Ideas

Quotations to Stir Mind and Heart

Confession is nothing but humility in action. … When there is a gap between me and Christ, when my love is divided, anything can come to fill the gap. Confession is a place where I allow Jesus to take away from me everything that divides, that destroys.Mother Teresa, No Greater Love

Christian forgiveness should not be a refusal of strength, but rather ought to manifest an alternative power; Christian love, whether of neighbors or of enemies, should be a sign not of repressed anger and hatred but of anger and hatred confronted and, eventually, overcome and transcended; it should not be an internalized guilt that further diminishes and destroys but a truthful engagement with the causes and motivations underlying the situation of brokenness.L. Gregory Jones, Embodying Forgiveness

Instead of genuine forgiveness, our generation has been taught the vague notion of “tolerance.” This is, at best, a low-grade parody of forgiveness. At worst, it’s a way of sweeping the real issues in human life under the carpet. … Jesus’ message [of forgiveness of sins] offers the genuine article and insists that we should accept no man-made substitutes.N.T. Wright, The Lord and His Prayer

True mercy is, so to speak, the most profound source of justice.Pope John Paul II, “Dives in Misericordia”

God wants us to be merciful with ourselves. And besides, our sorrows are not our own. He takes them on Himself, into His heart.George Bernanos, The Diary of a Country Priest

Our first task is not to forgive, but to learn to be the forgiven. Too often to be ready to forgive is a way of exerting control over another. We fear accepting forgiveness from another because such a gift makes us powerless, and we fear the loss of control involved. … Only by learning to accept God’s forgiveness as we see it in the life and death of Jesus can we acquire the power that comes from learning to give up control.Stanley Hauerwas, The Peaceable Kingdom

Pardon is an inherent characteristic of the Christian community. To pardon means not to fixate [on] the past but to create possibilities for persons to change and to realign the course of their lives. … Pardon forges Christian community.Gustavo Gutiérrez, We Drink from Our Own Wells

He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for every one has need to be forgiven.George Herbert, quoted in N. T. Wright, The Lord and His Prayer

[Forgiveness] cannot mean that we cover up a fault with the “mantle of charity.” Divine things are never a matter of illusion and deception. On the contrary, before the sin is forgiven the mantle with which it is covered must be removed. The sin must be unmercifully—yes, unmercifully—exposed to the light of God’s countenance (Psalm 90).Helmut Thielicke, Our Heavenly Father

Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Past Reflections columns include:

Also in this issue

Learning the Ancient Rhythms of Prayer: Why charismatics and evangelicals, among others, are flocking to communities famous for set prayers and worship by the clock.

Cover Story

Learning the Ancient Rhythms of Prayer

Briefs: North America

Community, Not Commodity

What If They Didn't Know?

Semi-Amazing Grace

The Culture of Co-Opted Belief?

Pander Politics

The Bush Agenda

Canadian Conservative Called ’Racist’

Updates

Religious Right Loses Power

Church of God in Christ: COGIC Presiding Bishop Ousted

Evangelism: Downtown Evangelism Makes a Comeback

Technology: Reinventing Communion Prep

Turkmenistan: Christians Beatn, Tortured

Congo: Roadblocks to Mercy

Briefs: The World

Sweden: Locked Out

Colombia: Death Threats Denied

Kenya: Muslim-Christian Riots Rock Nairobi

Seeing the Whole Field

Wire Story

Strapped NCC Gets $400K ’Advance’ from Methodists

What Rap Does Right

Real Political Realism

The Rise and Fall of the Daily Office

A Vespers Office

Hip-Hop Kingdom Come

Five Things Clinton Taught Us

The Glory of the Ordinary

News

Rock's Real Rebels

The Peace Regress

Conflict in the Holy Land: A CT Timeline

Field of TM Dreams

Mere Transcendental Meditation

Sometimes It Takes a Miracle

Letters

Editorial

The Evil of Two Lessers

Bigotry in Canada

Readers' Forum: First Church of Signs and Wonders

View issue

Our Latest

News

Egyptian Christians Show ‘Love of Jesus’ to Displaced Palestinians

Being Human

The Search for Belonging When You’re One of a Kind

Dennis Edwards discusses marginalization, assumptions, and expectations.

Expert: Ukraine’s Ban on Russian Orthodox Church Is Compatible with Religious Freedom

Despite GOP concerns over government interference, local evangelicals agree that the historic church must fully separate from its Moscow parent.

News

Ohio Haitians Feel Panic, Local Christians Try to Repair Divides

As Donald Trump’s unfounded claims circulate, Springfield pastors and immigrant leaders deal with the real-world consequences.

Taste and See If the Show is Good

Christians like to talk up pop culture’s resonance with our faith. But what matters more is our own conformity to Christ.

Review

A Pastor’s Wife Was Murdered. God Had Prepared Him for It.

In the aftermath of a senseless killing, Davey Blackburn encountered “signs and wonders” hinting at its place in a divine plan.

The Church Can Help End the Phone-Based Childhood

Christians fought for laws to protect children during the Industrial Revolution. We can do it again in the smartphone age.

The Bulletin

Don’t Blame Me

The Bulletin considers the end of Chinese international adoptions, recaps the week’s presidential debate, and talks about friendship across political divides with Taylor Swift as a case study.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube