Christianity & Forgiveness (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)

Christian teachings about forgiveness

What is forgiveness?

• Forgiveness is when a person stops feeling hurt for something that has happened to them

• Many religious and non-religious people believe that forgiveness and reconciliation are important to allow criminals to be reconciled with the community

• If no effort was made to forgive or reconcile criminals, they may feel more isolated and be more likely to reoffend

• Some societies offer opportunities for criminals to re-enter society, through schemes giving ex-offenders jobs and qualifications

• Many people believe that restorative justice helps the criminals and their victims to understand each other and help with the reconciliation process

• Finding peace through forgiveness and reconciliation and resolving conflict is important for Christians

• Although, most religious people do believe that individuals should be punished for their crimes and receive justice

Christianity and forgiveness

• Christianity stresses the importance of forgiveness

• Jesus told the Parable of the Lost Son to show that Christians should always be willing to forgive others as God is prepared to forgive them

• Jesus himself showed forgiveness by spending time with ‘sinners’, such as tax collectors, prostitutes and lepers

• The Lord’s Prayer involves Christians asking God to ‘Forgive us our sins’

• Christians believe that as God is merciful to them, they believe that they should forgive other people, as the Lord’s Prayer also says: ‘as we forgive those who sin against us’

• Christianity is based upon the concepts of forgiveness, reconciliation and agape love

• Christians believe that the power of forgiveness and love can lead to reconciliation and the ending of conflict

• Christianity is clear about views on forgiveness and reconciliation and the Bible provides teachings on this for Christians to follow:

  • Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation

  • When Peter asked if he should forgive his brother up to 7 times, Jesus told him he should forgive him 70 x 7 times (Matthew 18: 22)

  • Jesus says, ‘If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses' (Matthew 6:14–15)

The forgiveness of offenders in Christianity

Forgiving offenders in Christianity

• It is a challenge for Christians to forgive everyone, no matter how much pain they cause, but this is an important Christian teaching

• The Bible says that Christians should try to help to reform criminals rather than judging them and punishing them too harshly

• In the Parable of the Lost Son, Jesus teaches us that we should wish everyone to be good so that they can go to heaven to be with God

  • The story also means that no matter what someone does, if they are sorry, we should be prepared to forgive them and be happy that they want to change their ways and become good people

• Many Christians believe that the aim of punishment should be to support people to see that God loves them, and they can be better people who can live lives that please God

• God is seen as the ultimate judge and so Christians believe that it is up to God to judge us, we should not judge each other

  • If someone has committed a terrible sin which cannot be forgiven, then God will punish them in the afterlife

• Jesus said ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone’ (John 8: 7) 

  • This means that everyone has sinned and got things wrong, but God forgives us and we should forgive one another rather than judging each other and handing out harsh punishments for retribution

• However, some Christians believe that some sins cannot be forgiven

  • The Old Testament says that we should take ‘an eye for an eye’ which means that we can punish those who commit crimes rather than forgiving them

  • Some Christians believe that if a person has committed the crime of murder, for example, then they should have their life taken from them

  • This is the way to keep society safe and deter people from committing crimes

  • The Bible mentions many crimes which are ‘punishable by death’, such as murder, striking one’s parents and selling a person into slavery

  • This means that Christians can argue that there are some crimes which cannot, and should not, be forgiven

• Christians believe that Jesus has given them the job of protecting the weak and vulnerable in society

  • He taught us whenever we help the vulnerable, we also help him

  • This means that crimes against children are examples of crimes which for some Christians cannot, and should not, be forgiven

  • Such crimes must be punished severely to keep criminals out of society and show that such behaviour is unacceptable

Christianity and restorative justice

What is restorative justice?

• Restorative justice is a problem-solving approach to crime which involves:

  • the offender

  • the victim

  • the community

• Restorative justice works to resolve conflict and to repair harm by:

  • Encouraging those who have caused harm to consider the damage they have done

  • Giving them the opportunity to make reparation (to put things right)

  • Offering those who have suffered harm or loss the opportunity to have this acknowledged and to have amends made

• The idea is that the needs of victims, the offenders and the community are not independent, and that all three must work together

• After a crime has been committed, many people cannot move on with their lives without becoming involved in restoration or attempting to restore the situation to the way things were

• The Restorative Justice Consortium (RJC) was formed in 1997. It aims to promote the use of restorative justice within the criminal justice system, the workplace and schools

Christianity and restorative justice?

• Central to the Christian faith is the concept of forgiveness, which is central to restorative justice

  • In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches believers to pray for forgiveness as they forgive others: ‘Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us’ (Matthew 6:12)

  • This emphasises the need for mutual forgiveness and highlights the restorative process of rebuilding trust and restoring relationships

• Jesus also repeatedly stressed the importance of reconciliation

  • In Matthew 5:23-24, he teaches that if someone has something against you, you should seek reconciliation before offering your gift at the altar

  • This shows that relational restoration is more important than ritual or sacrifice

• Some Christians believe that restoration and healing is more important than retributive justice

  • Jesus' teachings emphasise mercy over punishment

    • For instance, in the Gospel of John, Jesus encounters a woman caught in adultery, and instead of condemning her, he tells her, ‘Let him who is without sin cast the first stone’ (John 8:7)

  • Jesus’ response is not one of judgement but of invitation to new life, ‘Go and sin no more’

    • This reflects restorative justice by prioritising the potential for change and redemption over harsh punishment

• The parable of the Prodigal Son is a key illustration of restorative justice in Christian teaching

  • The son, after squandering his inheritance, returns home in repentance

  • Instead of being met with punishment, he is welcomed back with love and celebration by the father

  • The father's actions represent restorative justice: a focus on restoring the relationship and healing the brokenness caused by the son’s actions, rather than seeking retribution

• The life and work of Jesus are central to Christianity’s teaching on justice

  • Jesus came to ‘seek and save the lost’ (Luke 19:10), and his death on the cross is seen as an act of reconciliation between humanity and God (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

  • This act of restoration is central to Christian teachings, demonstrating that the ultimate goal of justice is not punishment but the healing of broken relationships and the restoration of what has been lost or damaged

• The concept of loving one's neighbour as oneself (Mark 12:31) is foundational to Christian teachings

  • Love, especially as expressed in the New Testament, often calls for actions that promote peace, healing, and restoration

  • This love is not conditional upon the other's actions, but is a means of lifting them up and bringing them back into relationship with God and with others