Contents If so, here are some thoughts based on my own experience and study which you may wish to ponder. To help you explore Christian forgiveness, this site contains life experiences, biblical and psychological insights, self-test belief questions, sermons, and voting on forgiveness questions.
- Ordained United Church of Christ minister
- 39 years experience serving United Church of Christ (Congregational heritage) churches
- Master of Divinity degree (1973) Yale Divinity School
- Doctor of Ministry degree (1997) Chicago Theological Seminary
Experience: Forgiveness has long been an issue in my personal life. Finally, after years of carrying buried inner anger against a family member who had deeply injured me, I was able, with God's help, to forgive that person. This experience of forgiving, and the spiritual process which led up to it, have had a profound effect on my life.
Study: As a way of testing this personal experience of forgiving, and learning more about the subject overall, I chose "interpersonal Christian forgiving and preaching" as the focus of my recent doctoral thesis. This thesis was a case study which drew deeply from two sources: (1) current literature on Christian forgiving, and (2) the life experiences of people in the congregation I am serving--their struggles and successes with forgiving others.
Drawing from my experience and study, I offer this web site: to help others with forgiving, and to stimulate meaningful feedback, so the exploration of forgiving can continue.
Contents Last Updated on June 3, 2016 by Rev. Dr. Douglas K. Showalter