Incredible Forgiveness Christian Ethics between Fanaticism and Reconciliation

Christian ethics is threatened today by two opposite dangers: on the one hand, violence by moral and religious fanatics and on the other hand, too-easy forgiveness and cheap grace. The main challenge of Christian ethics in the present context is how it can invite people to react powerfully against moral evil without becoming fanatical on the one hand, and how it can bring the Christian message of forgiveness and reconciliation without creating in people an attitude of moral indolence on the other hand. Such questions call for a wrestling with the dilemmas between justice and forgiveness. It also asks for dealing with tensions like taking the perspective of victims and of perpetrators and choosing between remembrance of the past and a common hope for the future. In eight contributions, internationally recognized scholars in the field of Christian ethics offer ways to approach this tension and to integrate both moral passion and mercy. Topics such as tolerance, radicalism, terrorism, forgiveness, and non-violence are discussed from a Christian moral viewpoint.D Pollefeyt is the author of 'Incredible Forgiveness Christian Ethics between Fanaticism and Reconciliation', published 2003 under ISBN 9789042913172 and ISBN 9042913177.