Question VI: Whether hope is a theological virtue

By the calculations of all Theologians it is established that Hope is a Theological virtue.

It is PROVED first by St. Bonaventure, because the Apostle places it in order with Faith and Charity, 1. Corinth. 13.

It is PROVED second by the Holy Doctor, because that virtue which is the end of the Cardinal virtues is Theological: Such is Hope; Therefore. The minor is proved, because it tends to God as the beatific object, to which the objects of the other virtues serve as means.

It is PROVED third by St. Bonaventure cap. 6. ad Hebr. where it is said, to have Hope entering even within the veil, that is, even to the hidden things of God, as Valencia also notes disp. 2. quaest. 1. puncto primo.

It is PROVED fourth by the Holy Doctor: it is of the same reason a mean between the extremes: But Hope is a mean between faith, which begins the spiritual building; and Charity, which completes it; for Hope raises one up to God: Therefore.

It is PROVED fifth by the Holy Doctor: The image of creation is reformed through re-creation; but the image of creation requires three powers: Therefore also the image of re-creation requires three virtues. Since therefore the image is reformed through the Theological virtues: therefore they are three, but none other than faith, Hope, and Charity: Therefore.

Finally it is proved in the body from the object; because it regards God immediately, as the object to be acquired in beatitude. Therefore, just as faith is Theological because it leans on God revealing the truth; so Hope, because it leans on God promising great things.

It is proved also on the part of the subject; because the higher portion of the soul is reformed in order to God by the Theological virtues: But Hope is one of the reforming virtues; for just as the rational is reformed by faith, the concupiscible by charity, so the irascible is reformed by Hope. This is also shown, because the dowries of the soul in the fatherland correspond to the reformation. Thus to faith will correspond the vision, reforming the Rational; to charity the consummated Charity of the way, reforming the Concupiscible. Thus also to the third, corresponding to Hope, will correspond that which will reform the Irascible.

You will object first. No virtue, around whose act excess can be found, is Theological; for God is never believed too much, nor loved too much; but in Hope there can be excess, for some hope for more than their merits require: Therefore.

The Holy Doctor answers that that virtue, in whose acts there is excessive intensity, is truly not Theological; but in the acts of Hope there is no excessive intensity; for no one hopes in the Lord too much; but the excess is not in the genus of hope, but of presumption, on the part of the subject, from a defect of the condition of hope, which requires that one hope in God in the manner revealed by God. Therefore excess of intensity cannot be in the acts of the Theological virtues, which have an infinite object; but in the object of the Cardinal virtues, which is finite and determinate, whence if the act, transgressing the limits, exceeds, declining to the extremes, it deviates into vices.

You will object second. A virtue which is a mean between two malices is Cardinal, not Theological: But Hope is a mean between despair and presumption: Therefore.

The Holy Doctor answers that a virtue which is a mean between two malices, by participating in the extremes with respect to those things which are good, is Cardinal, or of the Cardinal species: Thus Liberality is a mean between avarice, participating in its material subject, keeping what is to be kept, and between prodigality, participating in its material subject, inasmuch as it gives what is to be given. But truly, if it is a mean only in an eliminative way with respect to each extreme, it can be Theological. Such is Hope, a mean between despair and presumption; for it frees from that twofold evil; just as faith concerning the Trinity and unity frees from the extremes, the error of Arius and the error of Sabellius.

You will object third. A virtue which is concerned with means to the ultimate end is Cardinal. Hope is concerned with grace, perseverance, and the other means of salvation: Therefore.

The Holy Doctor answers that the genus or species of virtue is not determined by any object whatever, but by that object which has the character of motive; and although Hope is concerned also with means to salvation, nevertheless its motive object is God; as the ultimate end, beatitude, to which grace and the other means, which it hopes from him, are ordered.

If you say that also Latria and the whole virtue of Religion regard God; nevertheless it is not a Theological virtue, because it regards also a created thing as object, namely such worship.

The Holy Doctor answers that it is not similar, because Latria regards that created act as object; and thus does not regard God immediately, as Hope does.

You will object fourth. Habits are distinguished by acts: But the acts of hope and the acts of longanimity are the same, namely, to await good things: Therefore Hope and Longanimity are of the same genus; But Longanimity is Cardinal: Therefore also Hope.

The Holy Doctor answers that Hope awaits eternal goods, and those promised by God: But Longanimity, which is a part of Fortitude, awaits by constancy and strength of soul to triumph over afflictors; and therefore its object is of an inferior order.

You will object fifth. It belongs to Fortitude to strengthen against afflictors: But this also pertains to Hope, because it makes a man rejoice in adversities: Therefore.

The Holy Doctor answers that an act can be of some virtue, either as eliciting, or as commanding, or as assisting. To endure terrible things is of fortitude, as eliciting; but of faith as commanding and dictating, as is said Hebr. 11. The Saints by faith conquered kingdoms, etc. They were made strong in battle, but of Hope and Charity, as assisting. For the love of God and the hope of beatitude greatly assist the virtue of Fortitude, that it may be able to bear all evils, according to that saying of B. Gregory: The hope of reward diminishes the force of the scourge.