Forgiveness is only forgiveness if it is "unconditional, gracious, infinite, aneconomic forgiveness granted to the guilty as guilty" (from his essay On Forgiveness).Commentary: Forgiveness can stop being forgiveness - it can collapse on itself - unless it is (1) unconditional. It does not lay you conditions to the evildoer: you must meet me halfway or do good works of penance. Forgiveness is "quicker" than such conditions.
(2) Unless it is gracious: unless it is entirely a gift.
(3) Unless if is infinite: no sin is too heinous. No matter how awful, with what monstrous consequences, or how often repeated - forgiveness is not limited by these things.
(4) Unless it is aneconomic: i.e., not intended to produce certain results in the person being forgiven. It is not an attempt to control the person forgiven or get something back from them.
(5) To the guilty as guilty: not to the guilty as repentant. But to the guilty as guilty.
4 comments:
Fascinating essay by Derrida. I'm totally wrestling with how to hold together what is right about what you've said here with the notion that forgiveness makes no sense apart from the other things it hopes for (but does not control, as if forgiveness comes with strings attached).
There definitely is that paradox. No forgiveness without repentance, but forgiveness not limited to that repentance.
Derrida is always a fascinating read whether or not I am in agreement with all that he says, but I do find a lot of truth in his thoughts on forgivness quoted here. Now I am tackling Zizac and his most interesting take on Paul....aiii yiiii.....
Good for you, Susan. I've never read Zizac but he sounds fascinating.
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