Sermons on Restorative Justice

Sermons and public reflections on restorative justice and faith.

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)
Berzins, Lorraine. 'Criminal justice': What does it mean for a people who believe they are called to overcome evil with love?: Speaking at a Restorative Justice Week gathering in Canada, Lorraine Berzins explores what it means for Christians to respond to evil in love in view of the hard realities of crime. As she says, we want a compassionate and merciful justice for ourselves when we do wrong, but we often want a swift and strict justice for others when they do wrong, especially when they do wrong to us. The criminal justice system reflects and expresses this latter sense of justice, a retributive justice applied to people construed as different from us. Yet Berzins questions this retributive approach to justice and crime. She argues that our way of doing justice needs healing. She relates her own experiences as a social worker and minister in prisons to explain and illustrate the changes in her perspectives, and she weaves into all of this what it means to love those who do us wrong as God loves them and us.
Payot, Jean-Pierre. Fécondité de la violence ou quand la parole de Dieu s’en mêle: Voici la méditation proposée par Jean-Pierre Payot aux aumôniers lors de leur rencontre à Rennes les 2 et 3 octobre 2003. Elle se présente sous la forme de ces notes très riches qui constituent une base solide sur laquelle nous pouvons fonder notre méditation et poursuivre une réflexion théologique. (extrait) (excerpt)
Thorburn, Stan. The Ministry of Reconciliation.: Judge Stan Thorburn offers this sermon on relationships and the importance of reconciliation.
McElrea, FWM. A Christian Approach to Conflict Resolution: In this paper, McElrea considers restorative justice as a New Testament or Christian approach to conflict resolution.
Davis, Fania. Ghandi's Justice and Restorative Justice: Remarks Delivered At The 10th Annual Howard Thurman Convocation. Church of the Fellowship of All Peoples 2041 Larking Street,San Francisco, California 94109. October 16, 2005
Van Ness, Daniel. Forgiveness. Good Friday Meditation.: In this Good Friday meditation, Daniel Van Ness reflects on forgiveness, love, and restorative justice.
Van Ness, Daniel. Today salvation has come: In December 2001, Daniel Van Ness preached a sermon at Wesley Church in Perth, Australia. The text was Luke 19:1-10, in which is recounted the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus, a Jewish tax collector in Israel for the Romans. As a tax collector, Zacchaeus was almost certainly corrupt and despised by his own people as a collaborator with the Roman occupiers.
Thorburn, Stan. The Ministry of Reconciliation: Judge Stan Thorburn offers this sermon on relationships and the importance of reconciliation.

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Sermons on Restorative Justice

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Navigation More Rooms Work Place Family Room Community Centre Class Room Chapel Pew Biblical Justice and Restorative Justice Faith Communities and Restorative Justice Victims and Faith Offenders and Faith Bible Studies and Meditations on Biblical Themes Sermons on Restorative Justice Living Restoratively Denominational Resources Peace Commission	Info Sermons on Restorative Justice Sermons and public reflections on restorative justice and faith. 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) Berzins, Lorraine. 'Criminal justice': What does it mean for a people who believe they are called to overcome evil with love? Speaking at a Restorative Justice Week gathering in Canada, Lorraine Berzins explores what it means for Christians to respond to evil in love in view of the hard realities of crime. As she says, we want a compassionate and merciful justice for ourselves when we do wrong, but we often want a swift and strict justice for others when they do wrong, especially when they do wrong to us. The criminal justice system reflects and expresses this latter sense of justice, a retributive justice applied to people construed as different from us. Yet Berzins questions this retributive approach to justice and crime. She argues that our way of doing justice needs healing. She relates her own experiences as a social worker and minister in prisons to explain and illustrate the changes in her perspectives, and she weaves into all of this what it means to love those who do us wrong as God loves them and us. Payot, Jean-Pierre. Fécondité de la violence ou quand la parole de Dieu s’en mêle Voici la méditation proposée par Jean-Pierre Payot aux aumôniers lors de leur rencontre à Rennes les 2 et 3 octobre 2003. Elle se présente sous la forme de ces notes très riches qui constituent une base solide sur laquelle nous pouvons fonder notre méditation et poursuivre une réflexion théologique. (extrait) (excerpt) Thorburn, Stan. The Ministry of Reconciliation. Judge Stan Thorburn offers this sermon on relationships and the importance of reconciliation. McElrea, FWM. A Christian Approach to Conflict Resolution In this paper, McElrea considers restorative justice as a New Testament or Christian approach to conflict resolution. Davis, Fania. Ghandi's Justice and Restorative Justice Remarks Delivered At The 10th Annual Howard Thurman Convocation. Church of the Fellowship of All Peoples 2041 Larking Street,San Francisco, California 94109. October 16, 2005 Van Ness, Daniel. Forgiveness. Good Friday Meditation. In this Good Friday meditation, Daniel Van Ness reflects on forgiveness, love, and restorative justice. Van Ness, Daniel. Today salvation has come In December 2001, Daniel Van Ness preached a sermon at Wesley Church in Perth, Australia. The text was Luke 19:1-10, in which is recounted the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus, a Jewish tax collector in Israel for the Romans. As a tax collector, Zacchaeus was almost certainly corrupt and despised by his own people as a collaborator with the Roman occupiers. Thorburn, Stan. The Ministry of Reconciliation Judge Stan Thorburn offers this sermon on relationships and the importance of reconciliation. 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