This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. This series contributes to the growing discipline of practical theology by providing frontline scholarship on major topics in the field, with an emphasis on the emerging international discussion. Written by expert scholars known worldwide, these volumes will be of interest to pastors, students of theology, and those working in the allied fields of sociology, psychology, cultural studies, social work, and medicine. According to the authors of this powerfully reasoned book, only a serious commitment to the Christian ideas of forgiveness and reconciliation can meet the needs of today's troubled world -- and the church must take the lead in this process. Partly a survey of existing attitudes and partly a how-to manual for developing an active "public" church, this book highlights the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation in both congregational life and society, and it traces out the intricacies of making them happen. After discussing common views of human nature and exploring the concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation as found in Scripture and church tradition, Robert Browning and Roy Reed put forth an innovative four-pronged approach integrating recent scientific studies of forgiveness with bold, theologically grounded ministry proposals.

DO YOU FIND IT HARD TO TRULY FORGIVE OTHERS? Forgiveness is something that most of us struggle with throughout our lifetime, and yet, if not dealt with, it's an issue that will lead to bitterness, depression and deep-seated anger, resulting in unhappy and unfruitful lives. There's an easy kind of forgiveness when someone cuts you off in traffic, or says something unkind, but can you fathom the deeper kind of grace required for abuse at the hands of the parent who is supposed to love and protect you? How do you find the will to forgive physical, mental and verbal abuse at the hands of Christian brothers in a prominent ministry? How do you overcome the emotional scars of a childhood lived in the midst of a bloody and horrific war-zone? In "The Courage to Forgive," you will be inspired by one woman's personal journey through one of the most difficult challenges that humans face-forgiveness. From suffering through the horrors of war in Uganda, through the abuses at the hands of her mother-to a powerful moment of grace and forgiveness that changes her mother's life and her own destiny forever. Follow this incredible woman's story of unending perseverance and determination in the face of unspeakable trials. Her resilience and courage will inspire you, while her faith, and ultimately, her willingness to forgive, will change the way you think about your own life and faith. Joyce L. Villeneuve is a senior marketing and communications consultant and successful entrepreneur in the advertising, photography and public relations fields. She and her husband, Martin, live in Colorado, with their three children and faithful dachshund.

The journey to make amends after harming others, whether intentionally or not, requires tremendous courage, compassion and wisdom. This book is an in-depth guide to navigating repentance, accountability, apology, forgiveness, and redemption with maturity and nuance. Grounded in philosophical ideas and spiritual traditions, it shares tangible practices to help you undertake sincere moral self-reflection, fully acknowledge where your actions caused damage, seek forgiveness, and rebuild trust through consistently reparative actions. You'll explore how to demonstrate deep accountability while still practicing self-forgiveness, move forward with integrity, transform damaged relationships and develop moral wisdom for the long-term path of growth and renewal. Whether you seek redemption in personal relationships or public life, this book provides thoughtful advice and encouragement, without judgment about the complex process. You'll discover how deep inner work, making amends even in small ways, spiritual grounding and living purpose can help redeem us all. It is a practical guidebook rooted in compassion, nuance and hope for the possibility of positive change. Appropriate for anyone interested in reflection, ethics, spirituality, reconciliation, leadership or organizational development, it delivers inspiring true stories of moral courage, frameworks for moral decision-making, and support for this challenging but ultimately uplifting journey we must all walk in various ways. By taking accountability and making amends with care and courage, redemption awaits.

Like an old, frayed blanket there are many loose threads in our relationships. Issues and conflict divide us from family, friends, and innumerable people we encounter throughout life. The process of forgiveness is necessary to restore and rebuild those relationships. In this book you will find great stories of how God works in the lives of people to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation - binding up the loose threads and making relationships even stronger than before. Table of Contents: Introduction Part I. Forgiveness in Family Life 1. Forgiveness Triumphs Over Evil - Joseph and His Brothers 2. Forgiveness Triumphs Over Shame - Jacob and Esau 3. Forgiveness Triumphs Over Ungratefulness - The Prodigal Son and His Father Part II. Forgiveness in Church Life 4. Forgiveness Triumphs Over Selfishness - Moses and the Wilderness Church 5. Forgiveness Triumphs Over Immorality - Paul and the Corinthian Believers 6. Forgiveness Triumphs Over Betrayal - Jesus and Peter Part III. Forgiveness in Community Life 7. Forgiveness Triumphs Over Hardness - Pharaoh, Moses, and the LORD 8. Forgiveness Triumphs Over Injustice - Jesus and the Roman Soldiers 9. Forgiveness Triumphs Over Fear - Philemon and Onesimus Part IV. The Process of Forgiveness 10. The Strategic Value of Forgiveness 11. How God Forgives Us 12. How We Forgive Others 13. Practicing Biblical Forgiveness 14. Frequently Asked Questions

As Northern Ireland moves from conflict to tentative peace, ongoing violence and unrest underline that the province remains a turbulent and troubled society. This book brings together contributions from those directly affected by the Troubles who work for peace and reconciliation in their communities. The issues they raise are given poignancy and power by being grounded in human experience, and provide a necessary starting point for exploring the tensions which arise in the struggle to reconcile forgiveness and remembrance in order to create a more purposeful and meaningful future. They have important implications not only for Northern Ireland but also for other societies emerging from conflict.

Interest in psychology permeates our culture, with psychological solutions advanced for a host of moral dilemmas. How should ethically minded Christians include insights from such disciplines as psychoanalysis, cognitive moral development, and neuroscience in their theological reflection? Don Browning offers a serious proposal for combining these disciplines with the best in ethical reflection from a Christian standpoint. Along the way, he introduces readers to the moral psychology work of Sigmund Freud, Carol Gilligan, Antonio Damasio, and others, opening up a dialogue between their work and the hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur. Browning also recognizes the potential limits of the conversation between Christian ethics and the moral psychologies, pointing out where they must diverge.

Winner of the Christianity Today Book Award in Christianity and Culture How should we remember atrocities? Should we ever forgive abusers? Can we not hope for final reconciliation, even if it means redeemed victims and perpetrators spending eternity together? We live in an age that insists that past wrongs—genocides, terrorist attacks, bald personal injustices—should never be forgotten. But Miroslav Volf here proposes the radical idea that letting go of such memories—after a certain point and under certain conditions—may actually be a gift of grace we should embrace. Volf’s personal stories of persecution and interrogation frame his search for theological resources to make memories a wellspring of healing rather than a source of deepening pain and animosity. Controversial, thoughtful, and incisively reasoned, The End of Memory begins a conversation that we avoid to our great detriment. This second edition includes an appendix on the memories of perpetrators as well as victims, a response to critics, and a James K. A. Smith interview with Volf about the nature and function of memory in the Christian life.