Practicing God's Radical Forgiveness

Forgiveness marks one of the most important issues of our time. If the enormous number of books and articles are a measure, then forgiveness--our forgiveness of others and forgiveness for ourselves--appeals to our deepest concern. It's a challenge to determine just what we mean when we speak of ""forgiveness."" Any discussion will reveal that our shared understanding and practices of forgiveness quickly diverge. For example, is it the same thing to forgive a child, a criminal, a malicious acquaintance, or someone who's inadvertently done us harm? Likely, no. We'll discover in this book that how we understand and practice forgiveness has shifted and changed through history, formed by cultural context. Even biblically, our understanding of forgiveness has altered over time. We'll unpack the importance of this cultural history and then turn to the three strands of forgiveness that together form our modern practice of forgiveness. First, the personal and therapeutic forgiveness. Second, the communal forgiveness that's valued for its power to resolve conflict, renew relationships, and restore peace. Finally, the divine, God's absolute unconditional forgiveness, a forgiveness we'll discover that undergirds every other way we understand forgiveness.

""Forgiveness can be the hardest thing to grant, and yet the easiest to accept. Jeffrey Bullock has examined the process of forgiveness in a fresh way, reframing it as three distinct acts: therapeutic (or discarding the burden of anger); communal (or corporate); and divine (coming from Christ's ultimate sacrifice). Whether or not you are a Christian, his approach challenges us. Every few lines, readers will find themselves pausing and reflecting on their own journey.""
--Rebecca Tinsley, author of When the Stars Fall to Earth

""The idea of forgiveness has a history: human forgiving takes place in cultural contexts, shaped by law and custom. God's 'radical forgiveness,' by contrast, is a shocking idea. Reaching beyond 'therapeutic forgiveness' that releases resentment, and social forgiveness that seeks to heal community, divine forgiveness--unconditional, prevenient, and restorative--is a gift. This beautiful exploration of radical forgiveness is also a gift--a book that reminds us to be amazed by grace.""
--Marilyn McEntyre, author of Make a List

""Jeff Bullock brings considerable pastoral experience to bear on the enduring question of what it means to forgive. Alluding to a number of seminal sources and drawing deeply from Scripture, he weaves a three-stranded theology of forgiveness that is rich in both its claims and its promises. What is radical about forgiveness in the Christian tradition, Bullock reminds us, is its rootedness in the triune God's abiding love for all of creation.""
--Debra Dean Murphy, author of Happiness, Health, and Beauty: The Christian Life in Everyday Terms


Jeffrey Bullock has served parishes large and small for nearly four decades. Bullock has published on a wide variety of topics including parish growth, pastoral care, and Christian practices, while continuing to volunteer in ministry. He is the author of Practicing Christian Patience (2014).