Source: (2001) In Forgiveness and reconciliation: Religion, public policy, & conflict transformation, ed. Raymond G. Helmick, S.J., and Rodney L. Petersen, 219-243. With a foreword by Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu. Philadelphia: Templeton Foundation Press.
Writing about forgiveness and reconciliation, Dawson explains how Christians are being mobilized to be reconcilers. This begins with an analysis of the human condition in theological terms: sin is the self-centered violation of relationships, and everyone has sinned; the good news is that God responds with love, forgiveness, and renewal through the death and resurrection of Jesus, thus reconciling us to God and making reconciliation with others possible; thus people, as agents of this good news, can become reconcilers. Then, asking whom we hate and what can we do about it, Dawson specifically applies these theological perspectives to enmity and peacemaking. This involves a sketch of a model for a ministry of reconciliation, including identification of various conflicts, historical realities and current trends about significant issues, and particular actions that can be undertaken to catalyze repair and renewal of relationships.
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