Virtue in the Public Square
The Permanent Things: Reflections on Tradition, Culture, and the Good Society
The Common Good Requires Private Character
Thank you for joining me today as we reflect on the indispensable relationship between private virtue and the public good. In an age where leadership is too often defined by charisma rather than character, and popularity is mistaken for wisdom, we’re wise to ask an ancient question: Can a society thrive if its people, and particularly its leaders, lack moral integrity? The answer, I believe, is both obvious and urgent. If we’re to rebuild a healthy, stable, and just society, it must begin with a recovery of virtue, not only in our laws, policies, and institutions but first in the hearts and habits of individuals.
This truth isn’t new. It has been echoed through the centuries by philosophers, theologians, and statesmen alike. The classical and Christian traditions both insist that character is destiny. The Greek term for virtue, arete, signified excellence in fulfilling one’s purpose, and for the likes of Plato and Aristotle, civic health was inseparable from moral formation. The Christian tradition takes this further, grounding virtue not in human flourishing alone but in obedience to God’s revealed will. Thus, a good society is impossible without good people.
The Classical Understanding of Virtue
The ancients understood that virtue was not a private luxury but a public necessity. Plato, in his Republic, argued that justice in the state begins with justice in the soul. Aristotle taught that the polis existed not merely for commerce or security, but to cultivate the good life, a life shaped by virtues such as courage, temperance, justice, and prudence.
For Aristotle, the aim of politics was the formation of virtuous citizens. He warned that without moral education, democracy would collapse into demagoguery, and liberty into license. These ideas, though ancient, feel startlingly relevant today. When we demand rights without corresponding responsibilities, or power without moral restraint, we reap the whirlwind of cultural fragmentation and civic decline.
Virtue and the American Experiment
The American Founders, many of whom were deeply steeped in classical and Christian thought, endorsed these themes. John Adams famously wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” George Washington warned in his Farewell Address that religion and morality were indispensable supports for political prosperity.
In other words, freedom without virtue becomes a kind of bondage. Liberty, rightly understood, is not the freedom to do whatever one pleases, but the freedom to do what is right. This definition assumes a moral order higher than the self, an idea that has all but disappeared from modern political discourse. Without this moral framework, politics becomes a power struggle rather than a pursuit of justice.
The Biblical Foundation for Public Virtue
Scripture isn’t silent on this theme. Proverbs 14:34 reminds us, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” The leaders of Israel were constantly judged not only by their policies but by the integrity of their hearts. King David, for all his failings, was called a man after God’s own heart because he ultimately sought righteousness. The Apostle Paul exhorts believers in Titus 2 to live upright and self-controlled lives so that the Gospel may not be reviled.
Paul’s words imply a public witness that flows from personal virtue. Likewise, Jesus tells us that we’re the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Our private character has public consequences. When Christians practice integrity, mercy, justice, and humility, they become cultural preservatives and signposts to a better Kingdom.
The Collapse of Virtue in Modern Culture
In our current cultural climate, the language of virtue has been replaced by the language of “values” or “preferences.” Rather than aspiring to objective moral goods, we’re often encouraged to “live our truth,” even if that truth is self-indulgent, incoherent, or destructive. The result is a society marked by cynicism, division, and moral exhaustion.
This is particularly evident in our political life. Candidates are judged more by their electability or entertainment value than by their wisdom or restraint. Scandals that would have disqualified public servants a generation or two ago, are now dismissed as irrelevant or even expected. When personal morality is divorced from public responsibility, corruption is inevitable.
Recovering Virtue in Our Time
How then can we recover a culture of virtue? First, by acknowledging that character is not optional. It isn’t merely a private concern for the religious or the old-fashioned. It’s the foundation upon which freedom and justice rest. Second, we must begin with ourselves. Virtue is contagious, but so is vice. If we want a more virtuous society, we must become more virtuous people.
This means practicing the habits that form character: telling the truth, honoring our commitments, restraining our appetites, showing kindness when it’s costly, and standing for what’s right even when it’s unpopular. These aren’t flashy virtues, but they are enduring ones. They’re the permanent things that give a culture depth, cohesion, and resilience.
The Role of Institutions in Forming Character
Families, churches, and schools play a crucial role in cultivating virtue. The family is the first school of character, where habits of self-control, respect, and service are formed. The church reinforces these lessons with a theological foundation and community accountability. Education, when rightly ordered, trains the heart as well as the mind.
But these institutions are fragile. They depend on cultural support and moral vision. When families fracture, churches compromise, and schools abandon moral education, we shouldn’t be surprised when virtue declines. To rebuild these institutions is to reinvest in the very structures that make virtue possible.
The Hope of the Gospel
Thankfully, virtue isn’t a self-salvation project. The Christian Gospel begins with the recognition that we aren’t naturally virtuous. We’re sinners in need of grace. But it doesn’t end there. In Christ, we aren’t only forgiven but renewed. The Holy Spirit enables us to bear the fruit of righteousness, not to earn God’s favor but to reflect his character.
As Paul writes in Galatians 5, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” These virtues are profoundly public. They shape how we treat others, how we lead, how we vote, how we serve. They form the kind of people from whom the common good can grow.
A Call to Courage and Conviction
Virtue in the public square won’t be restored by a new program or policy. It begins with conviction, courage, and character. It requires men and women who are willing to live differently, to swim against the current, to speak the truth in love, and to suffer for the sake of righteousness. These are the kinds of people who change cultures, not through slogans but through lives well-lived.
Key Principle
The moral health of a society begins with the private character of its people. Without virtue in individuals, public institutions cannot flourish.
Reflection Questions
How would you define virtue? How does your definition align with Scripture (e.g., Galatians 5:22-23)?
In what ways has modern culture confused or redefined traditional virtues, and how does Proverbs 14:34 speak to this distortion?
Why is personal character essential for public leadership in light of Psalm 15:1-2?
What role does the local church play in cultivating virtue in the lives of believers according to Titus 2:6-8?
Are there areas in your own life where private virtue needs to be strengthened so you can be “salt and light” as described in Matthew 5:13-16?
How does the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) help guide your engagement with civic and cultural life?
What practical steps can you take to ensure that righteousness, not personal ambition, is what exalts your household and community (Proverbs 14:34)?
Action Steps
Begin a spiritual routine with daily disciplines that form character: prayer, Scripture reading, integrity in speech, and practicing honesty even in small things.
Invest in your family, church, and local community as places of moral formation. Encourage these spheres to focus on discipleship and character-building.
Speak and act with courage, humility, and love in your community. Let your personal virtue be visible and compelling, pointing others to Christ.
Thank you for joining me today. My hope is that this reflection has encouraged and blessed you. For more devotionals, Bible studies, and resources, please visit Walking Points. Feel free to share this post with others and encourage them to subscribe as well. Let’s be people of private virtue who contribute to a truly public good, for the glory of God and the healing of our land.