On Mercy

Abstract Mercy is defined in Chapter 1 as forgiveness (or love of enemy). The chapter argues that one should conceive of mercy as a decisional process, dependent on the vulnerability of the receiver of mercy (who depends on forgiveness to be set free from his culpability) and most crucially on the vulnerability of the giver (who bestows forgiveness and opens herself up to potential ridicule for her generosity toward the undeserving). The core feature of mercy is this: it empowers the victim by restoring her agency in deciding to make herself vulnerably present to her enemy through the gift of her forgiveness. When the process of mercy is complete, victim and perpetrator are in each other’s peaceful, vulnerable presence, and there is a reciprocal gift-of-self. Mercy may or may not entail reconciliation (restoration of companionship), but it heals broken relationships and repairs the fabric of the community.