May 2009
Intermediate to advanced
264 pages
5h 50m
English
Some people think accepting an apology is the same as forgiving the offender. This chapter argues that apology and forgiveness are distinct and should be treated as such. As I indicated in Chapter 9, accepting an apology is a commitment to a particular process. Forgiveness is an entirely different process that ultimately cannot be determined by the presence or absence of an apology. As complicated as apology is, forgiveness is arguably even more so. This book is about apology, not forgiveness, but because the two are inextricably linked, this chapter will describe how they respond to different human needs. I will also touch on the related terms repentance and reconciliation.
I have already defined apology ...