As stated in the previous post, it was Aquinas’ differentiation between acquired moral virtue and divinely infused moral virtue that turned his attention to theological virtue.
According to Thomas, the moral and intellectual virtues are essential for human happiness, but they are insufficient for the attainment of perfect happiness that consists of the beatific vision of God. This kind of happiness cannot be humanly achieved, but requires divine intervention. The former happiness that results from the moral and intellectual virtues is in keeping with divine purposes but are only according to human nature. The latter happiness surpasses nature moving into the realm of the divine. This beatific vision is possible because of the theological virtues which have God himself as their telos, their end, and not just the things that lead human beings toward God. It is not only this that makes certain virtues theological, they are also theological in that they find their source in God.
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