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A Gentle Word Turneth Away Wrath

When Ashley Smith had a gun pressed against her by Brian Nichols she was in mortal peril. Mr. Nichols had just killed four people, and there was a high probability that he was willing to kill again. Yet, over the next seven hours Ms. Smith suppressed her fears and accomplished what 100 flak vested SWAT team officers would have had difficulty doing: convincing Nichols to surrender peacefully.

Achtemeier, Elizabeth. Victimization and healing: The biblical view

In this chapter, retired seminary professor Elizabeth Achtemeier urges the Church to consider crime victims and respond to their needs primarily from the perspective of God’s purposes in the world rather than from contemporary cultural perspectives. Achtemeier examines key biblical themes and passages to explicate what this means. God created the world intrinsically good. Our rebellion against God corrupted the world and human existence, leading to many forms of victimization. Yet God acts to overcome our rebellion and heal the harms caused by it. Therefore, according to Achtemeier, we should respond to victimization in accord with God’s purposes. In drawing out the implications of this, Achtemeier discusses vengeance, forgiveness, trust in God, assistance to victims, and restitution.

Allard, Pierre and Northey, Wayne. Christianity: The rediscovery of restorative justice

Allard and Northey contend that a Christian reading of the Hebrew scriptures, the life and ministry of Jesus, and the overall witness of the New Testament point to what can be called a restorative justice model for understanding and responding to crime. The essence of this consists in God’s love for humankind, such that he came to humanity in the person of Jesus (i.e., the incarnation). Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God demonstrated his merciful and suffering love in response to our wrongdoing, thus making forgiveness and restoration fundamental to how we should respond to human wrongdoing. Allard and Northey see the background to this understanding of Jesus in the Hebrew concept of shalom ("the Bible’s word for salvation, justice, and peace"), and in the ethical and messianic insights of the Hebrew prophets. However, the authors maintain that in general the Christian Church has profoundly deviated from the truths of that good news. They discuss various elements that contributed to this deviation, including the following: the establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire under the Emperor Constantine; and the development of the satisfaction theory of the atonement by Anselm, which significantly influenced theology, social thought, and popular piety. While there have been exceptions, the Church often became an apologist for and even an agent of violent, retributive responses to crime. The authors then observe that in the last generation there have been a number of initiatives from many sources promoting restorative responses to crime. Citing specific initiatives among Christians, they express hope that the Christian Church, in its engagement with criminal justice issues and practices, is beginning to reclaim its spiritual and theological foundations in God’s restoration and reconciliation in Jesus.

Anonymous. Four Terms that Stand Together: Reconciliation -- Forgiveness -- Restorative Justice -- the Church

Building cultures of reconciliation implies a process. It begins with recognizing the origins of conflict. It often means learning to see the structural violence that lies just beyond the horizon of our own interests – and learning to deal with practices and attitudes that contribute to conflict rather than mutuality. Social conflict is inherent in human relations and is manifest and internal to the persons and parties involved. It is that which reveals difference. Conflict can escalate and eventuate in a variety of outcomes, some of which are destructive. Some can contribute to reconciliation and mutual well being. This does not imply agreement, although it may. Indeed, difference can enrich as well as enflame. Building cultures of reconciliation means developing proactive attitudes and practices that make community possible. (excerpt)

Anonymous. The Two Most Important Commandments and Crime.

I want to reflect today on how discovering the essential humanness of the other is discovering Jesus, is encountering our true selves, is finding God, is what a Christian response to crime is about. Now that was a mouthfull! In short, I want to look at the two "most important commandments" in light of crime. (excerpt)

Bartoli, Andrea. Catholic Peacemaking: The Experience of the Community of Sant'Egidio

The Community has been instrumental in the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Mozambique and was able to facilitate dialogue among relevant actors in conflicted countries such as Albania, Algeria, Burundi, Guatemala and Kosovo allowing parties to sign agreements.

Batley, Mike. What is the Appropriate Role of Spirituality in Restorative Justice?

Many people have found restorative justice to be rooted in spiritual principles and experiences, writes Michael Batley, whether they consider themselves as adherents of a specific faith or as unconnected to a specific faith. Batley explores in this chapter what all of this means and how it affects the practice of restorative justice. Toward this end, he examines the terms 'spiritual' and 'spirituality' and discusses the links these concepts may have with restorative justice concepts. He then builds on these ideas to reflect on their implications for restorative justice practice. In doing so, he highlights possible problems for restorative justice practice, and he outlines some models for practice that are intended to help in avoiding those problems.

