Difficult Forgiveness? Engaging Paul Ricoeur on Public Forgiveness within the Context of Social Change in South Africa

In the context of public discourse in South Africa, this article engages Paul Ricoeur’s influential and thought-provoking work on forgiveness, also as it intersects with the work of Jacques Derrida. The article argues that Ricoeur’s discussion of ‘difficult forgiveness’ provides important conceptual...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of public theology
Main Author: Vosloo, Robert (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill 2015
In: International journal of public theology
RelBib Classification:CG Christianity and Politics
KAJ Church history 1914-; recent history
KBN Sub-Saharan Africa
NCD Political ethics
VA Philosophy
Further subjects:B Forgiveness Paul Ricoeur Jacques Derrida Desmond Tutu public discourse South Africa
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Description
Summary:In the context of public discourse in South Africa, this article engages Paul Ricoeur’s influential and thought-provoking work on forgiveness, also as it intersects with the work of Jacques Derrida. The article argues that Ricoeur’s discussion of ‘difficult forgiveness’ provides important conceptual clarification in the search for responsible discourse on forgiveness, and offers some brief remarks regarding the promise and pitfalls of using the notion of ‘difficult forgiveness’ in post-conflict situations marked by historical injustice, such as South Africa. It is argued that Ricoeur’s discussion of forgiveness helpfully demonstrates the complexities involved in forgiving in a way that resists cheap forgiveness, and that his nuanced attempt to make room for the spirit of forgiveness to touch institutions enriches the discourse on public forgiveness and its role in the humanization of polarized societies. Given the eschatological tone of Ricoeur’s discussion of forgiveness, the article also points towards the need for future-orientated memory to deal with historical injustices.
ISSN:1569-7320
Contains:In: International journal of public theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15697320-12341406