Forgiveness Definition Paper

· Forgiveness is only applicable to people

· Forgiveness entails a release of negatives

· Much agreement about what forgiveness is not...

Forgiveness is Not...

· Forgetting

· Condoning

· Excusing

· Justifying

· Pardoning

· Reconciliation

Does the General Population Agree?

· Generally agree with the notion of letting go of negatives

· But tend to include ideas of forgetting and reconciliation (Kanz, 2000)

Is Letting Go of Negatives Enough?

· If only let go of negatives, are you left with indifference?

· Occurs simply with the passage of time

· Adoption of positives

· Can you feel love toward the person who hurt you?

3 Big Names

Enright (1998, p. 140)

· Forgiveness = cognitive + behavioural + affective

· Forgiveness is a process

· Replace negatives with positives

· Forgiveness = an altruistic gift to offender

Worthington (1998, p. 108)

· 2 types of forgiveness

· Decisional forgiveness: Change in behavioural intentions

· Emotional forgiveness: Replacement of negative, unforgiving emotions with positive, other-oriented emotions

McCullough (2000, p. 44)

· Reduction in motive to avoid

· Reduction in motive to seek revenge

· Increase in motive to act benevolently toward offender

Are There Unforgivable Acts?

· Unforgiveable acts: Child abuse; killing of a child; terrorist attacks; torture

· Unforgiveable people: Sociopaths; Hitler

Components of an Unforgivable Act (Govier, 1999)

An act is unforgivable if:

A) The direct victims are dead

B) The act is absolutely inexcusable

C) The deed is of such enormity that victims could never be properly compensated

D) The consequences of the act = enormous harm

E) The act is of such enormity that resentment of it will forever be justified

F) The act violates profoundly important moral principles

What FEELS like an Unforgivable Act? (Flanigan, 1992)

· A betrayal

· Committed by an intimate offender

· Shatter concept of morality

· Assault your fundamental beliefs/worldview

· Deeply personal – so vary from person to person