Bianchi, H. Biblical Vision of Justice

People use the concept of retaliation to justify a repressive criminal law system, claiming it is found in the Bible. A check of the original Hebrew text shows that where western translators use the words 'retaliation' or 'retribution,' the original words are related to peace. Compared to St. Jerome's translation and the King James Version, only the German translation by Martin Buber is fair and honest. The Old Testament does not say 'retaliate' when crime occurs, but rather recommends peace through conflict resolution processes. An 'eye for an eye' means a person should never demand during the negotiation more than the value of it. The laws of Moses are not rules of behavior, but an indiction of the direction in which individuals should go. The Ten Commandments mean that when people follow God's directions, they will not kill or steal. The criminal law system does not live up to its promise to bring justice, but instead provokes criminality. The legal system should be interpreted according to two Hebrew concepts: 't'sedeka' meaning to speak the truth, and 't'shuvah' meaning to stop something if it is wrong, repair the damage, and take another approach.

Booth, Cherie. Lent Talks: Cherie Booth.

I've been sitting as a part time judge for ten years now and for me the most difficult part of the process is the sentencing. The defendant faces me from the dock while I explain to him (and it is usually a him) why he's going to jail. He may listen carefully but I often wonder whether he feels any remorse for his crime or has any idea of the effect he's had upon his victims. This impression has been reinforced when I've visited prisons and spoken to inmates. It seems that neither the court process nor the prison experience is helping them confront their behaviour or its consequences. And, of course, we must never forget the victims of the crime. Too often they sit in the public gallery - feeling marginal to the case, even bemused by what's happening. They're often denied the opportunity to confront the defendant directly with what he's done, nor given the chance, where he's genuinely sorry, to receive a personal apology. All this can make it harder for them to achieve the closure they need - no matter how severe the sentence. And it's right and proper that tough sentences are handed down in court for serious crimes or persistent offenders. Imprisonment shows society's disgust at their actions and helps protect the public by keeping criminals off the streets. But it's clear that simply locking people up doesn't itself alter their long-term behaviour. In too many cases, it only shelves the problem. (excerpt)

Bulmer, Garth. Restorative Justice: A Reflection of the Reign of Christ

In this sermon, the Reverend Canon Garth Bulmer reflects on restorative justice and Restorative Justice Week, beginning with his own experience as a prison chaplain as a young man. That experience changed his life and shaped his ministry. Thus he considers in brief the nature of restorative justice; issues and problems related to the use of incarceration; restorative justice and liberty, equality, and fraternity; circles of support and accountability; and restorative justice as a contemporary model of the reign of Christ.

Cavanagh, Tom. Thirsting for a Restorative Justice Rather than Execution.

We as American Catholics were called upon on Good Friday to not only oppose the death penalty but to rebuff a justice system based on expediency and efficiency in favor of a justice system founded on the common good, focused on the healing of the victim, offender, the families and supporters, and all members of our communities. To do this will take great courage. Let us pray together for courage to create peace in our communities through a restorative justice. (excerpt)

Christian Reformed Church. Report of the committee to study restorative justice.

Synod asked us to address these questions in response to an overture brought by Classis B.C. North-West (Agenda of Synod 2003, pp. 401-22). The overture included a study of restorative justice and a set of recommendations. Synod 2003 was favorably inclined toward this overture but believed that it required clarification and amplification at key points. Specifically, synod mandated our committee to: 1.) Identify and articulate the biblical basis for the administration of justice, particularly the distinction and interaction between retributive and restorative justice; 2.) Consider the present United States and Canadian criminal justice systems and assess both, clearly describing the urgency of the present situation and giving examples of successful interventions and outcomes of restorative justice. Other applications to consider include situations of restorative justice in the home, school, and church; 3.) Recommend ways for the church and its members to learn and implement these biblical justice principles; and 4.) . . . Make every effort to submit to the churches, by the spring of 2004, a draft copy of the report, inviting response for the committee’s consideration. (excerpt)

Christiansen, Drew. Catholic Peacemaking: From Pacem in terris to Centesimus Anus.

It is hard to identify the precise starting point of modern Catholic peacemaking.

Church Council on Justice and Corrections. Fire in the Rose: Churches Exploring Abuse and Healing. Resource kit.

