Faith, Hope and Charity/Love

[NoelFitz]

I learned in school, following St Thomas Aquinas, that there are three supernatural virtues - faith, hope and charity.

These are often called the theological virtues and recently ‘love’ is used place of ‘charity’. These virtues reflect St Paul – ‘So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (NAB, 1 Cor 13:13).

In the Catholic Church different groups have different charisms or emphases, and I wonder, without being in any critical of other religions, might one claim that while Catholics may place the focus on charity/love, Protestants focus on faith (Sola Fide), where it seems they mean a virtue similar to Catholics’ view of hope, essentially trust. Jews have their emphasis on hope, as they hope and trust in God to uphold them in spite of difficulties. I read in the www ‘Judaism is the voice of hope in the conversation of mankind’. (How the Jewish People Invented Hope | My Jewish Learning).

Are these ideas an over-simplification, or is there some truth in them?

Please let me know what you think.

 

[Hodos]

Are these ideas an over-simplification, or is there some truth in them?

I think it is an over-simplification. To understand what any one group has to say on the matter you would need to read what they say in their exegetical writings about the passage specifically. Otherwise, what you are doing is essentially forcing your construct on people that would probably disagree with it entirely.

So for example, I would imagine that a Catholic listener would disagree that somehow they reject faith when acting out in charity. I would imagine that a Protestant would disagree that somehow acting in faith precludes one from acts of service. And Jews would probably disagree entirely with this theory because they would reject the scripture passage anyway.

And given the passage, I think this idea of divorcing any of these virtues from one another is entirely outside of Paul’s intended meaning in 1 Corinthians.

 

[Daniel27]

Ultimately, they are (at least to some degree) contingent on one another. Throughout his epistles, we see Paul expand on these (either directly or indirectly). For example, in the journey to Damascus and when criticising the ‘Judaisers’ in Galatians, we see the emphasis he places on faith. Throughout his epistles in general (especially his earlier ones), he constantly reminds his readers about the Parousia and to be prepared for it - to hope for salvation when the chosen hour comes. As for charity, he corrected so many issues in various churches (notably the church in Corinth), as well as praised some others for their faithful standing, such as the Ephesians (see chp 1 v 15-17).

Also, just for the context before what he said at the start of chapter 13, St. Paul goes on to say:

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

[NoelFitz]

Catholics may place the focus on charity/love, Protestants focus on faith (Sola Fide), where it seems they mean a virtue similar to Catholics’ view of hope, essentially trust. Jews have their emphasis on hope,

Thanks Hodos,
I tried to be careful in my post and referred to focus and emphasis, meaning I do not exclude anyone from appreciating all threee theological virtues. I did not intend to isolate these virtues from each other.

Daniel27, I am also grateful to you for your post.
You point out the importance of love. Even in these secular times the need for love is generally appreciated. I admit that faith, hope and charity are important, but I was making the point that emphases differ.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I wonder, without being in any critical of other religions, might one claim that while Catholics may place the focus on charity/love, Protestants focus on faith (Sola Fide), where it seems they mean a virtue similar to Catholics’ view of hope, essentially trust. Jews have their emphasis on hope, as they hope and trust in God to uphold them in spite of difficulties.

No, this is incorrect.
Catholics emphasize all three of these.
Faith = Faith in God, acceptance of his teachings.
Hope = Hope that God saves us and our loved ones after death.
Charity = Love of God and love of our neighbor.

They come as a set of three. Catholics don’t just emphasize one.
The Protestant “Sola Fide” means they ignore the Scriptural teachings on works, it doesn’t mean they somehow focus more on, or have more reliance on, faith than does a Catholic.
Your alleged Jewish definition of Hope isn’t the same thing as the Catholic concept of Hope. Hope is not the same thing as trusting God to save us from earthly difficulties.

