Njeri, George Macharia (2010) The Transcendent Dimension of God’s Love and Grace in Ignatius’ Discernment of God’s Will as a Supplement to Aristotle’s Analysis of Virtuous Action. Masters thesis, Arupe College an Associate College of the University of Zimbabwe.
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Abstract
Despite our considerable cultural, scientific, technological and historical distance from Aristotle, his thoughts remain a fertile source of philosophical and even religious insights. The necessity for virtuousness in all aspects of human life furnishes a paradigmatic example of how Aristotle can still be brought into productive conversation with contemporary philosophical and religious debates. One such example is an appropriation of Aristotle’s deliberation of virtuous action in relation with Ignatius’ discernment of God’s will. Aristotle emphasises the application of all human virtues – both moral and intellectual - in choosing, judging and acting while Ignatius maintains that in addition to moral and intellectual virtues the graced affective intelligence resulting from acquisition and exercise of supernatural virtues is equally essential. While Aristotle maintains that such choice of action is purely a human effort on the part of the virtuous person Ignatius supplements Aristotle’s analysis by maintaining that God collaborates with a supernaturally virtuous person so that the person’s choice to do God’s will is not only aided by but also confirmed by God. In this way, for Ignatius God takes part in a person’s choice of action according to His will for His greater glory. This paper argues that while Aristotle’s philosophical analysis of the virtuous person’s unified life of virtuous action for the sake of contemplation affords an insight into the unity of virtues in Ignatian discernment of God’s will in a choices of action for His glory, Aristotle philosophical analysis must be supplemented by Ignatius’ profoundly Christian understanding of God and God’s grace to appreciate the strengths and limitations of Aristotle in approaching the spirituality of Ignatian discernment.
Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
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Uncontrolled Keywords: | The virtuous action in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Discernment of God’s will in Ignatius’ letter to the Jesuit fathers and scholastics at, The transcendent dimension of God’s love and grace in the discernment of God’s will, |
Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BD Speculative Philosophy |
Divisions: | Afro-Christiana Jesuitica |
Depositing User: | JHI Africa |
Date Deposited: | 09 Apr 2014 11:52 |
Last Modified: | 27 May 2014 09:55 |
URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/56 |
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