Page 100 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

Christian Psychology alive

while I can pronounce the word “forgiveness” “Forgiveness is learned and lived in the con-
and talk about it so much in the church, I text of community and for the community,
really don’t know the depths of it in terms of particularly the Body of Christ. Sometimes
theology and understanding, and in practice at church the way forgiveness is understood
I’m even poorer. What I have gleaned from is never bring up or talk about the past. Yet
the book I now realize: that forgiveness is a I know that this is not forgiveness either. It’s
craft to be embodied in my life as I follow probably denial more than reconciliation.
Christ as a part of His Body. I want to learn And so as I read, I hope that my community
this craft. I realize that I’m so poor at it. And can be reconciled and healed. This is a deep
I need a teacher, a master who will lead me. I hope, a place in my heart where hurt and ho-
understand Christ is my master, but perhaps peful joy both reside. I want us to know the
its time I also bring these issues to my spiritu- power of Christ, of his death and resurrection,
al director.” --Roy of forgiveness for the purpose of restoration of
communion and reconciliation of brokenness.
A second forgiveness situation related to pro- (“Roy”)
blems in Roy’s home church, a well-established
ethnic congregation, where he was also serving As I sat with Roy’s family and pastor after gra-
as an intern. Several years prior there was a con- duation, the pastor and Roy’s father then began
troversy in the church that had left a legacy of to describe the story of their church, and how
bitterness and hurt. A beloved Associate Pastor although they appeared unified there were some
had been fired, at the behest of a small faction deep hurts lingering from past problems that
on the church board, who disliked his personal needed mending, the circumstances I recoun-
style and approach to ministry. The decision ted above but was not fully aware of during the
had been orchestrated in secret without nor- course. To my surprise, the pastor related that
mal consultation with the entire board or the he was requiring his church leadership team
congregation, leaving many members angry to read Leroy Jones’ Embodying Forgiveness,
and hurt. Roy’s father was on the board at the (1995), the fairly heavy theological text we had
time and was a supporter of the Associate Pa- used in my course and concluded, with Roy
stor. At a climatic congregational meeting about and his father chiming in, by asking if I would
this decision, lines were drawn and harsh words consider speaking to their church board on
spoken on both sides. In a culture that places the topic of forgiveness at their annual board
a high value on respect, saving face and unity, retreat. This I eventually did, covering biblical
this was a serious rift. The Associate Pastor was passages on forgiveness, a meditation exercise
terminated, but the congregation had fractured on Rembrandt’s famous picture “Return of the
and resentments abounded. Some families left Prodigal”, personal testimony about forgiveness
the church. Eventually, some of those who had process in my own life and a description of the
pushed the pastor out the door wrote a letter of key steps to relinquishing bitterness and embra-
apology to the congregation for acting in a high- cing forgiveness. The retreat culminated in sha-
handed manner, and a new senior pastor came, ring a common meal and communion service.
who helped the church to heal. But the wounds No formal evaluation was taken of the impact
still remained for many, including Roy’s family. on participants, however, indications from the
Although Roy did not take the course with pastor were supportive. Furthermore, a month
the specific intent of working on these issues, later this writer received an invitation to address
he soon realized that the readings, papers and the members of this ethnic family of churches
journal assignments were forcing him to con- to speak on the topic of “Reconcilation between
sider how to bring healing to his family and cultures and generations”, a real honor to make
church. a forgiveness related contribution to larger is-
sues of relationships between first and second
On these painful issues of the church split, Roy generation ministries, that sprang out of the
journaled: seeds planted in a young student’s own journey
of forgiveness in a seminary class.

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