Forgiveness goes to the heart of what we believe as Christians, and nothing is more important to our life together. Yet this topic is neither easy to conceptualize nor easy to practice in our life. Definitions of forgiveness vary, and personal understandings of how we ought to behave, after we are hurt or have hurt others, differ by family, religious beliefs, and cultural perspective. Unhealthy myths about faith, forgiveness, and healing can complicate this painful process, but the power of the Holy Spirit makes the impossible possible.
At the heart of the gospel is God's gracious reconciliation with our broken world. On the cross Christ not only forgave his enemies; he embodied forgiveness. His saving work makes it possible for us to believe that we are forgiven and that we can forgive each other. This is not simply something we do every once in a while, but it is a way of life that reflects Christ. This new state of affairs, in turn, creates a wild and wonderful reality in which living as a human being comes to mean something brand new. It's not that we have left our humanity behind, but rather that we are set free to recognize ourselves as embraced by God.
The first session considers definitions of forgiveness and its complexity. The second session is a more practical examination of how we live or don't live forgiveness in our lives together.