Living Life and the Struggle for Virtue
Living Life and the Struggle for Virtue

Author: Tab McKenzie

Publisher: WestBow Press

Published: 2023-05-09

Total Pages: 435

ISBN-13: 1664296557

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A once famous philosopher named Montaigne warned that using oneself as the subject to write about is only pardonable when the person is famous and exceptional, and I am certainly not. However, I was motivated to write this book to relieve my conscience by sharing some of my most private thoughts about some of life’s most important topics with my family and friends since I failed to communicate with them adequately in person on these matters. It has always been easier for me to express such intimate thoughts in writing. Since I am now in my last stage of living life, I thought it was time to share my thoughts on what I believe is most important in living life and that is Religion, Philosophy (how to live life well), and Politics. I don’t believe that politics is that important to living a good life, but it has become such a divisive force in our world that I decided it was worth discussing. There are many writers and speakers concerning these topics that I have observed and contemplated over my many years. But my book relies heavily on the teachings of Jesus regarding my religious beliefs and the philosopher Montaigne in my discussion on living life well (or better). In the POLITICS section of the book, I highlight my thoughts and beliefs about the priorities, values, and perspective a Christian should consider when engaging in the political process. The essence of my book is to highlight my belief about what is the PURPOSE of our existence. I think most people are seeking the answer to this question--- For me, it is the struggle for Virtue.

The Struggle for Virtue
The Struggle for Virtue

Author: Archbishop Averky (Taushev)

Publisher: Holy Trinity Publications

Published: 2014-09-01

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13: 0884653749

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Archbishop Averky addresses head on the question, "What is asceticism?" He counters the many false understandings that exist and shows that the practice of authentic asceticism is integral to the spiritual life and the path to blessed communion with God.

Burdened Virtues
Burdened Virtues

Author: Lisa Tessman

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2005-10-06

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 0198039824

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Lisa Tessman's Burdened Virtues is a deeply original and provocative work that engages questions central to feminist theory and practice, from the perspective of Aristotelian ethics. Focused primarily on selves who endure and resist oppression, she addresses the ways in which devastating conditions confronted by these selves both limit and burden their moral goodness, and affect their possibilities of flourishing. She describes two different forms of "moral trouble" prevalent under oppression. The first is that the oppressed self may be morally damaged, prevented from developing or exercising some of the virtues; the second is that the very conditions of oppression require the oppressed to develop a set of virtues that carry a moral cost to those who practice them--traits that Tessman refers to as "burdened virtues." These virtues have the unusual feature of being disjoined from their bearer's own well being. Tessman's work focuses on issues that have been missed by many feminist moral theories, and her use of the virtue ethics framework brings feminist concerns more closely into contact with mainstream ethical theory. This book will appeal to feminist theorists in philosophy and women's studies, but also more broadly, ethicists and social theorists.

The Book of Virtues
The Book of Virtues

Author: William J. Bennett

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2010-05-11

Total Pages: 2005

ISBN-13: 1439126259

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Responsibility. Courage. Compassion. Honesty. Friendship. Persistence. Faith. Everyone recognizes these traits as essentials of good character. In order for our children to develop such traits, we have to offer them examples of good and bad, right and wrong. And the best places to find them are in great works of literature and exemplary stories from history. William J. Bennett has collected hundreds of stories in The Book of Virtues, an instructive and inspiring anthology that will help children understand and develop character -- and help adults teach them. From the Bible to American history, from Greek mythology to English poetry, from fairy tales to modern fiction, these stories are a rich mine of moral literacy, a reliable moral reference point that will help anchor our children and ourselves in our culture, our history, and our traditions -- the sources of the ideals by which we wish to live our lives. Complete with instructive introductions and notes, The Book of Virtues is a book the whole family can read and enjoy -- and learn from -- together.

The Art of Living
The Art of Living

Author: Epictetus

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2013-02-05

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 0062273760

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Epictetus was born into slavery about 55 ce in the eastern outreaches of the Roman Empire. Once freed, he established an influential school of Stoic philosophy, stressing that human beings cannot control life, only their responses to it. By putting into practice the ninety-three witty, wise, and razor-sharp instructions that make up The Art of Living, readers learn to meet the challenges of everyday life successfully and to face life's inevitable losses and disappointments with grace.