This program will assist your congregation to begin a journey of discovery and growth. Through Fire in the Rose, you will explore the nature and consequences of abuse; you will examine your own attitudes, feelings and experiences; you will reflect on the roots of abuse and violence, and identify tools and skills that promote new ways of living together; and, you will work with others in the congregation and the larger community to create and strengthen ministries of healing and prevention. (excerpt)

Church Council on Justice and Corrections. Justice for the Soul.

For people of faith, the subject of crime brings up other related, and quite profund , matters. Crime, and our responses to crime , can get us thinking about suffering, sin, evil, punishement, healing, forgiveness, and so on. Our ideas and experiences of God and church will probably greatly influence our views on criminal justice. (excerpt)

Claassen, Ron. A Peacemaking Model: A Biblical Perspective

Building upon his prior paper – “A Peacemaking Model" – Ron Claassen extends his development of a peacemaking model for dealing with conflict, wrongdoing, injustice, and violence. He notes at the outset several key words in this model: peace-shalom; love-agape; forgiveness; confession; atonement; repentance; and trust. These words are used in both the faith and the secular worlds, but with a variety of meanings. One of Claassen’s strategies then in this paper is to use stories and traditions from his faith tradition (he identifies himself as a Christian-Anabaptist-Mennonite) to help clarify his understanding and use of each idea. His overall aim is that this peacemaking model and article will contribute to a dialogue regarding restorative justice in communities.

Clapsis, Emmanuel. Violence and Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Conversation

"What is the relationship of our Christian faith to the violence we see in the world? How do we respond to violence in a manner that is rooted in our faith and our relationship to God? In this relationship with a God of peace and justice, how do we experience peace and justice in our own lives and labour so that they may be realised in the lives of others, in our communities, and in our world? These are some of the questions addressed by a number of theologians and lay people from different Christian traditions when they met in 2005 for an ecumenical conversation on Violence and Christian Spirituality. Edited by the Orthodox theologian, Fr. Emmanuel Clapsis, their papers cover issues such as Christian witness in overcoming violence, including reference to the World Council of Churches' Decade to Oversome Violence (2001-2010), the churches; response to domestic violence, religious freedom and human rights, and contributions towards an ecumenical spirituality for a culture of peace." (Editor's Abstract)

Consedine, Jim. (2001). Restorative justice- the Christian option.. Address presented at St. Albans Presbyterian Church, 30 September. Palmerston North, New Zealand: St. Albans Presbyterian Church.

In this message delivered at a church in New Zealand, Father Jim Consedine, prison chaplain and coordinator of Restorative Justice Network in New Zealand, asserts that prisons fail on nearly every count. Indeed, the pursuit of a retributive model of criminal justice based largely on punishment and vengeance in the last two centuries is appalling and pernicious in a number of ways. In the face of crime and the failure of retributive criminal justice, Consedine declares that the Church must proclaim the good news of Jesus – the good news of freedom, justice, healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation for both victims and offenders. This, argues Consedine, is Biblical justice, and Biblical justice supports restorative justice.

Consedine, Jim. Christian Morality, Restorative Justice and the Law.

In dealing with issues of crime and law and order, the Church has to proclaim the age old message that Jesus came to bring the world: 'Good news to the poor, liberty to captives, new sight to the blind, healing for the sick, freedom for the oppressed.' That is our mandate. The teachings of Jesus can bring new light to bear on the difficult issues of conflict and crime in the community. They offers grounding principles to deal with them. These will involve promoting processes based on justice, equity, fairness and accountability. But such an approach must always be guided by wisdom, tempered by mercy, and allow for the possibility of healing, forgiveness and reconciliation for both victims and offenders. (excerpt)

Consedine, Jim. Developing Restorative and Transformative Justice: A Church Response to Crime

The author argues not just for restorative justice, but for transformative justice processes as well. Restorative justice has huge strengths, but some limitations. Transformative justice has less. God's justice, as revealed in the sacred scriptures and as defined by the Church in its teachings on the Common Good and other matters, cannot always be achieved fully if one deals only with the immediate matter of a specific offense. Transformative justice looks more closely at the background circumstances of the lives of those involved and seeks to redress some of the injustices existing there. It also recognizes the existence of governmental and corporate crime. Both restorative and transformative justice can provide imaginative and creative processes. Neither is a panacea for all crime. Both will provide fairer justice for all, bring some healing to victims, reduce re-offending, make communities safer and reduce the numbers going to prison.