On Graciousness

Abstract

Heidi Chamberlin Giannini attends to a virtue that has been largely neglected in the philosophical and theological literature of the virtues—graciousness. Giannini argues that graciousness is a virtue in its own right, distinct from other related virtues such as generosity, humility, and modesty. She argues that the gracious person notices and responds in ways that undercut indications of relative standing when social cues threaten to cause discomfort by suggesting that someone is inferior to another. While distinct from divine grace, graciousness nevertheless reflects God’s grace and importantly contributes to a life of virtue.