Skip to main content

The Art of Forgiving - A Book Review

 The Art of Forgiving

When You Need To Forgive       

And Don’t Know How

By

Lewis B. Smedes

Reviewed by

Geoffrey W. Sutton

 



The Art of Forgiving is a modern classic work on forgiveness by Lewis B. Smedes, who has been cited by scientists like Robert Enright and Ev Worthington.

Smedes reminds us that we are forgiving people for what they have done and not for who they are. He also opines that forgiving someone does not include reunion or restoration. He locates forgiveness within one person, the forgiver. He’s using the word reunion like contemporary writers use the term, reconciliation.

           Forgiving has no strings attached.

           Reunion has several strings attached.

I appreciate his comments on restoration, which is a subject my colleagues and I have studied (e.g., Sutton & Thomas, 2005; Thomas et al., 2008). Smedes wisely advises us to avoid the confusion of forgiving with restoration. That is, we may deal with our own hurt and let that pain go but restoration of a person to their former place in society or work is a different consideration requiring “prudence and justice.”

Although the book is old compared to the cornucopia of forgiveness books, I still find Smedes work speaks to current trends because he applies the forgiveness process to forgiving oneself. In addition, he does not shy away from the spiritual challenge religious people experience when they feel God has treated them unjustly. That is, Smedes has a chapter on forgiving God. He takes a humbles stance here to help people deal with that troubling feeling.

Toward the end, Smedes offers practical wisdom on interacting with those who have offended us. He advises caution and his suggestions reflect caution so that relationships are not worsened.

Overall, I think Smedes classic work should be read by those writing about forgiveness from a Christian perspective even when relying on the popular forgiveness programs.

Smedes book is available from:  AMAZON       GOOGLE Books

 

Cite this Post

Sutton, G. W. (2020, November 5). The Art of Forgiving- A review. Sutton Reviews. 

 Find more books on Forgiveness and Reconciliation - CLICK HERE

References

Smedes, L.B. (1996). The art of forgiving: When you need to forgive and don’t know how. New York: Ballantine Books.

Sutton, G.W., & Thomas, E. K. (2005). Can derailed pastors be restored? Effects of offense and age on restoration. Pastoral Psychology, 53, 583-599.

            Academia Link    Research Gate Link

Thomas, E. K., & Sutton, G.W. (2008). Religious leadership failure: Forgiveness, apology, and restitution. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 10, 308-327. Academia Link    Research Gate Link

 About the Author

Lewis B. Smedes is former professor of theology and ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary. 

    (Fuller Archive)


Links to Connections

Checkout My Page    www.suttong.com

  

My Books  AMAZON          and             GOOGLE STORE

 

FOLLOW me on   FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton

 

PINTEREST  www.pinterest.com/GeoffWSutton

 

Articles: Academia   Geoff W Sutton   ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Changing Our Mind by D. Gushee - Review

Changing Our Mind   by David P. Gushee    Reviewed by Geoffrey W. Sutton Changing Our Mind by David P. Gushee is a transformative book that explores the author's evolving views on LGBTQ inclusion within Christianity. Gushee, a prominent Christian ethicist, shares his journey from holding traditional evangelical views to advocating for full acceptance of LGBTQ Christians in the church. He examines biblical texts and theological positions, encouraging readers to reconsider their beliefs in light of new understandings and the lived experiences of LGBTQ individuals. The book is a call for empathy, inclusivity, and a more loving faith community. ***** I read the Kindle version of the third edition of Changing Our Mind as part of my research into Christian worldviews focused on Christian moral perspectives toward people who identify as LGBTQ. I had previously addressed the topic from the perspective of moral psychology in A House Divided (2016) and in a few research studies co...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pentecostal & Charismatic Studies- Book List & Reviews

  I read a number of books reporting research with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians as a part of my own investigations and when writing Counseling and Psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians (2021). This book list with links to reviews or book summaries is the product of that research. I am using the concept, studies , to refer to scientific investigations that report quantitative or qualitative data. Some references refer to theorizing by scholars.  I do not include religious studies or theological sources because that is not my area of expertise, although I did read several of these works in preparing the aforementioned counselling book. Key Topics: Anthropology, Counselling, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Sociology, Integrating Christianity and Counseling or Psychotherapy   Counseling and Psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians by Geoffrey W. Sutton. A summary of research studies about beliefs, pract...
Post a Comment
Read more

Elizabeth and Hazel Two Women of Little Rock

  Trauma, Hate, and Barriers to Reconciliation   Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock by David Margolick Reviewed by    Geoffrey W. Sutton Elizabeth Ann Eckford is 15 in the classic photo of her silently walking toward Little Rock’s Central High School in 1957. But she’s not alone. A loud white mob screams hate. With an unforgettable open mouth, Hazel Massey appears over Elizabeth’s right shoulder and comes to represent the hot white objection to desegregating the all-white High School.   The story of Elizabeth and Hazel is painful to read. David Margolick makes the black and white images come alive as much as possible for those of us at a distance in time and place from the lived events. In addition to the stories recalled by each woman, we gain additional insights from school records and the way various reporters retold the stories over several decades.   Margolick offers insight into human emotion and personality traits as well as the toll on m...
Post a Comment
Read more