COVERED BY HIS GRACE

by

Lisa Anderson-Umana

BS Penn State University, 1982 Master in Educational Ministries, Wheaton College Graduate School, 1993

PRE-CLASS ASSIGNMENT—HELMICK AND PETERSEN

Submitted to the faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies

at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Deerfield, Illinois December 2007

iii

CONTENTS

COVERED BY HIS GRACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Unresolved issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1

COVERED BY HIS GRACE

After my first reading of Forgiveness and reconciliation (Helmick and

Petersen, 2001), I had the distinct impression that although I have served overseas for almost

twenty-five years, lived in four different countries in Latin America, I felt like my world was

so small. Through this book I glimpsed into the world of global conflict. Yet after browsing

through my notes on the book I began to identify aspects I could relate to, several of which

we were even applying in a very local, ministry and individual specific manner.

Rodney L. Petersen’s (chap. 1) use of known examples of forgiveness like

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Corrie Ten Boom and South Africa’s TRC helped me begin to grasp

how our common understanding of forgiveness can be applied at a macro, global level.

Previous to this reading, my concept of reconciliation was far more slanted toward the

individual’s reconciliation with God, himself, others and God’s creation, the four

relationships that were broken at the Fall. (The temporary Christian community formed at

camp lends itself to promoting reconciliation with all four of these relationships.)

My understanding of forgiveness have been both challenged and also

reinforced. I have taught that forgiveness is an act of will, a decision to obey God’s

command, independent of warm feelings and a desire to do so. I have advocated forgiveness

as the best personal choice regardless of whether the offender confesses and repents. Why?

So that the wound that has been inflicted on the individual does not become infected with

bitterness and resentment which Ellis points out as being destructive (Afterword). In

addition, an individual must forgive in order that the violence does not get “stuck” onto him

or her thus initiating the vicious cycle toward revenge (Botcharova, chapter 14).

2

By cleansing the wound of the pus of bitterness, the individual is free to focus

on healing, availing himself of God’s resources to bring about a healing of the memories, a

restoration of what was lost and comfort from others and from God for the aches and pain

that continue long after the initial wounding.

The ministry I serve with is called, Christian Camping International, Latin

America (CCI LA). We equip those who shape lives in Christian camping. When we teach

camp counselors how to forgive it includes naming the sin or injustice or offense out loud to

a trusted other. Botcharova’s seven steps toward reconciliation delineate several aspects I

have seen in the practice but was unaware there was a name for, namely “why me?” and

“why them?”

Six months ago, I was privileged to guide Sarai to forgive both her rapist and

her mother for abusive behavior toward her. Three months ago, Sarai approached me and

spoke to me of how she had grown in her understanding of why her mother had acted like she

did. Her mother had also been raped in addition to suffering maltreatment by her own

mother. Sarai had stopped asking “why me?, and had “re-humanized” the “enemy” by

seeking to understand what made her mother act the way she did (her former boss, the man

who raped her has disappeared). Her mother even called me to thank me for the dramatic

change she had witnessed in her daughter. Last weekend, she took a further step by making

public (without the specific details) her decision to forgive by sharing during another camp

counselor training course. A tremendous sense of empathy was created in the group, like the

impact story telling had in Johnson’s (chapter 6) training workshops in the Sudan.

3

By the way, Botcharova’s diagrams reminded me of Kolb’s (1985) ascending

spiral of experiential education which makes sense since forgiveness and reconciliation is the

supreme act of reflecting on your experience and making good of it.

My concept of forgiveness has been challenged by Hicks’ (chapter 7)

observation that a disproportionate emphasis on forgiveness without an equal emphasis on

the perpetrator’s (high power group) confession and repentance can enable their denial and

continuance of violence. That observation coincides with the South African Kairos

document. On a macro scale I understand the need for cessation of the violence and

identification of the injustices before reconciliation can be had.

As an aside, I found Hicks’ use of Piaget’s view of development to be exactly

what our ministry needs in our current process to further develop our identity. I have made

copies of that chapter to study during our next staff meeting.

Helmick and Petersen did such a fine job of compiling a broad spectrum of

both Christian (Western) and secular perspectives on reconciliation, including Ganhdi’s

Eastern approach (chapter 15) that it made me realize that Christians do not have the lock on

all there is to know and understand about conflict, forgiveness, and reconciliation. That

simple fact should cause us to soften our tone when we speak about it, to speak with far more

humility than we do, and to approach both micro and macro levels of conflict with the

wisdom embodied in Lederach’s five qualities of practice for reconciliation (chapter 10).

“You are only the second North American I have ever heard ask for

forgiveness for cultural blunders”, exclaimed Jorge with surprise written on his face. He is

the President of CCI LA/Mexico.

4

I was present during this year’s annual meeting of the Board of Directors for

the association I work with, CCI LA. As I gave my annual report I spoke glowingly of the

influence Trinity’s classes were having on me. As I looked into the eyes of folks with whom

I have worked over the years, I realized each country I have lived in was represented. Fresh

on my mind were Dawson’s words about taking personal responsibility for peacemaking

(chapter 12) and Elmer’s caution against insisting on there only being one way to resolve

conflict and I spontaneously began to ask forgiveness for the sins I had committed in each

country. Tears flowed as I asked forgiveness for not having been more aware of the cultural

differences, for having been so insistent on things being done “my way” and not conceding

that the “Latin way” was just as legitimate, and long before I was finished, I was stopped

with the words: “Hey Lisa, we love you. We know you love us and we understand who you

are.” “I receive your corporate forgiveness”, I sighed. “I know I have around ten layers of

Christ’s blood for all the times I have been forgiven.”

“You are covered by God’s grace, Lisa, and we love the fact that you are

teachable. Learn all you can at Trinity so you can come back and share it with us.”

Indeed, conflict management is more than knowing the right techniques or

following the right program; it is about asking for and bestowing forgiveness. Interestingly

enough, of those present at the table, Jorge Gomez from Mexico knows me the least. Yet he

heard my confession as a gringa asking forgiveness for cultural insensitivities whereas the

others heard Lisa Anderson-Umana, a friend asking for forgiveness.

5

Unresolved questions

Something in Staub and Pearlman’s chapter 11 prompted me to ask the

following question: Did the Israelites in the Old Testament feel bad after practicing genocide

on entire villages as ordered by God?

After reading Chapman’s chapter 13 on Truth Commissions, I was struck that

no Asian country was listed as ever utilizing a TRC. Would that be due to the fact that they

are shame based cultures for which the public shame generated by a TRC would be too great

and counter productive to the reconciliation process?

Ellis’ Afterword made me wonder if the death penalty is revenge, is it

analogous with a lack of forgiveness? Is there Biblical support for the death penalty?

After all the different approaches implemented in numerous global conflicts, I

surmise that the approaches most aligned with the Pilgrim metaphor seem to have the most

success:

• They consider the people involved as active participants, not passive recipients • The peacemakers walk alongside of (Road to Emmaus style) rather than imposing

solutions from the outside • The reconciliation process begins with the conflict from the local perspective, not

Top down but bottom up • All five best practices Lederach (chapter 10) identifies perfectly with the tenants of

the Pilgrim metaphor.

6

REFERENCES

Elmer, Duane. 1993. Cross-cultural conflict: Building relationships for effective ministry.

Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press. Helmick, Raymond G., and Petersen, Rodney L. 2001. Forgiveness and reconciliation:

Religion, public policy, and conflict transformation. Radmor, Pa.: Templeton Foundation Press.

Kolb, David. 1985. Experiential Learning.