The Distinctive Christian Shaping of Forgiveness
by Stephen Spence
I wrote this for Tabor Adelaide’s School of Ministry, Theology, and Culture’s new blog “Mana.” (Well worth following.) I thought, however, there might be those interested in reading this (or using it as the basis for a Bible study) who don’t read Mana yet, so I am re-blogging it here.
Rev Dr Stephen Spence
Being victimized is a common human experience and the desire for revenge is just as common a human experience. But history and personal experience has taught us that revenge doesn’t contribute to the creation of a new, healthier community; revenge looks to the past and so destroys the future. Even justice exercised on behalf of the victims is not enough to create new communities of love. Only (deep and painful) forgiveness can build a future by overcoming exclusion in favour of embrace.
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We are all guilty and stand in need of forgiveness…
I’m wondering what Dr. Volf’s response was to events such as “the slaughter of innocents ” under Herod and, of course, both modern and ancient similar equivalents?
I’ve not listened to his lecture yet but assume someone somewhere raised the problematic nature of the first statement.
Helen, certainly Volf wasn’t seeking to address “the problem of evil”; his focus was more limited to our experience as forgivers. When we are in a situation where we need to forgive – even if it is through absolutely no fault of our own – we do well to remember that we are also forgiven people.