CHAPTER 9

DISCIPLESHIP
THROUGH
DISCERNMENT AND
VIRTUES

Members:

Acompañado, Wencer
Deraco, Erica Mae
Dibdib, Krystal Gayle
Dungog, Ronna Mae
Mag-asin, Trishia Mae
Pia, Louise Angela
 Discipleship through Discernment and Virtues

Learning Objectives:

• Understand discernment as part of the development of the human person.

• Synthesize discernment and its sources with virtue ethics.
• Deepen the Catholic faith commitment through discernment and virtues.
 What is Discernment?

Discernment is what we
do when making decisions.
Thus, they are connected
to our individual actions.

However, discernment is more than

just act-based. It is a process in
becoming a better person—a more
virtuous person.
How we develop habits and virtues as part of our character will impact
future decisions and inclinations, as well as what direction our moral
growth will be oriented towards:

Moral action is self-constituting:

Feelings
Skills

Capacities
Anticipations
 Discipleship
“Consistent loving and ethical behavior”
Is often understood as following Jesus Christ.
 Virtue Ethics
Two common ways of making
decisions:

Consequentialism Deontological ethics

a form of decision making that
focuses on the consequences the
decision maker is aiming for as the
ultimate criteria on choosing what action
to take.
focuses more on universal
principles or rules as the criteria for
making decisions.
To illustrate this difference,
 Christian discernment is neither purely
consequentialist nor purely deontological. Though
principles and consequences are criteria to be
considered in discernment when choosing a
specific moral action in a specific moment,
discernment takes more into account, such as how
the person is developing. Rather than just
deontological ethics or consequentialism, Catholic
moral theology needs another form of moral
philosophy to engage Scripture and Tradition in
discernment.
 JOSEPH J. KOTVA JR.

He created a case for virtue ethics in

Christian moral theology.

Due to the growing awareness of the incompleteness

of modern ethical theories, as well as our historical
consciousness and a perception of that society is in
moral crisis, there has been a growing renewal of
interest in virtue ethics.
Virtue ethics, as an ethical framework that focuses on the development
of the person to be able to make such complex decisions, complements
and supports Catholic Social Teaching as it “appropriates the moral
vision of the New Testament well.”
 William Spohn claims:

“Why choose virtue ethics to be the optic for examining the

story of Jesus? First of all, it is necessary to select one form
of ethics. It is impossible to give an account of Christian
moral life without opting for some form of moral philosophy.
Every theology contains a philosophy as an inner moment,
because it must operate from some model of human
experience.”
Jesuit moral theologian
Virtues in virtue ethics and their respective vices.
 The Virtues

Four proposed cardinal virtues of James Keenan

as a new set of cardinal virtues that ought to be developed in a person in order to
help him or her understand how to handle conflicting goods—ourselves, our
community, and society at large—and the many ethical dilemmas we face.

• Justice
• Fidelity
• Self-care
• Prudence
 Four proposed cardinal virtues of James Keenan

Justice - asks people to treat each other equally—give what is due to the
other—regardless of race, class, and so on.

Fidelity - calls us to sustain the special relationships we have with family,

friends, and loved ones.

Self-care - we are called to do otherwise—to rest when needed, to take care

and nourish ourselves physically and spiritually.

Prudence - is always vigilant, looking to the future not only trying to realize the
claims of justice, fidelity, and self-care in the here and now, but also
calling us to anticipate occasions when each of these virtues can be
more fully acquired.
Prudence as a virtue is helped by other virtues. These assistive virtues worth
mentioning are:

EpikeiaEubolia Synesis Gnome

Epikeia is the virtue that means “reasonableness.” This virtue acknowledges
that no human law is perfect.

Eubolia is the principle that helps one apply universal precepts to more
concrete situations.

Synesis is a principle that assists prudence in identifying which concrete

means is suitable for the moral action, according to what is available.

Gnome on the other hand, is a special awareness or intuition that inclines

one to make good decisions.
Two virtues assist us in facing such despair and cynicism
head on:
Courage helps keep us going in spite of the fears
that may hound us and the risks.
 Hope, on the other hand, understands that there will be times
that the good loses, but nevertheless believes that the good will
ultimately triumph in the end.
A common Christian saying, from the early Church Father Irenaeus,
says that:

“The glory of God is men and women fully alive and flourishing;
through these gifts that we develop, we hopefully flourish further, with
the rest of creation, towards the Kingdom of God.”
THE END
Thank you!