Let’s face it. Forgiveness is hard.
Someone does harm to us or someone we love. Our neighbors’ political views cause us anxiety. A trusted relative or clergy person violates our confidence. Long-beloved church members turn their backs on us in our times of deepest struggle.
How are we supposed to forgive that kind of hurt? The church seems to have plenty of platitudes but few actual solutions.
And yet, there’s something about forgiveness that we know instinctively can lead us to freedom. So why is it so difficult?
During the next few weeks, we’ll peel back the platitudes and explore the ways that forgiveness is at the root of the gospel precisely because it’s at the root of liberation. We’ll talk about forgiveness not just as a way of dealing with interpersonal conflicts, but as the “narrow road” into the Beloved Community.
Join us Sundays in September in our New Wineskins Virtual Theology Pub for our 2022 fall kickoff series on forgiveness as the root of liberation as we engage with video content* featuring Richard Rohr, Melinda Roper, Nadia Bolz-Weber, and Rudy Rasums to lead us into conversations about how forgiveness at its deepest levels changes us and changes the world.
*Each week’s featured video will be available from the Wednesday prior to our gathering through the Monday following. Watch our weekly posts or subscribe to our newsletter for video links.
Weekly schedule:
Sept. 4: Forgiveness and Inclusivity with Fr. Richard Rohr (preview video here)
Sept. 11: “Living Forgiveness” with Sr. Melinda Roper (video preview available Sept. 7)
Sept. 18: “The Antidote” with Nadia Bolz-Weber (video preview available Sept. 14)
Sept. 25: “Crossing Over to Love” with Rudy Rasums (video preview available Sept. 21)
6:00pm EDT: Happy Half-Hour (informal meet & greet time)
6:30pm EDT: Presentation & conversation begin
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Feature image by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com
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