The goal of moral values is to shine like constellations in our lives, lighting the path toward the perfection of our character. The word perfection traces back to the Latin perfectio, meaning to complete or finish. In a wider sense, it calls us to bring something to its fullest bloom, much like a life ripening into maturity. The Latin perfectus means to have acted or finished, mirroring the perfect tense in grammar, which marks something fully realized.
For ancient philosophers, perfection was the music of harmony, order, and proportion. Plato saw perfection as the flawless fit, where nothing was out of place.
In Christian philosophy, Jesus established perfection as a fundamental standard: “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is.” While Matthew uses “perfect,” Luke uses “merciful,” reflecting early Christians’ belief that mercy best represents God’s character. St. Augustine, in De perfectione iustitiae hominis (PL 44 c. 233 n.), discusses the pursuit of perfection, defining a perfect person not as one who has achieved perfection, but as one who strives for it. Moral values guide this journey.
Here, we invite you, our esteemed reader, to explore perspectives on these values that have been shared by humanity for centuries, and to discover stories of remarkable individuals—especially from the Indo-Pacific—who have brought these ideals to life.
In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquillity; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind.
Nelson Mandela (South Africa) attended primary school locally, then studied at the University of Fort Hare and later earned a law degree through the University of London (via correspondence). Nelson Mandela (18 Jul 1918 – 5 Dec 2013) was South Africa’s first Black president (1994–1999) and the central figure in the anti-apartheid struggle. He attended primary school locally, then studied at the University of Fort Hare and later earned a law degree through the University of London (via correspondence). His achievements included helping end apartheid through negotiation, enduring 27 years of imprisonment, and later guiding a transition focused on reconciliation—earning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 with F.W. de Klerk.
Alex Boraine (10 Jan 1931 – 5 Dec 2018) was a theologian, South African anti-apartheid activist, and transitional-justice architect. Boraine was a professor at the University of Natal in 1970, and was elected President of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. From 1974 to 1986, he was a member of Parliament. He co-founded the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA), which aimed to bridge divisions in South African society. From 1987, he served as Executive Director of the Institute for Justice in Transition, addressing injustices after apartheid ended. Boraine is best known for proposing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and serving as its vice chair with Archbishop Desmond Tutu from 1996 to 1998. He also founded several major organizations dedicated to transitional justice.