Forgiveness and Restorative Justice Perspectives from Christian Theology

The meaning of ‘forgiveness’ and its role within restorative justice are highly contested. This book offers analysis from practical and academic perspectives within Christian theology, against a rich canvas of related concepts, including victimhood, sin, love, and vulnerability. Critical friends of restorative justice, the authors argue that forgiveness – whether as journey or act, unilateral or mutual, conditional or unconditional – is necessary to achieving a fully restorative resolution to acts of harm. They also suggest that Christianity, with its meaning-giving metanarrative of restoration, and preference for communitarian approaches to justice, may have epistemic value for evaluating and even deepening the theory and practice of restorative justice.

Myra N. Blyth is an ecumenical theologian. She has held senior positions at the World Council of Churches and Regent’s Park College, Oxford (UK), and published on restorative justice and forgiveness, and restorative justice and human trafficking. She is a founding trustee of The Mint House: Oxford Centre for Restorative Practice (UK).

Matthew J. Mills is a Catholic theologian and church historian. He has held lectureships at Regent’s Park College and St John’s College, Oxford (UK), and his publications include studies of the Virgin Mary and Anselm of Canterbury.

Michael H. Taylor is Professor Emeritus of Social Theology at the University of Birmingham (UK), as well as a former Director of Christian Aid and Director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue (World Bank). He has published ten books, and continues to work on issues relating to climate justice, migration and mental health.