Forgiveness: Breaking the Chain of Hate

Crindalyn Stevens

Forgiveness, Breaking the Chain of Hate" focuses on the 'forgiveness movement' in which leaders of countries or organizations ask forgiveness from those that their countries have injured. An example is how survivors of the Siberian gulag or Nazi atrocities forgave those who hurt them or how representatives of entire populations such as the Australian Aborigines can be reconciled with whites who exploited them.

Author Michael Henderson answers why and how they forgave and writes about dozens of remarkable people in many nations who have been able to break the chain of hate. Repentance may seem old-fashioned, but in the eyes of Henderson, it may be ready for a comeback.
— The Daily Astorian/Coast Weekend

First Things

Taking his cue from Philip Yancey's observation that the only thing harder than forgiveness is the alternative, the author draws on stories from South Africa, Northern Ireland, and other troubled places--including his own life and that of others--to demonstrate the liberating power of 'forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

Library Journal

First published in 1999, this compelling international look at forgiveness has been updated in light of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Henderson, a journalist and associate of Moral Re-Armament (an international network recognized by the UN), persuasively argues that the world needs less recrimination and retribution and more dialog and reparation. He discusses the importance of official apologies in situations like apartheid in South Africa, colonialism in Australia, and the ongoing conflicts in Northern Ireland and the Middle East. To show that international peace is a possibility, he cites examples of victims of war, terrorism, and harsh regimes transcending their initial hatred of their oppressors. Timely and well written, this important work offers a challenging worldview. Recommended for both public and academic libraries. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.