The Little Virtues
The Little Virtues

Author: Natalia Ginzburg

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2017-09-12

Total Pages: 129

ISBN-13: 1628729023

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In this collection of her finest and best-known short essays, Natalia Ginzburg explores both the mundane details and inescapable catastrophes of personal life with the grace and wit that have assured her rightful place in the pantheon of classic mid-century authors. Whether she writes of the loss of a friend, Cesare Pavese; or what is inexpugnable of World War II; or the Abruzzi, where she and her first husband lived in forced residence under Fascist rule; or the importance of silence in our society; or her vocation as a writer; or even a pair of worn-out shoes, Ginzburg brings to her reflections the wisdom of a survivor and the spare, wry, and poetically resonant style her readers have come to recognize. "A glowing light of modern Italian literature . . . Ginzburg's magic is the utter simplicity of her prose, suddenly illuminated by one word that makes a lightning streak of a plain phrase. . . . As direct and clean as if it were carved in stone, it yet speaks thoughts of the heart.' — The New York Times Book Review

Back to Virtue
Back to Virtue

Author: Peter Kreeft

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2009-10-27

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 1681490471

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"We have reduced all virtues to one: being nice. And, we measure Jesus by our standard instead of measuring our standard by Him." For the Christian, explains author Peter Kreeft, being virtuous is not a means to the end of pleasure, comfort and happiness. Virtue, he reminds us, is a word that means "manly strength." But how do we know when we are being meek--or just cowardly? When is our anger righteous--and when is it a sin? What is the difference between being virtuous--and merely ethical? Back to Virtue clears up these and countless other questions that beset Christians today. Kreeft not only summarizes scriptural and theological wisdom on leading a holy life, he contrasts Christian virtue with other ethical systems. He applies traditional moral theology to present-day dilemmas such as abortion and nuclear armament. Kreeft restores to us what was once common knowledge: the Seven Deadly Sins have an antidote in the Beatitudes. By setting up a close contrast between the two sets of behaviors, Kreeft offers proven guidance in the often bewildering process of discerning right from wrong as we move into the questionable mores of the twenty-first century. He provides a road map of virtue, a map for our earthly pilgrimage synthesized from the accumulated wisdom of centuries of Christians, from Paul and the early Church Fathers through C.S. Lewis.

Way of the Ascetics
Way of the Ascetics

Author: Tito Colliander

Publisher: St Vladimir's Seminary Press

Published: 1985

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 9780881410495

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"Way of the Ascetics is a rich, compact introduction for modern readers to the Eastern Christian spiritual tradition that has been an inspiration to millions for centuries. These compassionate and insightful reflections on self-control and inner peace are meant to lead the readers to fuller union with God. The author makes a generous selection of succinct yet profound extracts from the spiritual Fathers and provides an illuminating commentary and practical applications for daily devotion. He tempers austerity with common sense, warmth, and even humor, as he urges us on our journey toward God. Written for lay persons living fully in the world as much as for clergy, Way of the Ascetics is an excellent resource for daily meditation, authentic spiritual guidance, and a revitalized religious life."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

A Secular Age
A Secular Age

Author: Charles Taylor

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2018-09-17

Total Pages: 889

ISBN-13: 0674986911

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The place of religion in society has changed profoundly in the last few centuries, particularly in the West. In what will be a defining book for our time, Taylor takes up the question of what these changes mean, and what, precisely, happens when a society becomes one in which faith is only one human possibility among others.

The Catholic Gentleman
The Catholic Gentleman

Author: Sam Guzman

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2019-04-24

Total Pages: 186

ISBN-13: 162164068X

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What it means to be a man or a woman is questioned today like never before. While traditional gender roles have been eroding for decades, now the very categories of male and female are being discarded with reckless abandon. How does one act like a gentleman in such confusing times? The Catholic Gentleman is a solid and practical guide to virtuous manhood. It turns to the timeless wisdom of the Catholic Church to answer the important questions men are currently asking. In short, easy- to-read chapters, the author offers pithy insights on a variety of topics, including • How to know you are an authentic man • Why our bodies matter • The value of tradition • The purpose of courtesy • What real holiness is and how to achieve it • How to deal with failure in the spiritual life