Wounds Not Healed by Time: The Power of Repentance and ForgivenessOxford University Press, 2004 - 265 pages How should we respond to injuries done to us and to the hurts that we inflict on others? In this thoughtful book, Wounds Not Healed By Time, Solomon Schimmel guides us through the meanings of justice, forgiveness, repentance, and reconciliation. In doing so, he probes to the core of the human encounter with evil, drawing on religious traditions, psychology, philosophy, and the personal experiences of both perpetrators and of victims. Christianity, Judaism and Islam call for forgiveness and repentance in our relations with others. Yet, as Schimmel points out, there are significant differences between them as to when and whom to forgive. Is forgiving always more moral than refusing to forgive? Is it ever immoral to forgive? When is repentance a pre-condition for forgiveness, and what does repentance entail? Schimmel explores these questions in diverse contexts, ranging from conflicts in a marriage and personal slights we experience every day to enormous crimes such as the Holocaust. He applies insights on forgiveness and repentance to the Middle East, post-apartheid South Africa, inter-religious relationships, and the criminal justice system. In Wounds Not Healed By Time, Schimmel also provides practical strategies to help us forgive and repent, preparing the way for healing and reconciliation between individuals and groups. "It is my belief," Schimmel concludes, "that the best balm for the resentment, rage, guilt, and shame engendered by human evil lies in finding the proper balance between justice, repentance, and forgiveness." |
Contents
Revenge Justice | 11 |
The Essence of Forgiveness | 40 |
Why When to Forgive | 61 |
How to Forgive | 89 |
Forgiving Oneself Forgiving God | 121 |
The Essence of Repentance | 141 |
Repentance Reconciliation | 182 |
The South African Experience | 220 |
NOTES | 227 |
251 | |
259 | |
261 | |
Other editions - View all
Wounds Not Healed by Time: The Power of Repentance and Forgiveness Solomon Schimmel Limited preview - 2002 |
Wounds Not Healed by Time: The Power of Repentance and Forgiveness Solomon Schimmel Limited preview - 2002 |
Wounds Not Healed by Time: The Power of Repentance and Forgiveness Solomon Schimmel Limited preview - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
accept acknowledge African African Americans Amalek anger angry apartheid apologize atonement avenge aware behavior believe biblical book of Jonah Christian committed compassion confession conflict crimes criminal death deeds desire for revenge divine emotional empathy enemies Enright evil example experience expressed father feel forgiven God's grudge guilt harm hatred healing Hebrew Bible human hurt individual injury injustice innocent interpersonal Islam Israel Israeli Israelites Jesus Jewish Jews Jonah Judaism justice killed Lomax Lord Maimonides mercy Mishnah moral Moreover murderer Nagase offender one's pain Palestinians penance penitent Perhaps perpetrator person prison psychological punishment Rabbenu Gershom Rabbi rabbinic Judaism radical forgiveness reconciliation relationship religious remorse reparation repentance repentance and forgiveness responsibility restitution restorative justice retribution self-forgiveness sense Seven Deadly Sins shame sinner sins Smedes social society someone spiritual spouse suffering Talmud teachings theologians theological torture tradition values vengeance victim violated wife Worthington wrong