Historically in the church forgiveness has generally been connected with individual practice, while the significance of forgiveness in the public arena has largely been eclipsed by emphases on more retributive understandings of justice. Yet interest in forgiveness is increasing in a number of spheres, encompassing both the personal and the public.
Forgiveness is a journey. Today you can forgive and tomorrow you can feel the pain all over again.
Anne Gallagher, Forgiveness Project
I know Bishop Semantu, amongst others, have been very vocal in supporting the development of the principles of restorative justice, but…
Is the Church missing a trick by not getting behind these kinds of projects with more energy?
Surely we have so much wisdom to offer in this area. If you’re reading this and have a view – please do leave a comment 🙂
SamMarsh.net 
You’d think,and to be fair there are probably allot of christians and churches who do get behind this kind of thing.
But do we have allot of wisdom to offer in this area. I don’t think it would be unfair to say that the reason many churches aren’t involved in this kind of project is because it involves leaving the safe enclaves of the middleclass homestead. There is both danger of encounter with undesirables and the posibility that the projection we have of the sought of person who does this sort of thing may change.
Also for many christians their understanding of God simply doesn’t support it, restoritive justice in their eyes is the most punitive kind.
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You may well be right – it has to start with our view of God and the kind of justice we see him modelling.
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