Customer Reviews

Exploring Forgiveness

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In the first chapter, the two editors state that this book emerged out of the very first conference ever held on the topic of interpersonal forgiveness at any university. That fact alone is worth picking up this book. Besides this, you will be challenged to see how forgiveness fits into a wide variety of areas such as family studies, psychotherapy, law and politics. In every chapter there are golden nuggets of information about how to successfully apply forgiveness to help people's lives. Even Desmond Tutu's brief foreword is filled with great ideas (he even seemed to derive the title of his popular book on forgiveness from one of the sentences in that foreword). Marietta Jaeger's tender story of forgiving the murderer of her daughter will make you weep. This book successfully explores forgiveness and readers are the beneficiaries.

This book is a multidiciplinary collection of essays and research reports on forgiveness: philisophical, psychological, religious, legal, law enforcement, sociological and political. Each author dicusses the study and impact of forgiveness in their specialty field as of the date of publication.

"Forgiveness" is a thought provoking springboard for anyone interested in improving interpersonal relationships, justice in our society, and peace in our world. The reader is compelled to conclude that a clearer development of the concept of forgiveness and the study of the best means to promote forgiveness should be the life work of our brightest minds. Forgiveness study, education and implementation is just as important as ecology to save the human race. This book is a cause for hope.

This book was suggested to me by one of my trainers with Peacemaker Ministry. Forgiveness is a tough subject and one of the main action verbs that needs to occur when people are in conflict with each other. The act of forgiveness has the power to change the outcome of any conflict or to at least change the outcome of our response to any conflict or pain that has been inflicted upon us.

I like the fact that this book is a collection of essays from professionals in many different walks of life. Essay's come from counselor's, psychologist, philosophers, a former Police Chief, an Episcopal Priest, a lawyer, the president of a Seminary and a professor of education. They each approach the subject of forgiveness from their expertise and personal backgrounds.

It is interesting that many of the articles compliment each other. The editors have done a good job of placing the articles in such a way that they build on the subject and give you a broad perspective.

As a pastor I did not agree with everything that was said, but I was very challenged that the religious and the secular realm both see the need for forgiveness and the healing power that it has for people in pain.

This is a good resource book for anyone who is counseling or mediating/arbitrating for people in conflict.

Enjoy!