I am a Christian. Is forgiveness only a moral virtue? It seems to me that it is a theological virtue, as St. Thomas Aquinas calls it. In other words, if forgiveness is a theological virtue, then we would need the grace of God to do this well.
As you point out, St. Thomas Aquinas makes a distinction between a moral virtue, open to all who are trying to live a good life, and a theological virtue, which is so challenging that we need the grace of God to get this right. St. Thomas does place charity under the heading of a theological virtue. Charity is loving others even when it is difficult to do so. Forgiveness on its highest level is a subset of charity, as we try to love others through our own pain caused by those toward whom we are offering charity.
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