Bernard Weiner’s Attribution Theory (most clearly articulated in 1985) explains how people interpret the causes of success and failure along three key dimensions: locus (internal vs. external), stability (stable vs. changeable), and controllability (controllable vs. uncontrollable). The theory argues that these explanations powerfully shape motivation, emotion, responsibility, and future behaviour, building on earlier foundational work by Fritz Heider (1958) on naïve psychology and Harold Kelley (1967) on causal inference, and extending insights from Abramson, Seligman, and Teasdale’s (1978) reformulation of learned helplessness; Weiner demonstrated that attributing setbacks to controllable and unstable causes (such as effort or strategy) tends to foster hope, persistence, compassion, and constructive action, whereas attributing them to uncontrollable, stable causes can lead to shame, anger, or despair. From a Christian perspective, this framework resonates with Biblical wisdom that balances personal responsibility with grace: Scripture affirms human agency and growth (e.g., the call to renew one’s mind and persevere, Romans 12; James 1), while also recognizing God’s sovereignty and mercy beyond human control (e.g., trusting God’s purposes amid trials, Proverbs 3; Psalm 37), encouraging attributions that are truthful, humble, and redemptive rather than condemning. Practiced well, attribution theory promotes personal wellbeing by reducing self-blame, cultivating hope, and strengthening resilience, and it advances societal health by guiding educators, parents, leaders, and justice systems to respond to failure with fairness, accountability, and compassion, aligning scientific insight with a Christian ethic of love, restoration, and stewardship of human potential.