Forgiveness and politics: Reading Matthew 18:21–35 with survivors of armed conflict in Colombia
After decades of armed conflict in Colombia, how do those most affected by that conflict understand forgiveness? While others have researched Colombians’ views of forgiveness, this study is the first to do so through discussion of a narrative of forgiveness. Readings of the biblical narrative chosen...
Published in: | HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | Afrikaans English Dutch |
Published: |
AOSIS
2019
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5245 https://doaj.org/article/7e214dacc96f424d815494c3f31c9753 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:7e214dacc96f424d815494c3f31c9753 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:7e214dacc96f424d815494c3f31c9753 2023-05-15T17:35:17+02:00 Forgiveness and politics: Reading Matthew 18:21–35 with survivors of armed conflict in Colombia Robert W. Heimburger Christopher M. Hays Guillermo Mejía-Castillo 2019-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5245 https://doaj.org/article/7e214dacc96f424d815494c3f31c9753 AF EN NL afr eng dut AOSIS https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/5245 https://doaj.org/toc/0259-9422 https://doaj.org/toc/2072-8050 0259-9422 2072-8050 doi:10.4102/hts.v75i4.5245 https://doaj.org/article/7e214dacc96f424d815494c3f31c9753 HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, Vol 75, Iss 4, Pp e1-e9 (2019) Forgiveness Politics Colombia Conflict Survivors Matthew The Bible BS1-2970 Practical Theology BV1-5099 article 2019 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5245 2022-12-31T00:17:11Z After decades of armed conflict in Colombia, how do those most affected by that conflict understand forgiveness? While others have researched Colombians’ views of forgiveness, this study is the first to do so through discussion of a narrative of forgiveness. Readings of the biblical narrative chosen for this study, the Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor (Mt 18:21–35), can enable North Atlantic scholars to discover dimensions of the parable revealed by those who live lives that mirror the realities of the parable, unlike such scholars. The study aims to understand how conflict survivors, especially internally displaced persons (IDPs), understand forgiveness and its relation to politics. The study also aims to identify how these women and men read Matthew 18:21–35 differently from academics. Groups in eight locations around Colombia discussed Matthew 18:21–35. Researchers led lectura popular de la Biblia [people’s readings of the Bible], inviting participants to say how the parable related to their lives and to discuss the political consequences that would come from imitating characters in the parable. Conflict survivors said that forgiving was essential if their communities were going to be communities at all, especially communities at peace, offering freedom and economic opportunity. Unlike commentators, they read Matthew 18:21–35 as enjoining forgiveness towards those beyond their local church and for wrongs involving money and violence. As Colombian churches seek to counter resentment with forgiveness, they should be aware of the power of lectura popular, especially of this parable, to create a safe environment where conflict survivors can speak candidly. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies 75 4 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
Afrikaans English Dutch |
topic |
Forgiveness Politics Colombia Conflict Survivors Matthew The Bible BS1-2970 Practical Theology BV1-5099 |
spellingShingle |
Forgiveness Politics Colombia Conflict Survivors Matthew The Bible BS1-2970 Practical Theology BV1-5099 Robert W. Heimburger Christopher M. Hays Guillermo Mejía-Castillo Forgiveness and politics: Reading Matthew 18:21–35 with survivors of armed conflict in Colombia |
topic_facet |
Forgiveness Politics Colombia Conflict Survivors Matthew The Bible BS1-2970 Practical Theology BV1-5099 |
description |
After decades of armed conflict in Colombia, how do those most affected by that conflict understand forgiveness? While others have researched Colombians’ views of forgiveness, this study is the first to do so through discussion of a narrative of forgiveness. Readings of the biblical narrative chosen for this study, the Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor (Mt 18:21–35), can enable North Atlantic scholars to discover dimensions of the parable revealed by those who live lives that mirror the realities of the parable, unlike such scholars. The study aims to understand how conflict survivors, especially internally displaced persons (IDPs), understand forgiveness and its relation to politics. The study also aims to identify how these women and men read Matthew 18:21–35 differently from academics. Groups in eight locations around Colombia discussed Matthew 18:21–35. Researchers led lectura popular de la Biblia [people’s readings of the Bible], inviting participants to say how the parable related to their lives and to discuss the political consequences that would come from imitating characters in the parable. Conflict survivors said that forgiving was essential if their communities were going to be communities at all, especially communities at peace, offering freedom and economic opportunity. Unlike commentators, they read Matthew 18:21–35 as enjoining forgiveness towards those beyond their local church and for wrongs involving money and violence. As Colombian churches seek to counter resentment with forgiveness, they should be aware of the power of lectura popular, especially of this parable, to create a safe environment where conflict survivors can speak candidly. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Robert W. Heimburger Christopher M. Hays Guillermo Mejía-Castillo |
author_facet |
Robert W. Heimburger Christopher M. Hays Guillermo Mejía-Castillo |
author_sort |
Robert W. Heimburger |
title |
Forgiveness and politics: Reading Matthew 18:21–35 with survivors of armed conflict in Colombia |
title_short |
Forgiveness and politics: Reading Matthew 18:21–35 with survivors of armed conflict in Colombia |
title_full |
Forgiveness and politics: Reading Matthew 18:21–35 with survivors of armed conflict in Colombia |
title_fullStr |
Forgiveness and politics: Reading Matthew 18:21–35 with survivors of armed conflict in Colombia |
title_full_unstemmed |
Forgiveness and politics: Reading Matthew 18:21–35 with survivors of armed conflict in Colombia |
title_sort |
forgiveness and politics: reading matthew 18:21–35 with survivors of armed conflict in colombia |
publisher |
AOSIS |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5245 https://doaj.org/article/7e214dacc96f424d815494c3f31c9753 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, Vol 75, Iss 4, Pp e1-e9 (2019) |
op_relation |
https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/5245 https://doaj.org/toc/0259-9422 https://doaj.org/toc/2072-8050 0259-9422 2072-8050 doi:10.4102/hts.v75i4.5245 https://doaj.org/article/7e214dacc96f424d815494c3f31c9753 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5245 |
container_title |
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies |
container_volume |
75 |
container_issue |
4 |
_version_ |
1766134405787549696 |