Embodying Forgiveness

Embodying Forgiveness PDF

Author: L. Gregory Jones

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Published: 1995-08-31

Total Pages: 338

ISBN-13: 9780802808615

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In an engaging and interesting style that draws on a wide variety of literature as well as on Scripture and theological texts, Jones shows how the practices of Christian forgiveness are richer and more comprehensive than often thought.

The Limits of Forgiveness

The Limits of Forgiveness PDF

Author: Maria Mayo

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2021-05-06

Total Pages: 275

ISBN-13: 1666703559

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Demystifying an unrealistic ideal Maria Mayo questions the contemporary idealization of unconditional forgiveness in three areas of contemporary life: so-called Victim-Offender Mediation involving cases of criminal injury, the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in post-apartheid South Africa, and the pastoral care of victims of domestic violence. She shows that an emphasis on unilateral and unconditional forgiveness puts disproportionate pressure on the victims of injustice or violence and misconstrues the very biblical passages—especially in Jesus’ teaching and actions—on which advocates of unconditional forgiveness rely.

An Assessment of Contemporary Models of Forgiveness

An Assessment of Contemporary Models of Forgiveness PDF

Author: Célestin Musekura

Publisher: Peter Lang

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 250

ISBN-13: 9781433108747

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"Celestin Musekura had just begun doctoral studies in Dallas when he learned that many of his own family members had been killed in a wave of genocide reprisals back home in Rwanda. Revenge would have been understandable, but he said, 'I have preached forgiveness, and now it is my turn to practice it. To my family I say, I will pray for those who brutally murdered you, and I will care for their children.' It should come as no surprise that Celestin's understanding of forgiveness, well expressed in these pages, is restoring communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa. He knows and practices that of which he speaks. This book sets a course for realistic, collective transformation."-Robert A. Pyne, Th.D., Director, Peace and Justice Center, St. Norbert College --Book Jacket.

Practicing God’s Radical Forgiveness

Practicing God’s Radical Forgiveness PDF

Author: Jeffrey Bullock

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2018-08-16

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 1532641214

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Forgiveness marks one of the most important issues of our time. If the enormous number of books and articles are a measure, then forgiveness--our forgiveness of others and forgiveness for ourselves--appeals to our deepest concern. It's a challenge to determine just what we mean when we speak of "forgiveness." Any discussion will reveal that our shared understanding and practices of forgiveness quickly diverge. For example, is it the same thing to forgive a child, a criminal, a malicious acquaintance, or someone who's inadvertently done us harm? Likely, no. We'll discover in this book that how we understand and practice forgiveness has shifted and changed through history, formed by cultural context. Even biblically, our understanding of forgiveness has altered over time. We'll unpack the importance of this cultural history and then turn to the three strands of forgiveness that together form our modern practice of forgiveness. First, the personal and therapeutic forgiveness. Second, the communal forgiveness that's valued for its power to resolve conflict, renew relationships, and restore peace. Finally, the divine, God's absolute unconditional forgiveness, a forgiveness we'll discover that undergirds every other way we understand forgiveness.

The Art of Forgiveness

The Art of Forgiveness PDF

Author: Philip Halstead

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2018-10-31

Total Pages: 318

ISBN-13: 1978701365

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Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian Gospel. It goes hand in hand with love, mercy, and grace, the fundamental theological virtues. However, forgiveness is easier to define than it is to embody. This unique collection of essays brings together theologians, ethicists, and ministry practitioners into a constructive dialog which explores the complex and crucial concept of forgiveness: what it is, where it is to be found, and how it might be practiced. These essays reflect the perspectives of those from various traditions who nonetheless take the Christian Scriptures seriously, believe that forgiveness is central to living out the Gospel, and are creative in the ways in which forgiveness can be practiced. Forgiveness is an art and not simply a science; as such it requires trust, skill, and hope alongside love, mercy, and grace if it is to be embodied. This volume offers a unique window into the art of forgiveness and the faithful and innovative ways in which it is to be understood, embodied, and cultivated.

Rethinking Christian Forgiveness

Rethinking Christian Forgiveness PDF

Author: James K. Voiss

Publisher: Liturgical Press

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 0814680607

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Is there such a thing as "Christian Forgiveness"? Christians speak as though there is. But what would it be? How would it differ from forgiveness as a basic human enactment? And if there is a distinctive Christian forgiveness, what might it have to say to our world today? To answer these questions, the present work traverses three distinctive intellectual landscapes--continental philosophy, Anglo-American moral philosophy, and psychology--to establish a phenomenology of forgiving before turning to contemporary Christian literature. The multilayered dialogue that ensues challenges the assumptions of contemporary approaches--secular and Christian--and invites the reader to rethink the meaning of Christian forgiveness.

