"I was born, baptized, and raised in the Roman Catholic church. Because reconciliation (formerly known as confession) is a sacrament, we're very much encouraged to think about forgiveness as being mediated, but also something that takes place in secret. That never sat well with me after the sex abuse crisis, and I've tried to have a victim centered understanding of abuse and forgiveness ever since. " Very powerful!
This resonates. I've been troubled by aspects of forgiveness messages, though these proponents are folks I agree with on most things. I'm learning about Triune Atonement by Andrew Sung Park, Christ's death encompassing oppressed along with oppressor vs penal substitution and other theories that focus on the sinner. I've yet to fully grasp the concept, but can't help but wonder if there's overlap. Thanks for bringing this up, and letting us know about the book. I'll look into it.
Let me share what I am not sorry about. I am not sorry for walking away from The Wartburg Watch blog when in a private email exchange with Dee Parsons about the credible allegations of abuse by Trump, she called my concerns “just politics” and Wade Burleson openly supported Trump. These people claimed to care about abuse victims like me and they betrayed us. I have no church to attend stateside because American evangelicals are this lost. I am not sorry I walked away. But I grieve that they are not sorry for how they betrayed me and consider themselves advocates for women and survivors. They lie. Trump is and has always been an obvious abuser. It is a disservice to victims to pretend otherwise to keep your MAGA audience while they add insult to our injuries. It is in fact an abuse.
I love this book and recommend it to everyone I know. It has led to really fruitful discussions about forgiveness and the way it's weaponized against victims, in particular.
Thank you! This is a good follow-up to your video clips in your documentary in which you show congregations applauding and providing “forgiveness” to the predator while ignoring or shaming the survivors.
That practice is not therapeutic and is biblically questionable as well. Men in power have institutionalized the practice to help predators avoid facing accountability or justice. Thank you again
Sounds like a very interesting and much needed book. Seminary professor David Augsburger wrote a book in a similar vein some years ago; Caring Enough to Forgive - then turn the book around and just as many pages on Caring Enough Not to Forgive. Used it in many a sermon to lift up the nuance in forgiveness.
Forgiveness is about aligning you with God, controlling your boundaries and giving up what you can't control to divine love or agape. All of that is the base for divine justice. Without divine forgiveness it's just an unending fruitless war without justice no matter anything. It's the basis of Christian relations to forgive otherwise we allow trespasses against us to hold us down and become an idol rather than viewing things in terms of God. When we let idols into our hearts we make terrible decisions and can't come up with solutions or have peace and the pain can certainly build on each other and turn ourselves into monsters. We have to forgive, it's what Jesus said and therefore how reality works. Everything successful after that builds on Jesus. You can see anyone from children to people wrongfully abused, imprisoned or whatever injustice be spiteful but it is always something that can be let go of, and grown from, when there is forgiveness.
I have been thinking a lot about this topic, specifically what forgiveness looks like when it comes to abuse. Thank you for pointing us to this book.
"I was born, baptized, and raised in the Roman Catholic church. Because reconciliation (formerly known as confession) is a sacrament, we're very much encouraged to think about forgiveness as being mediated, but also something that takes place in secret. That never sat well with me after the sex abuse crisis, and I've tried to have a victim centered understanding of abuse and forgiveness ever since. " Very powerful!
Thanks so much Kristin! Grateful for your generosity.
This resonates. I've been troubled by aspects of forgiveness messages, though these proponents are folks I agree with on most things. I'm learning about Triune Atonement by Andrew Sung Park, Christ's death encompassing oppressed along with oppressor vs penal substitution and other theories that focus on the sinner. I've yet to fully grasp the concept, but can't help but wonder if there's overlap. Thanks for bringing this up, and letting us know about the book. I'll look into it.
Let me share what I am not sorry about. I am not sorry for walking away from The Wartburg Watch blog when in a private email exchange with Dee Parsons about the credible allegations of abuse by Trump, she called my concerns “just politics” and Wade Burleson openly supported Trump. These people claimed to care about abuse victims like me and they betrayed us. I have no church to attend stateside because American evangelicals are this lost. I am not sorry I walked away. But I grieve that they are not sorry for how they betrayed me and consider themselves advocates for women and survivors. They lie. Trump is and has always been an obvious abuser. It is a disservice to victims to pretend otherwise to keep your MAGA audience while they add insult to our injuries. It is in fact an abuse.
I love this book and recommend it to everyone I know. It has led to really fruitful discussions about forgiveness and the way it's weaponized against victims, in particular.
Thanks Karen!
Thank you! This is a good follow-up to your video clips in your documentary in which you show congregations applauding and providing “forgiveness” to the predator while ignoring or shaming the survivors.
That practice is not therapeutic and is biblically questionable as well. Men in power have institutionalized the practice to help predators avoid facing accountability or justice. Thank you again
Sounds like a very interesting and much needed book. Seminary professor David Augsburger wrote a book in a similar vein some years ago; Caring Enough to Forgive - then turn the book around and just as many pages on Caring Enough Not to Forgive. Used it in many a sermon to lift up the nuance in forgiveness.
This is so good. I came out of an abusive relationship with a pastor a year and a half ago and recently reported it. This article gave me a lot of clarity on what my responsibility is, and what it is NOT, regarding forgiveness, according to the Bible. I think it will encourage you. https://heresthejoy.com/2024/08/forgiveness-and-mixed-message/?utm_source=sendfox&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=heres-a-video-of-me-untwistings-some-scriptures
Forgiveness is about aligning you with God, controlling your boundaries and giving up what you can't control to divine love or agape. All of that is the base for divine justice. Without divine forgiveness it's just an unending fruitless war without justice no matter anything. It's the basis of Christian relations to forgive otherwise we allow trespasses against us to hold us down and become an idol rather than viewing things in terms of God. When we let idols into our hearts we make terrible decisions and can't come up with solutions or have peace and the pain can certainly build on each other and turn ourselves into monsters. We have to forgive, it's what Jesus said and therefore how reality works. Everything successful after that builds on Jesus. You can see anyone from children to people wrongfully abused, imprisoned or whatever injustice be spiteful but it is always something that can be let go of, and grown from, when there is forgiveness.