardinal virtues:
PRUDENCE - This virtue is summarized as "practical common sense, taking the trouble to think out what you are doing and what is likely to come of it." It encourages individuals to use wisdom and pursue paths of intelligence; to be discontent with naive or babyish thinking. Even Jesus himself promoted prudence throughout the gospels; one particular reference is when he told his followers to be as "wise as serpents and innocent as doves."
TEMPERANCE - Temperance is often misunderstood because of how it has typically become most closely associated with alcohol, but it originally referred to all pleasures and did not mean completely abstaining from a certain pleasure but rather "going the right length and no further." Christianity does not say that things like meat or beer or movies or sex are bad in themselves, but rather what is bad is the improper use of or motivation toward those things.
JUSTICE - This virtue consists of various ideas like "fairness, honesty, give and take, truthfulness, keeping promises," etc. It is not limited only to the definition used in courts of law but encompasses many areas of life and particularly the way humans deal with other humans.
FORTITUDE - This is simply the kind of courage that enables a person not only to face danger but also to endure great pain.
FORTITUDE - This is simply the kind of courage that enables a person not only to face danger but also to endure great pain.
Lewis then points out that there is a difference in practicing a particular virtuous action and being characterized by a virtue:
It is important to make this distinction between acts of virtue and a virtuous character for three reasons:
It is important to make this distinction between acts of virtue and a virtuous character for three reasons:
- "Right actions done for the wrong reason do not help to build the internal quality or character called a 'virtue,'" and that internal quality/character are the thing that matters. Virtuous actions are good, but if they are not flowing out of a virtuous heart, then there is the danger of selfishness, pride, conceit, and deceit.
- God does not merely want obedience to a set of rules. He wants a certain quality of person.
- In light of eternity, if people do not have "at least the beginnings of those qualities inside them, then no possible eternal 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."
*This post is part of a 31 day series on C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity. If this is your first stop along the way, I am so glad you’re here! I would love to interact with you in the comments, or you can email me by clicking on the "Contact Me" tab at the top right of the page. All of the blog posts in this series will be linked together on the intro page if you are interested in reading more. Click here to be taken to the introduction post, and if you want to follow along with the whole series, enter your email address in the box toward the top right corner to subscribe to the blog. Thanks for reading!
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