What We Believe: Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Jaimée Allman & Geoffrey Sutton
Evangel University
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Overview
Our purpose was to explore how participants conceptualize forgiveness, reconciliation, guilt, and trust, as well as the relationship between the aforementioned variables to willingness to forgive, and to spirituality.
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Scripture
The text of Matthew 6 suggests an expectation of reconciliation.
Matthew 6 and Matthew 18 suggest negative consequences for failing to forgive.
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What is Forgiveness?
Despite exponential growth in published research on the psychology of forgiveness, researchers have not reached a consensus on a definition of forgiveness (Worthington, 2006).
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Something in Common
Some psychological researchers have noted commonalities such as noting that forgiving an offender is distinct from condoning, denying, excusing, forgetting, or pardoning an offender (Enright & Coyle, 1998; McCullough, Bono, & Root, 2005).
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Forgiveness & Reconciliation
Most psychological researchers also assert that forgiveness is distinct from reconciliation (e.g., Enright, Gassin, & Wu, 1992; Sutton & Thomas, 2005b; Worthington & Drinkard, 2000).
Forgiveness is intrapersonal
Reconciliation is interpersonal
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A Difference
In contrast to these conceptualizations, Aquino, Tripp, and Bies (2001) viewed reconciliation as a behavioral manifestation of forgiveness.
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Research by Kanz, 2000
Most undergraduate respondents did not distinguish between the concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation.
This forgiveness-reconciliation issue is a key focus of our study along with looking at the parameters of forgiveness in “everyday use.”
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Our Purpose
1. We hypothesized that we would find support for Kanz’ findings that forgiveness and reconciliation are overlapping concepts for most people.
2. We hypothesized that most participants would recognize the difference between forgiveness and select related concepts like trust and apology.
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Our Purpose
3. We hypothesized that most participants would recognize the difference between forgiveness and the restoration of errant leaders
Here we report some initial findings…
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General Procedure
• Presented packets to students– Consent signed
– Forgiveness concept items
– Two measures
– Demographic questions
– Explained survey at the end
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Study Materials
• Forgiveness survey 14 items: Likert type (Adapted from Kanz, 2000)
• Willingness to Forgive 12 item Likert type scale (DeShea, 2003)
• Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith5 item Likert type scale (Plante et al., 2002)
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Participants
Christian College
Women = 113
Men = 52
Age (M = 19.42, SD = 2.11)
Non-Christian College
Women = 32
Men = 10
Age (M = 20.69, SD = 6.38)
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Participants
Christian College
Ethnicity Percent
European 83.1
African 3.6
Hispanic 4.2
Native American 1.2
Non-Christian College
Ethnicity Percent
European 79.5
African 4.5
Hispanic 2.3
Asian/Pacific 2.3
Other 6.8
Not reporting 4.5
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Participants
Christian College
Willingness to Forgive
M = 41.87, SD = 11.48
Coeff alpha = .91
Spirituality (Santa Clara)
M = 17.51, SD =2.48
Coeff alpha = .83
Non-Christian College
Willingness to Forgive
M = 41.28, SD = 13.98
Coeff alpha = .93
Spirituality (Santa Clara)
M = 14.44, SD = 4.12
Coeff alpha = .91
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Survey Results
Strongly Agree +Agree =Agree percentage
Strongly Disagree + Disagree = Disagree percentage.
We did not include the neutral percentage, which can be deduced by subtraction.
We invite you to interact with us by considering each question.
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1: Christians are more forgiving
1: In general, Christians are more forgiving than non-Christians.
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1: In general, Christians are more forgiving than non-Christians.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 38.6 ; Disagree 36.4
Christian College Agree 33.1; Disagree 36.1
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2: An apology is necessary
2: An apology is necessary before I would forgive someone for other than a minor offense.
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2: An apology is necessary before I would forgive someone for other than a minor offense.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 70.9 ; Disagree 31.8
Christian College Agree 15.8; Disagree 66.1
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3. Forgiveness is Christian
3: Forgiveness is primarily a Christian idea.
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3: Forgiveness is primarily a Christian idea.Non-Christian CollegeAgree 11.3 ; Disagree 70.4
Christian College Agree 16.3; Disagree 66.9
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4. guilt
4: I feel guilty if I do not forgive someone.
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4: I feel guilty if I do not forgive someone.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 54.6 ; Disagree 15.9
Christian College Agree 73.5; Disagree 6.0
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5. friend versus stranger
5: It is easier to forgive a friend or family member than a stranger for the same offense.