 

[fhansen]

Yes, while Catholics also use the term faith to mean trust, the theological virtue of faith is defined as intellectual assent, which is why even demons can believe. And yes, Protestants don’t emphasize love as the criteria for judgment as a rule, but only faith, which gets to be a bit confusing because some want to protect the exclusivity of faith, alone, saving us while others want to insist that faith is never alone since, so they say, it should necessarily involve or result in some fruit or “works”. Catholicism is much more balanced and reasonable on this, since love is the virtue which naturally produces works, the right kind which flow from grace, not the law, such as those mentioned in Eph 2:10 or those done for “the least of these” in Matt 25. So:

"…if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." 1 Cor13:2

"Without love faith may indeed exist, but avails nothing." St Augustine

"At the evening of life we shall be judged on our love." St John of the Cross, quoted in para 1022 of the catechism regarding our particular judgment

Catholicism teaches Sola Caritas, it could be said. Man’s most basic obligation: “Thou shall love.” All true righteousness and obedience stem from that. In Protestant theology, the righteousness that make a man just, that justifies us, in merely imputed. In Catholicism we’re filled with actual justice, defined as faith, hope, and love. The communion with God that is established by faith in response to grace, to His calling, is, itself, the primary aspect of man’s justice, restoring him to life, and something that Adam dismissed and rejected altogether by his act of disobedience, earning him death. As we come to see our need for God, by coming to know the true God whom Jesus revealed, we begin to hope in and, most importantly, to love Him and as that love is strengthened and grown until we finally love him with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength our perfection would be complete, probably not fully until the next life.

 

[TULIPed]

The Protestant “Sola Fide” means they ignore the Scriptural teachings on works

I disagree. From the Westminster Confession of Faith:

“These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith: and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God, whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.”

From the 2nd Helvetic Confession of Faith:

“Therefore, although we teach with the apostle that a man is justified by grace through faith in Christ and not through any good works, yet we do not think that good works are of little value and condemn them. We know that man was not created or regenerated through faith in order to be idle, but rather that without ceasing he should do those things which are good and useful… We therefore condemn all who despise good works and who babble that they are useless and that we do not need to pay attention to them.”

More empirically - see this from Rick Warren (who reverse tithes - i.e. gives away 90% of his income and lives on 10%):

"“I had to repent,” he told a group of religion writers in 2005. "I had to say ‘God, I’m sorry, I can’t think of the last time I thought of widows and orphans.’ "

Warren began spending much of his time in Africa, making AIDS, poverty and illiteracy his top priorities, and trying to shift evangelicals in a new direction — as he put it, "from self-centeredness to unselfishness."

We might have a different theological view of good works - but to say that we ignore them is incorrect.

 

[TULIPed]

In Protestant theology, the righteousness that make a man just, that justifies us, in merely imputed.

We don’t view it as “merely”. Or at least we shouldn’t. We should be eternally thankful and obedient for the great mercy granted to us. Our obedience should be reflected in the way we execute the great commandments.

The “love” that we’re talking about after all is “agape” - sacrificial love based upon action (often in spite of our feelings). Protestants believe (and I think Catholics would agree) that, while it’s possible for us to act sacrificially on our own (atheists give sacrificially too), when we see it in our lives (and are sometimes surprised by it), it’s often - or usually even - the Holy Spirit at work, rather than ourselves.

We can argue about who gets the credit for our sacrificial loving - Protestants would say it’s all the Holy Spirit - you guys would say we cooperate with Him. Either way - I have yet to meet a Catholic believer who claimed any personal credit for the truly sacrificial things they’ve done, or a particularly challenging sin they’ve overcome. Quite the opposite - they’re usually eager to tell me about their faith in Christ and how He’s working in their lives.

But - it’s fun to debate this stuff - and WAY better than politics. So let’s carry on.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I responded from a Catholic standpoint. I acknowledge you are responding with a defense of your Protestant understanding of this issue.

My basic point stands. Protestants don’t have some better or stronger understanding of or emphasis on or reliance on faith than Catholics. From a Catholic standpoint, Catholics are stronger in the true faith than Protestants. That was my point to the OP.

