27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Reconciliation

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Matthew 18: If another member of the church sins against you… point out the fault when the two of you are alone if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. how often should I forgive? Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Justice, Compassion, and Reconciliation. These are the three signposts on the path to peace that emerge from the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are the context of reconciliation. They are the ongoing process by which Christian community is both built and sustained.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Quick History Tour 1 st Four Centuries of the Church –Peter & Paul; Jews & Gentiles –The Fathers (basic doctrines/heresies) –The Creeds –Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch –West and East (Apostles and Nicene) Reformation –Papists/Anti-Christs; Reformed/Rebellious

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation American Colonies –Burning of women as witches –Killing of Native Americans as sanctioned –Pauline texts used to justify slavery –Patchwork quilt of denominations = claims to rightness Conservative/liberal; traditional/progressive (all believe theyre right!)

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Does right = reconciled? Being right is much easier than being reconciled. When asked what was the most important thing for people to do, Jesus did not say that is was for the to be right. He said it was for them to love. Love is not about being right. It is about being in relationship.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Implications Reconciliation does not mean that we must stop believing in sin. Reconciliation does demand that we stop pretending that another person's sin is different than our own and that, consequently, We have a right to set ourselves apart from them and act as their judge

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Resolution of Conflict Five possible strategies Collaboration Negotiation Voting Hierarchy Avoiding After Speed Leas in A Lay Perons Guide to Conflict Management, Alban, 1979

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Love one another Separation/shunning is not an option Hurting one another is not an option As we try to love –The Holy Spirit, the Counselor, the Advocate –Available to all w/out regard to politics or passions –To heal when we hurt, understand when confused, reconcile when estranged

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation What is our witness? Fear?: guilt by association (company of sinners) –Conformity –Institutionalization of conflict The Cross: Jesus reminders: We are people of deep spiritual contradiction - in the world but not of the world Love: We are to be grounded in community, not rightness

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation So how do we do compassion? What do we do w/ anger & hurt of conflict? Do we have to live in emotional turmoil as the price of disagreement? What is the peace of Christ that passes all understanding in the midst of our struggles? –Forgiveness (but not cheap grace) –Not Im right and youre wrong but I forgive you

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Walk among them – compassus Do not be afraid (security) –Of losing –Of losing control –Of being guilty Defensive, belligerent, arrogant, hostile, depressed, angry, etc.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Invite Diversity (the way of radical hospitality) –Community is organic. It is not structural, organizational, or doctrinal The reconciliation of Jesus is an invitation to behave in ways that are both different and difficult

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Not always easy to be part of the Jesus family: required members to maintain humility to avoid power plays, to expect change as natural to stay together even when disagreeing among selves To remain alert for the movement of the Holy Spirit in their lives sent out to be reconcilers and healers

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Three principles (then 10 steps) justice can be served without one side having to be right. compassion can be practiced with a forgiveness that overcomes fear. reconciliation can occur without the need for resolution.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Ten Steps Toward Reconciliation 1.Seek first the Kingdom of God 2.Do not be afraid. 3.Judge not. 4.Forgive seven times seventy. 5.Be servants first. 6.Stay awake. 7.Ask so you may receive

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 8.Trust the Holy Spirit. 9.Go into all the world 10.Love one another

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Four-Way Forgiveness (Norma Dearing) Hold up to the Lord all the things about the person that trouble you hold up to the Lord all the things about you that trouble this person Hold up to the Lord your hearts desire for this person Hold up to the Lord your hearts desire for yourself

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Recovering Reconciliation as the Mission of God 1.Reconciliation is Gods gift to the world. Healing of the worlds deep brokenness does not begin with ujs and our action, but with God and Gods gift of new creation.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 2. Reconciliation is not a theory, achievement, technique or event. It is a journey.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 3. The end toward which the journey of reconciliation leads is the shalom of Gods new creation – a future not yet fulloy realized, but holistic in its transformation of the personal, social and structural dimensions of life.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 4. The journey of reconciliation requires the discipline of lament.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 5. In a broken world God is always planting seeds of hope, though often not in the places we expect or even desire.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 6. There is no reconciliation without memory, because there is no hope for a peaceful tomorrow that does not seriously engage both the pain of the past and the call to forgive.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 7. Reconciliation needs the church, but not as just another social agency or NGO (non-governmental agency).

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 8. The ministry of reconciliation requires and calls forth a specific type of leadership that is able to unite a deep vision with the concrete skills, virtues and habits necessary for the long and often lonesome journey of reconciliation.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 9. There is no reconciliation without conversion, the constant journey with God into a future of new people and new loyalties.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation 10.Imagination and conversion are the very heart and soul of reconciliation.

27 October 2012Forgiveness, Healing & Reconciliation Resources Good News: A Congregational Resource for Reconciliation, The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, Episcopal Divinity School Reconciling All things: a Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and Healing, Emmanuel Katangole & Chris Rice, InterVarsity Press, 2008 Forgiving Ararat, Gita Nazareth, Bette Press, LLC, 2009 Forgiveness is a Choice, Robert Enright, APA Life Tools, 2001 The Shack, William P. Young, Windblown Media, 2007