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The Place of Forgiveness in the Actions of the State

Wolterstorff, Nicholas
June 4, 2015

Source: (2006) In, Philpott Daniel, editor, The Politics of Past Evil: Religion, Reconciliation, and the Dilemmas of Transitional Justice University of Notre Dame Press pp.87-110

One of the most perplexing problems facing states is that of so-called transitional justice: how to move forward from a period of gross and pervasive injustice to a period of justice and peaceful stability. One option is to ferret out the offenders and bring them before the bar of retributive justice for their offenses. Another is to forego ferreting out the offenders and declare a general amnesty for whatever may be the offenses. A third is to ferret out the offenders and forgive them for their offenses. Naturally there can be combinations among these. (excerpt)

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