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5: It is easier to forgive a friend or family member than a stranger for the same offense.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 63.6 ; Disagree 31.8
Christian College Agree 40; Disagree 45.5
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6. Forgive and forget?
6: I think true forgiveness means you try to forget what the person did to you.
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6: I think true forgiveness means you try to forget what the person did to you.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 52.3 ; Disagree 34.1
Christian College Agree 43.9; Disagree 41.4
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7. reconciliation
7: I think true forgiveness means you also reconcile with the person who offended you.
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7: I think true forgiveness means you also reconcile with the person who offended you.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 81.9 ; Disagree 6.8
Christian College Agree 70.9; Disagree 17.5
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8. admit and change
8: People need to admit what they have done and change before you forgive them.
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8: People need to admit what they have done and change before you forgive them.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 36.4 ; Disagree 43.1
Christian College Agree 31.3; Disagree 53.7
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9. restoration
9: If someone lost their job or position of leadership because of wrongdoing, then forgiveness means they must be restored to their former position.
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9: If someone lost their job or position of leadership because of wrongdoing, then forgiveness means they must be restored to their former position.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 9.1 ; Disagree 77.3
Christian College Agree 2.4; Disagree 89.2
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10. forgive to be forgiven
10: People must forgive others in order to obtain God’s forgiveness.
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10: People must forgive others in order to obtain God’s forgiveness.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 65.2 ; Disagree 18.6
Christian College Agree 65.6; Disagree 18.1
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11. trust
11: If you forgive someone it means you start trusting them again.
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11: If you forgive someone it means you start trusting them again.Non-Christian CollegeAgree 13.6 ; Disagree 61.3
Christian College Agree 9.6; Disagree 69.3
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12. too forgiving?
12: If you are too free with forgiveness, you will encourage people to keep hurting others.
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12: If you are too free with forgiveness, you will encourage people to keep hurting others.Non-Christian CollegeAgree 36.4 ; Disagree 40.9
Christian College Agree 22.3; Disagree 55.4
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13. anger
13: When you truly forgive people, you are no longer angry with them for what they did.
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13. When you truly forgive people, you are no longer angry with them for what they did.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 59.1 ; Disagree 25
Christian College Agree 65.1; Disagree 18.1
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14. avoidance
14: If you truly forgive people, you stop avoiding them when you see them.
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14: If you truly forgive people, you stop avoiding them when you see them.
Non-Christian CollegeAgree 61.4 ; Disagree 18.1
Christian College Agree 53; Disagree 17.5
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Discussion
• Apology as necessary
Clearly divided: 71% non-Christian vs. 16% Christian.
• Guilty feelings
A Christian college thing 73% vs. 55%.
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Discussion
• Repentance (admit and change)
Most believe this is not needed to forgive. But about one in three expect you to change.
• Restoration
Have they had enough? No need to restore a fallen leader to the same position.
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Discussion
• God’s forgiveness as contingent
Most believe you must forgive to get God’s forgiveness.
• Trust
Most believe you do not have to trust just because you forgive.
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Discussion
• How many times should you forgive?
Some disagreement on being too forgiving but a substantial minority believe it is possible to be too forgiving.
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Discussion
Anger & Avoidance
Two concepts that forgiveness researchers believe you need to reduce as evidence of forgiveness.
Most of our participants agree.
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Discussion
Forgiveness and Reconciliation- our key focus
Our results reflected beliefs similar to those identified by Kanz (2000). A majority of participants in both studies agreed that reconciliation is a necessary part of forgiveness.
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Discussion
Much of the research concerning forgiveness has maintained that there is a distinct difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. Our research, along with Kanz (2000), indicates otherwise; participants see the two processes as intertwined.
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Discussion
These forgiveness and reconciliation findings are important for both researchers and practitioners because they dramatically affect how we examine the issue both in study and in therapy.
If psychotherapists follow the teaching of the leading researchers, they will be out of touch with the belief system of some clients.
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Discussion
The integration of Christianity and Psychology is an issue here.
Psychological approaches emphasize the intrapersonal aspect of forgiveness.
Christian teaching focuses on forgiving in the context of reconciliation in a faith community.
Christian participants appear to accept the latter as normative.
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Questions & Comments
What We Believe:
Forgiveness and ReconciliationJaimée Allman & Geoffrey Sutton
Evangel University
Email for copies [email protected]
More on forgiveness on website http://www.evangel.edu/Directory/Bios/Index.asp?username=SuttonG
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