Is Human Forgiveness Possible

Forgiving those closest to us who have hurt us is one of the most difficult things Christians are called to do. For pastoral counselors the forgiveness issue creates a particularly serious dilemma, because it places counselors in the position of telling clients to do something their emotions vehemently fight against. Is Human Forgiveness Possible? offers an effective way out of this quandary by giving the forgiveness issue an entirely new focus. John Patton begins by scrapping our past understanding of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not something we do, he asserts; it's something we discover. To truly forgive someone, we must discover that I am more like those who have hurt me than different from them. I am able to forgive when I discover that I am in no position to forgive. Patton presents case studies from his pastoral counseling practice that illustrate the difficulty of forgiving and actively demonstrate his new solution to the forgiveness problem. John Patton is executive director of the Georgia Association for Pastoral Care in Atlanta. He is the author of Pastoral Counseling: A Ministry of the Church (Abingdon Press).

Forgiveness is essential to Christian life and holiness, yet in some instances, it seems impossible. "Is Forgiveness Possible?", a pastoral and theological introduction to forgiveness based on Luke 23 and Acts 7, explores the theological foundations of such dilemmas. As forgiveness and reconciliation become common themes in world affairs, a detailed theology of forgiveness becomes increasingly important.

In our culture the belief that "To err is human, to forgive divine," is so prevalent that few of us question its wisdom. But do we ever completely forgive those who have betrayed us? Aren't some actions unforgivable? Can we achieve closure and healing without forgiving? Drawing on more than two decades of work as a practicing psychotherapist, more than fifty indepth interviews, and sterling research into the concept of forgiveness in our society, Dr. Jeanne Safer challenges popular opinion with her own searching answers to these and other questions. The result is a penetrating look at what is often a lonely, and perhaps unnecessary, struggle to forgive those who have hurt us the most and an illuminating examination of how to determine whether forgiveness is, indeed, the best path to take--and why, often, it is not.

Seventy times seven...how many times shall I forgive? Our Lord answers us clearly that our forgiveness of those who hurt us shall have no end. This is one of the most difficult things any person has to face. David Augsburger understands this. He knows the outrageous cost-and incomparable value-of forgiving. He also knows this is a believer's only option. Any other course of action will not only be destructive, it will violate the will of God. In The New Freedom of Forgiveness, Dr. Augsburger expands upon his classic writing to provide a more comprehensive, expanded, and stronger message. Combining personal testimonies with Scripture, Dr. Augsburger provides readers with practical guidance on applying forgiveness in our everyday lives. With an excellent new study guide, readers will be challenged on an even deeper level. We are commanded to forgive everything. Not just the little stuff, the minor irritations and thoughtless behavior of others, but everything. When we forgive, we are set free from bondage. The New Freedom of Forgiveness is an essential resource not only for understanding what God requires, but also learning how to apply it every day. Read this life-changing book and discover the freedom of forgiveness.

Pastoral counseling is unique, and John Patton, widely known practitioner and teacher, explains that uniqueness in the context of other forms of therapy available. He then determines what pastoral counseling is and how it is done. His theory focuses on the centrality of the pastoral relationship, reclaiming pastoral counseling as a legitimate ministry of the church. He shows that the pastoral relationship is common to both the generalist and the specialist in counseling and explains how his concept of "relational humanness" is the norm for Christian pastoral counseling. The accountability of the pastoral counselor in regard to the story of Jesus, in terms of his/her role and function as minister, and in relation to the community (the church which ordains and the peers in ministry) is discussed. How to structure a pastoral counseling interview, how to determine the unit of care, and how healing occurs in pastoral counseling are all important facets of this excellent book. Case studies, an index, and notes are included.

Helps readers move beyond the wounds and baggage of bitterness, disagreements, and broken relationships. "True or false: most Christian pastors and counselors agree on what forgiveness is and how it should take place." This question is part of Chris Brauns's Forgiveness Quiz that draws readers into his book and gets them thinking about the subject of forgiveness. The truth is, pastors and counselors disagree profoundly on this subject. Unpacking Forgiveness combines sound theological thinking and honesty about the complicated questions many face to provide readers with a solid understanding of biblical forgiveness. Only God's Word can unpack forgiveness. The wounds are too deep for us to find healing on our own, and the questions are too complex to be unraveled by anything but the wisdom of God. This book goes beyond a feel-good doctrine of automatic forgiveness, balancing the beauty of God's grace and the necessity of forgiveness with the teaching that forgiveness must take place in a way that is consistent with justice.

In this book, first published in 2000, Stephen Pattison considers the nature of shame as it is discussed in the diverse discourses of literature, psychology, psychoanalysis, philosophy, history and sociology and concludes that 'shame' is not a single unitary phenomenon, but rather a set of separable but related understandings in different discourses. Situating chronic shame primarily within the metaphorical ecology of defilement, pollution and toxic unwantedness, Pattison goes on to examine the causes and effects of shame. He then considers the way in which Christianity has responded to and used shame. Psychologists, philosophers, theologians and therapists will find this a fascinating source of insight, and it will be of particular use to pastoral workers and those concerned with religion and mental health.

What if Jesus did not come to die for our sins? What if, instead, Jesus's life and death was intended to provide a way out of our shame? While traditional Christian teachings about the atonement emphasize sin as guilt and transgression against God's will and commandments, Frank Woggon points out that clinical spiritual care reveals that the human condition is predominantly marked by shame rather than guilt. In The Empathic God, Woggon examines myopic readings of the Jesus event that, in turn, have embedded distortions into traditional paradigms of the atonement. In contrast, Woggon mines narratives of the human condition to engage in a critical examination of the Jesus story. As a clinician and ordained Baptist minister, Woggon presents the Jesus event as God's empathic initiative toward humanity and convincingly argues that salvation comes through empathy rather than forgiveness. Woggon's work constructs a clinical theology of "at-onement" from the perspective of clinical spiritual care. The Empathic God calls for a practical response of caring participation in God's ongoing work of salvation through an empathic praxis of spiritual care. Most importantly, The Empathic God takes seriously that lived human experience is the starting point for theological exploration rather than doctrine. This book will help practitioners and students of spiritual care in the Christian tradition to reflect more critically on the intersection of spiritual care practice and theology. The book also will challenge pastors, ministers of pastoral care, chaplains, pastoral counselors, spiritually oriented therapists to interrogate and re-interpret traumatic, shame-filled Christian teachings about the atonement so that they, too, can join in God's ongoing and liberating work of salvation.