Movements of Reconciliation Within the Trinity: Inferences for Pastoral Theology

Abstract

Situations of abuse, neglect, violence, control, hubris, and so forth, which break relationships and leave a trail of unforgiveness and hurt, are commonly encountered by those in person-centred care services, especially ministers of the Christian church. In these scenarios, the need for genuine, reconciling transformation of the inter-personal relations is significant and imperative, and yet there are often numerous blockages that limit statements of grace and forgiveness to only lip service. What is often missing is a robust theology of reconciliation upon which all verbal and physical statements of forgiveness and reconciliation can be grounded. In this article, Paul S. Fiddes’ theology of reconciliation, which is undergirded by his ‘persons as relations’ definition of the Trinity, is outlined and then drawn upon in order to begin a delineation of a vigorous theology of forgiveness and reconciliation. Into this theology it will be possible to locate all attempts at forgiving and reconciling movements towards inter-personal transformation.