Theological Virtues of The Blessed Anton Martin Slomšek

Abstract

This paper presents the blessed Anton Martin Slomšek as a man who lived a virtuous life to an above-average degree. In addition to a general view of Slomšek’s life from the perspective of virtue, the author offers in the main part of the paper a concrete presentation of the realization of the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity in his life. He additionally reveals the extraordinary influence of Slomšek’s personality as a kind of “radiance” of faith, hope and charity around him; or, as we might say in modern terms, that he was an extraordinarily “resonant” personality. Slomšek’s extraordinary pastoral zeal was not based on theoretical teaching alone but was rooted in a personally realized life of infused virtues, which shaped him into an extremely harmonious and positive personality.

Keywords

• virtues
• faith
• hope
• love
• slomšek