Abstract
In classical Confucian ethics, dé, usually translated as "virtue," means something like "moral charisma": character we naturally are drawn to and desire to emulate. Many traditions of Western philosophical virtue ethics seem to have a compatible understanding; they emphasize the attraction of goodness and the importance of role models. In psychology, imitative learning is well-documented; and exemplar studies present us with people well worth imitating. In Christian theology, discipleship includes following the example of Jesus Christ-and, in some traditions, that of saints: exemplars of faith throughout history. While moral charisma as a bridge concept between disciplines sounds straightforward, it does raise some questions. For example, is it possible for an exemplar to be "too good" for ordinary people to emulate? Is implicit, unconscious imitation effective? Is imitation transitive, such that if A imitates B and B imitates C, then A imitates C? If virtue is naturally attractive, why do we seem just as apt to imitate vice? And what do our answers to the previous questions imply regarding approaches to education and evangelization? After considering these questions from a theoretical perspective, I conclude with a case study of a charismatic moral exemplar whose virtue has influenced my own spiritual formation.