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“The Myth of Redemptive Violence: Restorative Justice Challenges the ‘Myth of Redemptive Violence

Claassen, Ron
June 4, 2015

Source: (1996) Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies.

This is one in a series of papers on basic principles of restorative justice. In it Claassen refers to Walter Wink’s assertion that our society’s preferred response to violence is vengeance, which Wink labels as the “myth of redemptive violence” – the belief that violence is a necessary and appropriate response, and even healing for the victim, especially when administered by the state on a victim’s behalf. Against this, Wink points out that Jesus rejected violence as a constructive way of responding to a wrong or injustice, and Wink helps us to understand that there are alternatives to violence

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