Page 96 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

Christian Psychology alive

Formational learning from the study of for- tic witnesses to forgiveness, students encounter
giveness the reality of sin, trauma, grace and freedom.
Students learn not only develop an academic They discover that if God can heal this person
knowledge and acquire pastoral/clinical skills to of their wounds, then perhaps my own are not
further forgiveness process, but also are encou- beyond repairing; they also see people openly
raged to use the class readings and assignments talking about how forgiveness is not comple-
to help them explore their own unforgiveness te in their lives, modeling that grace may take
issues as part of spiritual and professional for- time to take hold and that the process of sancti-
mation. A pastor or a counsellor who has not fication is often about incremental transforma-
dealt with bitterness or reconciliation issues in tion, not overnight change.
his/her own life will not be very effective in un-
derstanding and assisting parishioners/clients 4. The last class of the course concludes with a
with their struggles. The class attempts in seve- communion service, centered upon God’s for-
ral ways to do this. giveness for his people through the Cross of
Christ, and our response to grace as a commu-
1. Engaging the student in devotional theologi- nity of the forgiven and forgiving. Students not
cal reflection about God’s call to forgive in their only engage in worship and the Lord’s Supper
own lives. Using Henri Nouwen’s The Return of at this time, but also dialogue and pray together
the Prodigal as a devotional exemplar, the class for their own journeys of forgiveness.
comes to grip in particular with the meaning of
forgiveness as expressed in the parable of the Comments made in papers by my own stu-
Prodigal Son (Luke 15). dents, reflecting the spiritual and professional
formation outcomes:
2. Employing a research-based forgiveness
model (Christian psychologist Everett I was struck by Jones’ interpretation of Mary’s
Worthington’s REACH model), students car- reaction when she finds that Jesus’ body is not
ry out a reflective workbook assignment that in the tomb. Jesus was the one who affirmed
walks them through their own forgiveness is- Mary of her humanity. His death brought a
loss of hope and also a loss of her sense of
sues. I believe this helps students experienti- identity. When she hears the risen Jesus call
ally encounter the complexities of resolving her name, she finds her identity once more.
interpersonal sin and move towards healing. She is the one who has been forgiven, loved,
Since forgiveness processing involves the use and given life, by her God. [Here she quotes
of empathy, compassion, perspective taking, Jones’ Embodying Forgiveness]“But she can-
the practice of exercises which engender these not cling to her past relationship with Jesus;
skills/traits in the students, which help prepare she must go forward and embody her new life
them for ministry. in mission to others” (130). This story remin-
ded me of the importance of, not only recei-
ving God’s love for me, but also allowing my
3. Students report they are strongly impacted identity to be shaped by Him. If I am to truly
by the testimonies of guest speakers, who share live in his image, I must live in communion,
their forgiveness struggles with the class. The self-giving communion, with my brothers and
past classes have included testimonies of for- sisters. (L.W.)
giveness from a woman whose brother attemp-
ted to kill her family and was serving a life sen- I loved Barth’s notion of finding signs of for-
tence for successfully murdering their mother; giveness throughout creation. The line of
a former anti-terrorist police officer from Nort- sacred and secular used to be more clearly
hern Ireland who was raised to hate Roman Ca- demarcated. Part of me wonders, “Are the
tholics who talks about forgiveness and recon- moments of forgiveness and beauty that I am
ciliation between people groups; and a former noticing around me with greater frequency
actually signs that I am unwittingly growing
pastor who had an affair which devastated his in my embodiment of forgiveness?” (P.E.)
family and church. In dialog with these authen-

95