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VirTrue: Religion (Religio) a Part of Faith

VirTrue - Helping Man Grow in Truth and Virtue

In this episode of VirTrue, Jethro Higgins explores the virtue of Religion, a sub-virtue of Faith. Building on affection and reverence, this episode moves from belief into action through worship, prayer, and devotion. While modern conversations shaped by sources like the Pew Research Center and broader religious studies often reduce religion to a set of beliefs and practices, this episode restores the Catholic understanding of religion as the right ordering of man toward God. ✨ Virtue Description Religion is the lived expression of faith. It is not merely a system of beliefs or one option among many in the global religious landscape. As St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, religion is the virtue by which we give God the worship that is due to Him. This goes beyond the modern definition of religion found in comparative religion, the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, or works published by Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, or the University of Chicago Press. In contrast to the modern academic study of religion, which often treats it as a human construction of religion or part of the history of religions, Catholic religion is rooted in truth. It is not simply a product of culture, psychology, or cognitive science of religion, but a response to the reality of God as the supreme deity. Religion takes visible form in the religious practices of the Church such as the Mass, the sacraments, prayer, and devotion. It is through these practices that faith becomes embodied in daily religious life. Unlike the fragmented approaches seen in religious movements or modern “spiritual but not religious” trends among the religiously unaffiliated, Catholic religion is received, not invented. Across the global population, people express a belief in spiritual realities, a belief in gods, and a search for meaning. Whether in ancient religion, eastern religion, or the various world religions across East Asia, South Asia, and North Africa, there is a common human instinct toward worship. But the Catholic understanding fulfills this instinct by directing it toward the true God through the life of the Church. ⚖️ Vice of Deficiency: Singularity Singularity rejects the shared worship of the Church in favor of personal preference. It reflects a modern tendency shaped by public opinion and the rejection of organized religion, where individuals create their own conceptions of religion. Instead of receiving the faith through the Christian community and its religious institutions, the singular person elevates private interpretation. This mirrors broader cultural trends where many people, including those identified in Pew Research studies as religiously unaffiliated, prefer individualized spirituality over the structured life of the Church. This vice weakens religion by separating faith from the visible and communal life of worship. It turns religion into a personal project rather than participation in the life of the Church established by Christ. ⚖️ Vice of Excess: Superstition Superstition distorts religion by misdirecting worship. It is often misunderstood in modern philosophy of religion or the science of religion, but Aquinas clearly identifies it as an excess that corrupts true worship. Rather than trusting God, superstition treats religious acts as mechanisms. This reflects patterns studied in cognitive science, where people seek control through ritual. Prayer becomes formulaic. Religious symbols and sacramentals are treated as objects of power rather than signs pointing to God. This distortion can be seen across a wide variety of religious expressions, from ancient practices to modern spiritual trends. It reduces religion to technique rather than relationship, losing sight of what theologians like Paul Tillich would call our “ultimate concern.” 🪞 Personal Reflection Jethro reflects on his own experience with the virtue of religion, noting that while the practice of the faith has been strong, there were moments of both neglect and misunderstanding. Like many navigating the tension between tradition and modern culture, there were times when religion was approached either too casually or with superstitious tendencies rather than grounded faith. 🌍 The Secular Perspective In modern culture, the word “religion” is often misunderstood. Influenced by thinkers like Talal Asad, Clifford Geertz, and scholars such as Harrison Peter, religion is often presented as a cultural construct rather than a response to divine reality. Many people today reject organized religion, preferring individualized spirituality. This is reflected in the growing number of people who identify as having no religious affiliation. Yet despite this trend, the desire for meaning, belonging, and truth remains strong. Recent shifts in the global religious landscape show that many, especially younger generations, are returning to structured faith. Catholic religious practices, sacramental life, and strong Christian leaders are drawing people back into the Church as they search for something real and enduring. 🕊️ Example Saint: St. Vincent Ferrer St. Vincent Ferrer (1350 to 1419), a Dominican preacher from Valencia, lived during the Western Schism and called the faithful back to true worship. His life demonstrates that religion is not merely personal devotion but participation in the life of the Church. Through preaching, confession, and devotion, he helped restore unity and strengthen the Christian community. His witness shows that when religion is rightly practiced, it brings order, clarity, and unity to the Church and to the world. 🙏 Act of Religion O my God, You alone are worthy of all honor, worship, and praise. I acknowledge You as my Creator, my Lord, and my highest good. Because You have made me and redeemed me, I owe You the worship and reverence that are due to Your holy name. I will honor You through devoted adherence to the teachings and practices of Your Church. I will approach the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with reverence, receive Your sacraments with devotion, and treat all sacred things with respect. I will order my days around prayer, give You the first place in my life, and strive to live in obedience to Your commandments. Strengthened by Your grace, I will faithfully practice the religion You established upon Peter, the Rock, offering You the worship and reverence that are due to Your holy name. Amen. 🛡️ Closing Prayer Lord, bless us with faith, hope, love, prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice that we may live as you intended man to live, in all virtue and righteousness. Help us to flee from sin, and avoid all temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Protect us with a spiritual hedge in front of us, behind us, above us, below us, to our right, and to our left, within us, and all around us, and seal it with the blood of your precious Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to keep you in everything that we think, say, and do. Amen. Go out and fill the world with virtue, Deus Vult! Get full access to The Social Catholic at socialcatholic.substack.com/subscribe