Whether Religion Is a Special Virtue, Distinct from the Others?
Objection 1: It would seem that religion is not a special virtue
distinct from the others. Augustine says (De Civ. Dei x, 6): "Any
action whereby we are united to God in holy fellowship, is a true
sacrifice." But sacrifice belongs to religion. Therefore every
virtuous deed belongs to religion; and consequently religion is not a
special virtue.
Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (1 Cor. 10:31): "Do all to the
glory of God." Now it belongs to religion to do anything in reverence
of God, as stated above (A. 1, ad 2; A. 2). Therefore religion is not
a special virtue.
Obj. 3: Further, the charity whereby we love God is not distinct from
the charity whereby we love our neighbor. But according to _Ethic._
viii, 8 "to be honored is almost to be loved." Therefore the
religion whereby we honor God is not a special virtue distinct from
observance, or _dulia,_ or piety whereby we honor our neighbor.
Therefore religion is not a special virtue.
_On the contrary,_ It is reckoned a part of justice, distinct from
the other parts.
_I answer that,_ Since virtue is directed to the good, wherever there
is a special aspect of good, there must be a special virtue. Now the
good to which religion is directed, is to give due honor to God.
Again, honor is due to someone under the aspect of excellence: and to
God a singular excellence is competent, since He infinitely surpasses
all things and exceeds them in every way. Wherefore to Him is special
honor due: even as in human affairs we see that different honor is
due to different personal excellences, one kind of honor to a father,
another to the king, and so on. Hence it is evident that religion is
a special virtue.
Reply Obj. 1: Every virtuous deed is said to be a sacrifice, in so
far as it is done out of reverence of God. Hence this does not prove
that religion is a general virtue, but that it commands all other
virtues, as stated above (A. 1, ad 1).
Reply Obj. 2: Every deed, in so far as it is done in God's honor,
belongs to religion, not as eliciting but as commanding: those belong
to religion as eliciting which pertain to the reverence of God by
reason of their specific character.
Reply Obj. 3: The object of love is the good, but the object of honor
and reverence is something excellent. Now God's goodness is
communicated to the creature, but the excellence of His goodness is
not. Hence the charity whereby God is loved is not distinct from the
charity whereby our neighbor is loved; whereas the religion whereby
God is honored, is distinct from the virtues whereby we honor our
neighbor.
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