Judgment and forgiveness: Restorative justice practice and the recovery of theological memory.

Source: (2007) Thesis for Master of Theological Studies. University of Waterloo.

This study explores the connections between justice understood biblically, and restorative
justice. Restorative justice theory has argued that its foundational principles and its forms of
practice draw directly from the taproot of biblical justice. This study argues that biblical
justice as conceived by restorative justice is incomplete. More, the primary theological and
biblical work in the field has not drawn the connections to the way restorative justice is
practiced. This study argues that judgment and forgiveness are essential components of
biblical justice that are missing from discussions of restorative justice. It concludes by
drawing some of the implications of incorporating judgment and forgiveness for restorative
justice practice by suggesting language that can be used by mediators. (author’s abstract)