Mercy in the sense of the ancient pagan philosophers
One of the characteristic features of Catholic theological thought during the pontificate of St. John Paul II was a revival of interest in the subject of mercy in connection with papal teaching, especially the Encyclical Dives in misericordia and popularization of the devotion to Divine Mercy in the form conveyed by St. Faustina Kowalska. The abundant literature on this subject deals more with the issue of God's mercy than of human mercy. This division of topics alone shows that mercy as a theological term is considered in many aspects.
It is not a purely Christian concept, and therefore requires reference to at least those ancient thinkers of pre-Christian times who influenced Catholic theologians. Basically, however, Christian mercy draws from the source of the Holy Scriptures, therefore its presentation cannot omit the biblical aspect. Already the Holy Scriptures, revealing God's mercy, which is of particular interest to dogmatics, call for mercy towards man, which is what moral theology deals with, and in the team dimension, Catholic social teaching. Mercy is also an important topic of the theology of spirituality, pastoral, liturgy and church law. Some aspects of mercy as a theological problem are revealed by Christian art and even psychology. Each of these areas looks at mercy in its own, but ultimately complementary way. It is not possible to present all the detailed aspects of mercy in these disciplines. Therefore, only the main directions of development of this term will be presented in the next few days.
Mercy in the sense of the ancient pagan philosophers
The term "mercy" appears in various contexts in the Greco-Roman culture. The Latin and Greek words used here have a certain meaning for theology because they were adopted to a great extent by Christian writers in the first centuries of the Church. Latin misericordia meant compassion and pity and works of mercy. The main source of the word is the combination of miser (miserable, poor) and cor (heart).
In Greek culture, the word ελεος (eleos) had a similar meaning, meaning mercy, compassion and pity. From it comes alms giving (eleemosyne). The terms oiktirmos and splanchnon were also used, which are also found in the Scriptures. Philanthropy as kindness, benevolence, gentleness and courtesy was close in meaning to the word eleos. In Latin, related terms, signifying kindness to someone else's misfortune are humanitas and clementia. This was associated with generosity (liberalitas, beneficium, benignitas).
When it comes to the very reality of mercy, the ancients show an evolution in their understanding from being very positive in Homer writing to treating it as a defect by Aristotle and the Stoics. Mercy was accepted as compassion for human suffering, especially in a hopeless situation, e.g., in a terminal illness.
However, Plato already argued that a judge should not be guided by mercy. Aristotle was even more skeptical about it, for whom mercy was an emotional, and therefore immature, reaction. It was not a virtue, but a vice forgiven only for the elderly, women and children. In his opinion, a mature man should be guided by reason and control all emotional reflexes of nature. This approach to mercy was later argued by St. Thomas Aquinas, for whom it was a virtue.
Meanwhile, the Stoics considered merciful compassion even a kind of disease of the soul (aegritudo animi). Cicero argued that misericordia is a vice rather than a virtue because it generates suffering. It was only to be shown to those suffering unfairly and wronged by the law. Sometimes, however, he praised mercy as a virtue of the highest admiration (Pro Ligario) and a sign of wisdom and morality (Pro Murena). Likewise, Seneca believed that misericordia, as an emotional state, upset the mind's balance and interfered with the correct decision-making of the righteous punishment of those at fault. He considered it a fault inherent in wicked people. However, he also has positive statements about it (De beneficiis). It should be added that as philosophers Cicero and Seneca considered mercy a defect, while as politicians in practical life they appreciated its role and saw the need to apply.
It is also important not to make mercy something that is a specifically Christian element, which we will see in opposition to the theology of Judaism, the Old Testament or Muslims, of which God is just, severe and punishing or rewarding according to merit.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george