The Virtue of Patience

Patience is often regarded with suspicion in fast-paced, modern societies and by those who see the command to "be patient" as a tool of oppressors. For patience to be recognizable as a virtue, it must be distinguished from mere waiting and needless suffering. In The Virtue of Patience, scholars working in philosophy, psychology, and religious studies consider what makes patience a virtue, how to model and study patience, and how we can think about the value of patience across the boundaries of disciplines, cultures, and religions.

Matthew Pianalto is Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University. He writes and teaches on various issues in ethics and applied ethics, especially the virtues, animal ethics, and environmental ethics, with additional interests in aesthetics and meaning in life. He contributes to the philosophy, Honors, and Animal Studies programs at EKU and regularly mentors independent student projects. He is the author of On Patience: Reclaiming a Foundational Virtue (2016).

Sarah A. Schnitker is Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University, Associate Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Initiatives, and Director of the BRIGHTS (Baylor Research in Growth and Human Thriving Science) Center. Schnitker studies virtue development in adolescents and emerging adults, focusing on the role of spirituality/religion in virtue formation. She is an Associate Editor for Psychology of Religion and Spirituality and a co-editor of the Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality (2022). She is an American Psychological Association Fellow and the recipient of multiple mentoring awards.