There are several types of courage, and in many cases, courageous acts require more than one type of courage from an individual. Moral courage, in its definition, means a strong commitment to ethics and a certain level of integrity. The application of moral courage is presented by an individual’s determination to follow his moral principles, even if that could harm his reputation and relations with other people. Spiritual courage relates to the theme of human life’s meaning and purpose. Spiritual courage takes part in moments where people question the purpose of their lives without knowing a certain answer to the question.
First, to illustrate the differences between the application of moral and spiritual courage, it might be helpful to examine the examples of both types of courage. Unlike spiritual courage, the moral courage application process could be easily recognized because it implies an individual overcoming inner doubts and taking certain actions that correspond with his moral values.
Sophie Scholl’s approach to courage in questioning the meaning of the lives of those who “live small, mate small, die small” presents an example of spiritual courage. Even though spiritual courage mainly relates to religious perceptions, all discussions of human life’s meaning and purpose are cases of spiritual courage. While an individual’s willingness to ask himself questions does not exhibit the characteristics usually associated with acts of courage, it is acknowledged as spiritual courage.
Therefore, spiritual and moral courage are different as they correspond with different aspects of human life. The application of moral courage presents an active process that implies an individual’s commitment to his moral views and willingness to resist wrongful social norms. Spiritual courage is an aspect of an individual’s capability to have an inner dialogue about his life and its purpose, which could not be detected from the outside and does not necessarily influence his actions.