Forgiveness
Forgiveness
is the renunciation or cessation of resentment, indignation or anger as a result
of a perceived offence, disagreement, or mistake, or ceasing to demand
punishment or restitution. The Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness as
'to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offence or
debt'. The concept and benefits of forgiveness have been explored in religious
thought, the social sciences and medicine. Forgiveness may be considered simply
in terms of the person who forgives including forgiving themselves, in terms of
the person forgiven or in terms of the relationship between the forgiver and the
person forgiven. In most contexts, forgiveness is granted without any
expectation of restorative justice, and without any response on the part of the
offender (for example, one may forgive a person who is incommunicado or dead).
In practical terms, it may be necessary for the offender to offer some form of
acknowledgment, an apology, or even just ask for forgiveness, in order for the
wronged person to believe himself able to forgive.
Most
world religions include teachings on the nature of forgiveness, and many of
these teachings provide an underlying basis for many varying modern day
traditions and practices of forgiveness. Some religious doctrines or
philosophies place greater emphasis on the need for humans to find some sort of
divine forgiveness for their own shortcomings, others place greater emphasis on
the need for humans to practice forgiveness of one another, yet others make
little or no distinction between human and divine
forgiveness.
Research
Factors determining the likelihood of
forgiveness in an intimate relationship.
Although there is presently no
consensus for a psychological definition of forgiveness in the research
literature, agreement has emerged that forgiveness is a process and a number of
models describing the process of forgiveness have been published, including one
from a radical behavioral perspective.
Dr. Robert
Enright from the University of Wisconsin–Madison founded the International
Forgiveness Institute and is considered the initiator of forgiveness studies. He
developed a 20-Step Process Model of Forgiveness. Recent work has focused on
what kind of person is more likely to be forgiving. A longitudinal study showed
that people who were generally more neurotic, angry and hostile in life were
less likely to forgive another person even after a long time had passed.
Specifically, these people were more likely to still avoid their transgressor
and want to enact revenge upon them two and a half years after the
transgression.
Studies show
that people who forgive are happier and healthier than those who hold
resentments. The first study to look at how forgiveness improves physical health
discovered that when people think about forgiving an offender it leads to
improved functioning in their cardiovascular and nervous systems. Another study
at the University of Wisconsin found the more forgiving people were, the less
they suffered from a wide range of illnesses. The less forgiving people reported
a greater number of health problems.
The research
of Dr. Fred Luskin of Stanford University shows that forgiveness can be learned.
Dr. Frederic Luskin's work is based on seven major research projects into the
effects of forgiveness, giving empirical validity to the concept that
forgiveness is not only powerful, but also excellent for your health. Dr. Fred
Luskin author of the book "Learning to forgive" was presented with a Champion of
Forgiveness award by the Forgiveness Alliance for his groundbreaking work with
forgiveness, reconciliation and peace.
In three
separate studies, including one with Catholics and Protestants from Northern
Ireland whose family members were murdered in the political violence, he found
that people who are taught how to forgive become less angry, feel less hurt, are
more optimistic, become more forgiving in a variety of situations, and become
more compassionate and self-confident. His studies show a reduction in
experience of stress, physical manifestations of stress, and an increase in
vitality.
is the renunciation or cessation of resentment, indignation or anger as a result
of a perceived offence, disagreement, or mistake, or ceasing to demand
punishment or restitution. The Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness as
'to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offence or
debt'. The concept and benefits of forgiveness have been explored in religious
thought, the social sciences and medicine. Forgiveness may be considered simply
in terms of the person who forgives including forgiving themselves, in terms of
the person forgiven or in terms of the relationship between the forgiver and the
person forgiven. In most contexts, forgiveness is granted without any
expectation of restorative justice, and without any response on the part of the
offender (for example, one may forgive a person who is incommunicado or dead).
In practical terms, it may be necessary for the offender to offer some form of
acknowledgment, an apology, or even just ask for forgiveness, in order for the
wronged person to believe himself able to forgive.
Most
world religions include teachings on the nature of forgiveness, and many of
these teachings provide an underlying basis for many varying modern day
traditions and practices of forgiveness. Some religious doctrines or
philosophies place greater emphasis on the need for humans to find some sort of
divine forgiveness for their own shortcomings, others place greater emphasis on
the need for humans to practice forgiveness of one another, yet others make
little or no distinction between human and divine
forgiveness.
Research
Factors determining the likelihood of
forgiveness in an intimate relationship.
Although there is presently no
consensus for a psychological definition of forgiveness in the research
literature, agreement has emerged that forgiveness is a process and a number of
models describing the process of forgiveness have been published, including one
from a radical behavioral perspective.
Dr. Robert
Enright from the University of Wisconsin–Madison founded the International
Forgiveness Institute and is considered the initiator of forgiveness studies. He
developed a 20-Step Process Model of Forgiveness. Recent work has focused on
what kind of person is more likely to be forgiving. A longitudinal study showed
that people who were generally more neurotic, angry and hostile in life were
less likely to forgive another person even after a long time had passed.
Specifically, these people were more likely to still avoid their transgressor
and want to enact revenge upon them two and a half years after the
transgression.
Studies show
that people who forgive are happier and healthier than those who hold
resentments. The first study to look at how forgiveness improves physical health
discovered that when people think about forgiving an offender it leads to
improved functioning in their cardiovascular and nervous systems. Another study
at the University of Wisconsin found the more forgiving people were, the less
they suffered from a wide range of illnesses. The less forgiving people reported
a greater number of health problems.
The research
of Dr. Fred Luskin of Stanford University shows that forgiveness can be learned.
Dr. Frederic Luskin's work is based on seven major research projects into the
effects of forgiveness, giving empirical validity to the concept that
forgiveness is not only powerful, but also excellent for your health. Dr. Fred
Luskin author of the book "Learning to forgive" was presented with a Champion of
Forgiveness award by the Forgiveness Alliance for his groundbreaking work with
forgiveness, reconciliation and peace.
In three
separate studies, including one with Catholics and Protestants from Northern
Ireland whose family members were murdered in the political violence, he found
that people who are taught how to forgive become less angry, feel less hurt, are
more optimistic, become more forgiving in a variety of situations, and become
more compassionate and self-confident. His studies show a reduction in
experience of stress, physical manifestations of stress, and an increase in
vitality.