Article Review

The Church as Forgiving Community: An Initial Model

Summary

In this article, Chad and Robert leads down a clear path of forgiveness model for the churches. The churches are being described to provide peace, self-esteem and self-materialization. It is a place where forgiveness is given and as a model of forgiveness and life savers, the rest of the people will automatically follow the suit by inspiration. The article does give a deeper level of comfort in the world of mercies with great power when the assertion of forgiveness has been implemented (Vincent, 2008).

Magnuson and Enright illustrates a motive in this article that how to cultivate the church community to impart the forgiving model. The Bible has explained forgiveness as “the cessation of resentment and the implementation or the resumption of a beneficent response toward an offender” (Bible, n.d.). Forgiveness is do given where we desire strongly to restore our fellowships with each other.

The forgiving model explains that the person who has been involved or have done wrong must offer mercy to someone who has acted unjustly (Bible, n.d.). Although, relationships do not be the same as they are before the forgiveness but guilt does exists which may lead to an environment that has been erected on the back of repetition. The reason behind forgiveness is to show mercy from the offender's anger to forgive the transgressor (Vincent, 2008). The effort of apologizing and seeking for forgiveness from a transgressor should not be avoided; as it is discussed in the article through several models that the forgiveness by an offender gives a aid of relaxation to his/her (offended person) physical health and their psychological thoughts.

What ever the reason is, forgiveness must be given at all cost no matter what wrong doings the offender does however it is more valuable if both the offending parties accept the guilt and apologize for the mischief acts. Furthermore, the article highlights the model of educating the churches, its members and the general public to make them aware of the meaning of “Forgiveness”.

When transgressions in our interpersonal relationship occurs then elicit negative and strong feelings are developed that potentially disrupt our relationship(s). It is the magic of forgiveness, which our religion teaches us to forgive as the Lord forgave us. It is the action of informing a guilty that has been at liberty of punishment in the future we should have incurred. Forgiveness becomes a perversion of justice and can be freely offered and initiated by the victim. Forgiveness is not an emotion or a feeling inside the heart of the victim, and one should never be mistaken for the true forgiveness.

Reflection

The insights that I gain from reading this article are the aspects of forgiveness which could be costly or are necessary for the reason of relationships in the community. The act of forgiveness considers the absorption of pain and agony form the other offenders. Lewis S.C. states that “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.” It's the example derived from the ...