In Christian theology, charity (Latin: caritas) is considered one of the seven virtues and is understood by Thomas Aquinas as "the friendship of man for God", which "unites us to God". He holds it as "the most excellent of the virtues".[1] Further, Aquinas holds that "the habit of charity extends not only to the love of God, but also to the love of our neighbor".[2]
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines "charity" as "the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God".[3]
Louis Adolphe Salmon after Andrea del Sarto, Charity, 1863, etching and engraving
The phrase Deus caritas est from 1 John 4:8—or Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν (Theos agapē estin) in the original Greek[4] is translated in the King James Version as: "God is love", and in the Douay-Rheims bible as: "God is charity" (1 John 4:8). Thomas Aquinas does not simply equate charity with "love", which he holds as a passion, not a virtue.[5] The King James Version uses both the words charity and love to translate the idea of caritas/ἀγάπη (agapē): sometimes it uses one, then sometimes the other, for the same concept. Most other English translations, both before and since, do not; instead, throughout they use the same more direct English word love. Love can have other meanings in English, but as used in the New Testament it almost always refers to the virtue of caritas.
Many times when charity is mentioned in English-language bibles, it refers to "love of God", which is a spiritual love that is extended from God to man and then reflected by man, who is made in the image of God, back to God. God gives man the power to act as God acts (God is love), man then reflects God's power in his own human actions towards others. One example of this movement is "charity shall cover the multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). "The practice of charity brings us to act toward ourselves and others out of love alone, precisely because each person has the dignity of a beloved child of God."[6]
Charity is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. Confusion can arise from the multiple meanings of the English word "love". As other theological virtues, Charity is divinely infused into the soul; it resides in the will.[7] According to Aquinas, charity is an absolute requirement for happiness, which he holds as man's last goal.
Charity has two parts: love of God and love of man, which includes both love of one's neighbor and one's self.[7]
In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul places the greater emphasis on Charity (Love). "So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love." He describes it as:
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away....And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy.[8]
In December 2005, Pope Benedict XVI issued the encyclical Deus caritas est, in which he discussed "... the love which God lavishes upon us and which we in turn must share with others."[9]
Based on the Matthew 25's Parable of The Sheep and the Goats, the early Church saw the love of the poor (periptochias) as the crown jewel of the virtues. Cappadocian father St. Gregory of Nazianzus wrote that
It is not at all an easy task to discover the one virtue that surpasses all others and to give it the scepter and palm, just as it is not easy in a meadow fragrant with many blossoms to find the most fragrant and beautiful.
After considering many of the Christian virtues, he concludes that
following Paul and Christ himself, we must regard charity as the first and greatest of the commandments since it is the very sum of the Law and the Prophets, [and] its most vital part I find is the love of the poor...[10]
Aquinas, Thomas (1917). "Second Part of the Second Part" . Summa Theologiae. See Questions 23-46
Deharbe, Joseph (1912). "The Commandments in General and the Chief Commandment of Charity." . A Complete Catechism of the Catholic Religion. Translated by Rev. John Fander. Schwartz, Kirwin & Fauss.
Sollier, Joseph Francis (1910). "Love (Theological Virtue)" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
John Bossy, Christianity in the West 1400–1700 (Oxford 1985), 168.
Slater S.J., Thomas (1925). "Book V: Part III: On Charity" . A manual of moral theology for English-speaking countries. Burns Oates & Washbourne Ltd.
References
^"SUMMA THEOLOGIAE: Charity, considered in itself (Secunda Secundae Partis, Q. 23)". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^"SUMMA THEOLOGIAE: The object of charity (Secunda Secundae Partis, Q.25)". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^"Catechism of the Catholic Church". usccb.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^"1 John 4 Interlinear Bible". biblehub.com. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^"SUMMA THEOLOGIAE: The passions of the soul in particular: and first, of love (Prima Secundae Partis, Q. 26)". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^. Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
^ abSollier, Joseph Francis (1910). "Love (Theological Virtue)" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
^"Catechism of the Catholic Church". usccb.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^Pope Benedict XVI, Deus caritas est, December 25, 2005, Libreria Editrice Vaticana
^"Select Orations (translated by Martha Vinson)". www.jstor.org. JSTOR j.ctt32b306. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
