Reduction of Virtues

A question that plagues many modern orthodox Catholics is why Jesus has been reduced to some pacifist and effeminate personification. I like many others have struggled with this question, but I may have just found the answer.

Back to Virtue

While reading a book I just picked up: Back to Virtue, Dr. Peter Kreeft makes an attempt to answer this question [emphasis mine]:

"Why have we reduced [Jesus] to "meek and gentle Jesus"? Because we have reduced all the virtues to one, being kind; and we measure Jesus by our standards instead of measuring our standards by him.

But why have we deduced all the virtues to being kind? Because we have reduced all the goods to one, the one that kindness ministers to: pleasure - comfort - contentment. We have reduced ourselves to pleasure-seeking animals."

I would agree with Dr. Kreeft's analysis. The only virtue that we honor, or better yet even believe in is kindness. Is this because we can attach kindness to a respect for others separate and apart from God? Of course it is. If we can reduce virtue down to kindness, or its counterpart - love [which in reality is more closely related to love (i.e. Caritas)] we can focus on humans apart from any attachment to God and therefore seperate and distinct from Religion and its "rules."

···•°···

This is a most interesting book... and I am sure I will have more to say about it...

†††