Ep. 95 - Must We Forgive?

When a crime is committed or moral injury occurs, we often respond in one of two ways: we condemn the offense and seek redress, or we declare our willingness to forgive and move on. But a reflexive willingness to pardon—though praised by the Christian tradition—can actually be a problem, argues Matthew Potts. He’s a professor and pastor at Harvard Divinity School, and author of the new book Forgiveness: An Alternative Account. Joined by Commonweal literary editor Anthony Domestico, Potts explains how his novel account of forgiveness demands a habit of non-retaliation, and why literary fiction provides the perfect vantage point for parsing the moral complexity of mercy. For further reading: Clifford Thompson on Wendell Berry and forgiveness Adam DeVille on counseling sex offenders B.D. McClay on the sacrament of reconciliation