 

[TULIPed]

My basic point stands. Protestants don’t have some better or stronger understanding of or emphasis on or reliance on faith than Catholics

Agreed. I find this thread to be a bit odd TBH. But - I can’t stomach any more political discussions and this is the closest thing to a theological ecumenical one. So here I am.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Yeah, even though I responded to the OP based on my knowledge of Catholic teaching of the three top virtues, I don’t really want to get into a contest with Protestants and Jewish folks to see who has more of what. It’s perfectly plausible that some Presbyterian somewhere is blowing most Catholics out of the water with the amount of their three virtues. I have often also wondered idly whether “Sola Fide” by a faithful and holy Protestant would be the same as the immense trust in Merciful Jesus and some Catholic saints espouse, and in view of St. Therese saying “The soul gets exactly what it expects from God” I sometimes have mental pictures of Protestants who think they are “saved” zooming straight into Heaven while Catholics who assume everyone goes to Purgatory indeed get sent there. Would be a good joke on the Catholics if so

 

[TULIPed]

It’s perfectly plausible that some Presbyterian somewhere is blowing most Catholics out of the water with the amount of their three virtues.

Highly, highly unlikely. We’re way too busy sitting around in committees (using Roberts Rules with great vigor I might add) trying to figure out if we should update the parking lot lighting with LED’s (yes) and add another swing set to the playground (no - depraved spoiled brats should be memorizing their catechisms like we had to do back in the day).

 

[fhansen]

So let’s carry on.

ok

We don’t view it as “merely”. Or at least we shouldn’t. We should be eternally thankful and obedient for the great mercy granted to us. Our obedience should be reflected in the way we execute the great commandments.

Right, you shouldn’t, because a just person would tend to execute the greatest commandants due to having a level of justice/righteousness within them now, having been justified and made new creations. Otherwise if nothing is changed, why would he love anyway, love being the primary definition of righteousness for man? Why would he even be grateful-if that was even enough to prompt obedience to begin with- if still a sinner, a snow-covered dung-heap, perhaps, which is effectively no different from a white-washed tomb? The “righteousness of God” is given at justification, even if only in a seedling form that must be exercised, challenged, tested, confirmed and grown:

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Rom 5:1-5

Quite the opposite - they’re usually eager to tell me about their faith in Christ and how He’s working in their lives.

I would certainly hope a Catholic would recognize any righteousness they express as coming from God, from the communion with Him entered into via faith. He should also recognize that we’ll be judged on that righteousness and its fruit which indicates that we’ve remained in Him such that His love should be expressed through us. We have to understand that remaining in Him is a continuous decision that we make, reflected daily in our moral choices. ‘Apart from Him we can do nothing’, including maintaining moral integrity. So that, again, the Church can wisely teach,
"At the evening of life we shall be judged on our love."

 

[NoelFitz]

I agree that there are three theological/supernaturall virtues, which should not be isolated, but I was making the point that different religions have varying emphases.

I fact Judaism, Catholicism and Protestantism all believe:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might (NRSV, Dt 4:6)

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. (NRSV, Le 19:18).

In fact perhaps in Judaism the most respected virtue is Chesed, which has no direct English equivalent, often translated by love, kindness, steadfast love, pity, mercy or compassion, in Greek, as in the Mass, ἔλεος is used (mercy, pity, compassion).

But I still think it is fruitful to think of the different virtues reflecting the charisms of different religions.

I have already replied to the posts of Hodos and Daniel27.

I am always very pleased to see posts from Tis_Bearself, which are always sound, solid, Catholic and often thought provoking in their depth.

Not only Jesus and the Jews can pray Psalm 130:7

Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption .

I am also delighted to see posts by jhansen as they show deep Catholic scholarship and faith, even if they are at times beyond my paygrade.

The Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 73, states:

Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for justification, but only as it is an instrument by which he receives and applies Christ and his righteousness.

This is perhaps a good statement of traditional Protestantism and the emphasis on faith.

With all humility, and perhaps wandering from the point of this thread could I say that Protestants and Catholics define terms differently?

Protestants distinguish between justification and sanctification, claiming for justification faith alone is needed, but for sanctification good works contribute.

.