Forgiveness and Restoration: A Theological Exploration

The Journal of Religion, 90:148–170.

 By Jesse Couenhoven

The discussion below contains a number of arguments about the nature of forgiveness that are inspired by my beliefs about divine forgiveness and their implications for human forgiveness. Yet these arguments do not (solely) depend on those beliefs about divine forgiveness for whatever epistemic merits they may have. Thus, while I expect my discussion of what forgiveness is to appeal more to theists than to nontheists, my views are open to assessment and refinement by both parties. Whether the understanding of forgiveness toward which this discussion points can also be translated into nontheological frameworks without significant loss is a question I return to as this article continues.

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