Embodying Forgiveness
Embodying Forgiveness, by Greg Jones, is an excellent study in (what he calls) the craft of forgiveness. I won't break this book down as I have others, but only give a one-post overview.
Jones contends that forgiveness is costly and that some therapeutic versions of forgiveness do a disservice to taking it seriously. Costly forgiveness takes seriously the violent nature of the world; it does not sugarcoat the evils that forgiving people might face. Forgiveness must meet the horrific evils the world presents us with if forgiveness is to be part of the life that unlearns the violence of which we grow accustomed and even accepting.
Forgiveness must be learned from the Triune God in both his actions of Incarnation, judgment, and sacraments. God's judgment is not one that limits and only limits the one judged, but is a judgment of grace that establishes the possibilities for new relationship and new formation.
With this in mind, Jones presents forgiveness as a craft to be learned. Forgiveness is a way of life that flows from one's forgiven-ness in Jesus Christ. This may mean living with those who refuse to be reconciled to us, however it does not overturn the role of (secular) political power. Christians must maintain a voice for those suffering the punishment of the state, but need not reject it altogether and can indeed forgive those the state punishes.
Jones ends by asking whether the story of the world, in all its horror, is a story to pass on. He gives three possible answers to the question: First, the story of the world is not worth passing on because it is horrifying (at times). Second, the story of the world, because of its horror, simply breaks and disintegrates and is not a story. It lacks resolution and coherence. Third, the story of the world is not a story to pass on, or forsake. It is not one to ignore. The craft of forgiveness calls Christians to take seriously and treat with care the stories of those they find in the world because they feed a larger story that does find its coherence.
One line has resonated with me time and again from this work, taken, I believe, from Rowan Williams: Christ crucified and resurrected is not the same as Christ un-crucified.
Jones contends that forgiveness is costly and that some therapeutic versions of forgiveness do a disservice to taking it seriously. Costly forgiveness takes seriously the violent nature of the world; it does not sugarcoat the evils that forgiving people might face. Forgiveness must meet the horrific evils the world presents us with if forgiveness is to be part of the life that unlearns the violence of which we grow accustomed and even accepting.
Forgiveness must be learned from the Triune God in both his actions of Incarnation, judgment, and sacraments. God's judgment is not one that limits and only limits the one judged, but is a judgment of grace that establishes the possibilities for new relationship and new formation.
With this in mind, Jones presents forgiveness as a craft to be learned. Forgiveness is a way of life that flows from one's forgiven-ness in Jesus Christ. This may mean living with those who refuse to be reconciled to us, however it does not overturn the role of (secular) political power. Christians must maintain a voice for those suffering the punishment of the state, but need not reject it altogether and can indeed forgive those the state punishes.
Jones ends by asking whether the story of the world, in all its horror, is a story to pass on. He gives three possible answers to the question: First, the story of the world is not worth passing on because it is horrifying (at times). Second, the story of the world, because of its horror, simply breaks and disintegrates and is not a story. It lacks resolution and coherence. Third, the story of the world is not a story to pass on, or forsake. It is not one to ignore. The craft of forgiveness calls Christians to take seriously and treat with care the stories of those they find in the world because they feed a larger story that does find its coherence.
One line has resonated with me time and again from this work, taken, I believe, from Rowan Williams: Christ crucified and resurrected is not the same as Christ un-crucified.
posted by Aaron Perry at
1:39 PM
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