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In Christian theology charity Latin caritas is considered one of the seven virtues and is understood by Thomas Aquinas as the friendship of man for God which unites us to God He holds it as the most excellent of the virtues 1 Further Aquinas holds that the habit of charity extends not only to the love of God but also to the love of our neighbor 2 Allegorical personification of Charity as a mother with three infants by Anthony van Dyck The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines charity as the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God 3 Louis Adolphe Salmon after Andrea del Sarto Charity 1863 etching and engraving Contents 1 Caritas the altruistic love 2 As a theological virtue 3 See also 4 Sources 5 ReferencesCaritas the altruistic love EditThe phrase Deus caritas est from 1 John 4 8 or 8eὸs ἀgaph ἐstin Theos agape estin in the original Greek 4 is translated in the King James Version as God is love and in the Douay Rheims bible as God is charity 1 John 4 8 Thomas Aquinas does not simply equate charity with love which he holds as a passion not a virtue 5 The King James Version uses both the words charity and love to translate the idea of caritas ἀgaph agape sometimes it uses one then sometimes the other for the same concept Most other English translations both before and since do not instead throughout they use the same more direct English word love Love can have other meanings in English but as used in the New Testament it almost always refers to the virtue of caritas Many times when charity is mentioned in English language bibles it refers to love of God which is a spiritual love that is extended from God to man and then reflected by man who is made in the image of God back to God God gives man the power to act as God acts God is love man then reflects God s power in his own human actions towards others One example of this movement is charity shall cover the multitude of sins 1 Peter 4 8 The practice of charity brings us to act toward ourselves and others out of love alone precisely because each person has the dignity of a beloved child of God 6 As a theological virtue Edit Charity by William Adolphe Bouguereau Charity is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God Confusion can arise from the multiple meanings of the English word love As other theological virtues Charity is divinely infused into the soul it resides in the will 7 According to Aquinas charity is an absolute requirement for happiness which he holds as man s last goal Charity has two parts love of God and love of man which includes both love of one s neighbor and one s self 7 In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul places the greater emphasis on Charity Love So faith hope love remain these three but the greatest of these is love He describes it as Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing Charity never faileth but whether there be prophecies they shall fail whether there be tongues they shall cease whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away For we know in part and we prophesy in part But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away And now abideth faith hope charity these three but the greatest of these is charity The fruits of charity are joy peace and mercy 8 In December 2005 Pope Benedict XVI issued the encyclical Deus caritas est in which he discussed the love which God lavishes upon us and which we in turn must share with others 9 Based on the Matthew 25 s Parable of The Sheep and the Goats the early Church saw the love of the poor periptochias as the crown jewel of the virtues Cappadocian father St Gregory of Nazianzus wrote that It is not at all an easy task to discover the one virtue that surpasses all others and to give it the scepter and palm just as it is not easy in a meadow fragrant with many blossoms to find the most fragrant and beautiful After considering many of the Christian virtues he concludes that following Paul and Christ himself we must regard charity as the first and greatest of the commandments since it is the very sum of the Law and the Prophets and its most vital part I find is the love of the poor 10 See also Edit Charity by Jacques Blanchard 1633 Charity practice Great Commandment The six other of the Capital Virtues Chastity Diligence Humility Kindness Patience Temperance Love for enemies Loving kindness and similar or related concepts Agape a Greek word with meanings of loving kindness or love Chesed a similar Hebrew term given the association of kindness and love Metta a Buddhist Pali term glossed as loving kindness and friendliness Seven Deadly Sins opposite of the seven virtues Virtue Altruism Dana Generosity as understood in Dharmic religions Ren Confucianism Zidqa Mandaeism Sources EditAquinas Thomas 1917 Second Part of the Second Part Summa Theologiae See Questions 23 46 Deharbe Joseph 1912 The Commandments in General and the Chief Commandment of Charity A Complete Catechism of the Catholic Religion Translated by Rev John Fander Schwartz Kirwin amp Fauss Sollier Joseph Francis 1910 Love Theological Virtue In Herbermann Charles ed Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 9 New York Robert Appleton Company John Bossy Christianity in the West 1400 1700 Oxford 1985 168 Slater S J Thomas 1925 Book V Part III On Charity A manual of moral theology for English speaking countries Burns Oates amp Washbourne Ltd References Edit SUMMA THEOLOGIAE Charity considered in itself Secunda Secundae Partis Q 23 www newadvent org Retrieved 2 April 2018 SUMMA THEOLOGIAE The object of charity Secunda Secundae Partis Q 25 www newadvent org Retrieved 2 April 2018 Catechism of the Catholic Church usccb org Retrieved 2 April 2018 1 John 4 Interlinear Bible biblehub com Retrieved 2 April 2018 SUMMA THEOLOGIAE The passions of the soul in particular and first of love Prima Secundae Partis Q 26 www newadvent org Retrieved 2 April 2018 King Will What is Virtue Our Sunday Visitor November 29 2012 Archived from the original on May 4 2018 Retrieved May 3 2018 a b Sollier Joseph Francis 1910 Love Theological Virtue In Herbermann Charles ed Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 9 New York Robert Appleton Company Catechism of the Catholic Church usccb org Retrieved 2 April 2018 Pope Benedict XVI Deus caritas est December 25 2005 Libreria Editrice Vaticana Select Orations translated by Martha Vinson www jstor org JSTOR j ctt32b306 Retrieved 2 January 2022 Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Charity and Charities Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charity Christian virtue amp oldid 1123125381, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
