The Australian government has produced the “Australian Values Website” (australian-values.gov.au). It is now a requirement for visa applicants to sign the Australian Values Statement in order that they show their acceptance of these values and undertake to live by them. The explanation as to why embracing these values is necessary is explained in this way:

Australian values based on freedom, respect, fairness and equality of opportunity are central to our community remaining a secure, prosperous and peaceful place to live. Our values define and shape our country and they are a reason why so many people want to become Australian citizens. Our democratic institutions and shared Australian values have created our peaceful and stable society.

As Catholics we would certainly support these aspirations. The notion that there are “Australian values” is something that is at once attractive while at the same time they can be rather vague. However, they do reflect something of our shared history and culture.

Embracing values is seen as a source of social cohesion. Yet we know that within Australia at this time there are many competing views on key social issues, like protection of human life from conception to natural death, or the nature of the marriage, or the relationship between biological sex and gender.

Those who are driving change in attitudes towards sexual orientation and gender identity have actively promoted a set of values. They speak constantly about inclusion, equality and diversity. However, they have been given a particular meaning in the campaign to change social attitudes. Thus, when they argue for diversity, they do not defend the right of all to express their view, particularly those held by people of faith. They only defend a diversity of views with which they are already in fundamental agreement.

Those who are driving change in attitudes towards sexual orientation and gender identity have actively promoted a set of values.

In the name of eliminating discrimination we have seen the development of anti-discrimination legislation. Yet, being able to discriminate is not a bad thing in itself. Such legislation properly understood is about eliminating unjust discrimination and this is a worthy objective. However, the right of a faith-based organisation, for example, to employ people who accept and will adhere to the religious tenets of the organisation is not unjust discrimination, yet we are witnessing efforts to deny the right of faith-based schools to employ teachers who hold and will witness to the religious beliefs and practices of the school.

The promotion of certain values by the Australian government is an effort to arrive at a social consensus which would then promote a harmonious society. This is a worthy aspiration. But it is also true, that a society without an accepted transcendent foundation, as our Australian society now is, faces serious challenges to maintain a commitment to these values. If such values are based in nothing more than the dominant contemporary mindset, or our societal ‘feelings and emotions’ about what is good and right, then as these change so will these values. Thus, we can see that values are readily subject to change and fluctuation.

A society without an accepted transcendent foundation, as our Australian society now is, faces serious challenges to maintain a commitment to these values.

Over history there have been other approaches to formulating moral imperatives that foster the wellbeing of the social enterprise in a culture or country.

The ancient Greek philosophers spoke about virtue. The Greek word, arete, carries the notion of excellence. The pursuit of virtue for the ancient philosophers was the pursuit of human excellence. They identified certain moral virtues that were pre-eminent. Plato identified wisdom, courage, moderation and justice. He proposed that the ideal city-state would be founded on the pursuit of virtue among the citizens.

Aristotle argues in Nicomachean Ethics that living according to the virtues will lead to human happiness. These philosophers saw in virtue ethics a path for the formation of the highest quality of personal character. Such virtues are stable and enduring.

Early twentieth century German philosopher, Max Scheler, proposed a hierarchy of values whereby there were four levels. In pyramid form he had at the base values of utility. Such values relate to experiences like taste, hunger, pain or pleasure. The next level were sensual values like health, strength, tiredness, illness, weakness. Scheler then proposed another tier which involves moral or spiritual values like right and wrong, and aesthetic values like beauty.

These philosophers saw in virtue ethics a path for the formation of the highest quality of personal character. Such virtues are stable and enduring.

The fourth and highest level are religious values. Thus, the pursuit of holiness is seen as the highest value. In this scheme Scheler identifies transcendental values as having the greater importance for human ethical existence.

He argues that values constructed by human effort are subject to error and will be used by those in power to impose its will on the populace. Whereas those that have a transcendental base are solid and unchanging and foster the progress to the highest forms of human character.

What Scheler proposes is in line with the Christian tradition which has proposed the pursuit of virtue as the path for personal moral advancement and human flourishing. In the Catholic tradition four cardinal virtues have been identified: prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. These are completed by the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity.

Virtues forge character and enable a person to practice the good.

The Catholic Catechism explains that “A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good”. It adds, “human virtues are acquired by education, by deliberate acts and by a perseverance ever-renewed in repeated efforts are purified and elevated by divine grace”. Virtues forge character and enable a person to practice the good.

When we consider the nature of virtue in comparison with that of values, it is easy to see that virtue is of a higher order. The more virtuous people are, the more harmonious society will be. This is because virtue improves the human character, calling a person to the highest of ideals.

Values, when they have a secure transcendent foundation, have their place but it is only through the development of virtue that we can achieve authentic human flourishing.