Noisette, Hélène

The moral teaching of Pope Francis: A virtue ethics that risks dialogue with all - 2019.


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Pope Francis’s interest in virtue ethics is revealed in his principal writings. In his view, a morality that is too focused on norms has become ineffective in the face of social conditioning and is often ill-adapted to the complexity of real situations. To achieve real change, the Argentinian pope prefers a morality that appeals to individuals’ imaginations, to their perception of the good life, and their desires. This requires communities capable of nourishing the imagination with stories, beliefs, and practices. Though Pope Francis’s approach to virtue ethics relies on resources present within the community, it does not lead to a retreat into a closed social group but is instead combined with an invitation to dialogue with all in order to face universal challenges together.