The Drama of Doctrine

The Drama of Doctrine PDF

Author: Kevin J. Vanhoozer

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

Published: 2005-01-01

Total Pages: 508

ISBN-13: 9780664223274

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Observing a strange disappearance of doctrine within the church, Kevin Vanhoozer argues that there is no more urgent task for Christians today than to engage in living truthfully with others before God. He details how doctrine serves the church--the theater of the gospel--by directing individuals and congregations to participate in the drama of what God is doing to renew all things in Jesus Christ. Taking his cue from George Lindbeck and others who locate the criteria of Christian identity in Spirit-led church practices, Vanhoozer relocates the norm for Christian doctrine in the canonical practices, which, he argues, both provoke and preserve the integrity of the church's witness as prophetic and apostolic.

The Healing of Nations

The Healing of Nations PDF

Author: Mark R. Amstutz

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 9780742535817

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How does one forgive an international political transgression as deep as genocide or apartheid? Forgiveness is often conceived of as an element of personal morality, and even at that it is difficult. This book argues that it is also an essential part of political ethics, especially when dealing with collective wrongdoing by political regimes. In the past, a retributive justice demanding prosecution and punishment of all past offenses has kept the international community away from moving on to the next step in regime change. Here, Mark R. Amstutz takes a restorative justice approach, calling for nations to account for crimes through truth commissions, public apology and repentance, reparations, and ultimately forgiveness and the lifting of deserved penalties. The distinctive feature of forgiveness is the balance it strikes between backward-looking accountability and forward-looking reconciliation. The Healing of Nations combines a theory of the role of forgiveness in public life with four key case studies that test this ethic: Argentina, Chile, Northern Ireland, and South Africa. Amstutz uses the hard cases to illustrate the promise and limits of forgiving without forgetting.

Forgiveness And Abuse: Jewish And Christian Reflections

Forgiveness And Abuse: Jewish And Christian Reflections PDF

Author: Marie Fortune

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-02-01

Total Pages: 166

ISBN-13: 1136417435

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Explore what forgiveness means in the context of sexual and domestic abuse! Using research, studies, stories, and prayer, Forgiveness and Abuse: Jewish and Christian Reflections focuses on the views and opinions of these two prominent religions as well as shares the wisdom of their traditional teachings. Forgiveness is an essential concept for many survivors of abuse as well as the perpetrators. Some believe that urging victims to simply “forgive and forget” in the face of such harsh realities may not be practical and could actually endanger the healing process. Forgiveness and Abuse studies several aspects of the spiritual influence in forgiving and vindicating abusive crimes, including: traditional views of forgiveness and repentance using excerpts from Jewish law a clinical study examining the relationship between forgiveness and mental health as well as comparing Christian and Jewish responses to a questionnaire regarding forgiveness abuse of children and adults by members of the clergy: the roles of the victims, the abuser, and the church the differences between forgiveness and reconciliation and whether they are both necessary so much more! Several of the historical practices of Christianity and Judaism regarding abuse, its public acknowledgment, and its forgiveness have been harshly criticized. Forgiveness and Abuse offers you new insight on the spiritual connections between religion, abuse, and forgiveness, and brings you hope as religious leaders unite to better themselves and others. With the events of recent years weighing on society’s shoulders, this collection is profoundly significant for clergy, counselors, therapists, and survivors, as well as the perpetrators themselves.

Unpacking Forgiveness

Unpacking Forgiveness PDF

Author: Chris Brauns

Publisher: Crossway

Published: 2008-09-03

Total Pages: 237

ISBN-13: 1433521407

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Helps readers move beyond the wounds and baggage of bitterness, disagreements, and broken relationships. "True or false: most Christian pastors and counselors agree on what forgiveness is and how it should take place." This question is part of Chris Brauns's Forgiveness Quiz that draws readers into his book and gets them thinking about the subject of forgiveness. The truth is, pastors and counselors disagree profoundly on this subject. Unpacking Forgiveness combines sound theological thinking and honesty about the complicated questions many face to provide readers with a solid understanding of biblical forgiveness. Only God's Word can unpack forgiveness. The wounds are too deep for us to find healing on our own, and the questions are too complex to be unraveled by anything but the wisdom of God. This book goes beyond a feel-good doctrine of automatic forgiveness, balancing the beauty of God's grace and the necessity of forgiveness with the teaching that forgiveness must take place in a way that is consistent with justice.