Tapestry of Faith: The Wi$dom Path: An Adult Program on Money, Spirit, and Life

Activity 3: What Is Financial Virtue?

Part of The Wi$dom Path

Activity time: 20 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Print Leader Resource 1, Approaches to Financial Virtue. Make copies for all participants plus one extra. Cut the extra copy into five sections.
  • If possible, before this workshop select a volunteer to read each of the five sections and give volunteers their parts in advance.

Description of Activity

Say that five volunteers will present short role plays depicting different approaches to financial virtue. If needed, ask for volunteers. Distribute a section from the leader resource to each volunteer (if they do not already have their roles). Allow volunteers a minute to review the description while asking the whole group, “What does it mean to be financially virtuous? What is financial virtue?” Offer the definition that a virtue is a moral or ethical principle, and that to be virtuous is to be guided by and to habitually live according to certain moral or ethical principles. The question is, what moral or ethical principles are key to being financially virtuous? Say that there is no agreement about that.

Introduce the volunteers, saying that each will present a different person who is living a financially virtuous life. Have the volunteers read their testimonies. After all are read, distribute copies of the handout for participants to review at home. Invite comment and discussion, asking:

  • Do you know people like any of these people?
  • Did you recognize yourself in any of the profiles (or in more than one)?
  • How can we decide which are the most important financial virtues to cultivate for ourselves?