Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Rawbone and I'm your RS teacher today.

We are going to be looking together at the concept of forgiveness.

In today's lesson, you'll be able to explain the concept of forgiveness and its connection to restorative justice, and assess arguments about it.

Some key words we'll be using today are forgiveness, healing, and restorative justice.

Forgiveness means to grant pardon for a wrongdoing, to give up resentment and the desire to seek revenge against a wrongdoer.

Healing is the process of becoming emotionally or physically whole and restoring well-being after harm or injury.

Restorative justice is an approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by wrongdoing through dialogue and understanding.

Our lesson today will take two parts.

We will be looking at forgiveness and arguments about forgiveness.

So let's get started on forgiveness.

The term forgiveness comes from Old English, 'for' meaning completely and 'giefan' meaning give.

So it's come to mean to grant pardon for a wrongdoing, to give up resentment and the desire to seek revenge against a wrongdoer.

It's a belief that can affect all behaviours.

It can result in refusing to seek revenge, choosing reconciliation over punishment, speaking with compassion, supporting restorative justice, and responding to wrongdoing with understanding rather than hatred.

So it's giving up the idea of resentment or revenge completely.

Let's check your understanding.

What is forgiveness? Take a moment to jot down your answer.

Pause the video and come back when you are ready to see what you could have written.

You could have said, "Granting pardon for a wrongdoing, giving up resentment and the desire to seek revenge against a wrongdoer." So well done if you've got something along those lines.

Andeep, Sofia, Lucas and Aisha are discussing whether they think we should always forgive.

Andeep says, "I think we should always forgive, no matter what someone has done." Sofia says, "Forgiveness is important, but people still need to face consequences." Lucas says, "I try to forgive, but some things are just too serious to move past." Aisha says, "Some people don't deserve forgiveness, especially if they keep hurting others." A YouGov survey in 2021 asked British people whether they would be able to forgive someone who killed someone close to them in an accident.

We had 18% who said yes.

39 said no.

And 42 didn't know.

So what might influence people's views on whether they think they could forgive? Take a moment, pause the video, turn and talk to someone nearby, or you can talk to me.

And then come back when you are ready to move on.

Forgiveness has been valued for centuries across different cultures, religions, and ethical systems. And there are varied ways to practise it.

So for example, in Maori culture, forgiveness is expressed through muru, which is a public process led by elders.

The wrongdoer acknowledges the harm and encourages symbolic compensation called utu to restore the balance.

In secular, so non-religious psychology, forgiveness is a personal decision and it might be developed through reflection or through counselling or through writing.

The other person does not necessarily need to be involved.

Here's a picture of Eva Kor.

She was a Holocaust survivor who chose to forgive the Nazis, including Josef Mengele, who experimented on her and her twin sister at Auschwitz.

She made this choice to let go of hatred and regain control of her life.

Her decision was controversial, but she explained that forgiveness is not about excusing evil, but it's about freeing oneself from pain.

And she later became an advocate for healing and education.

Is this statement true or false? Eva Kor's decision to forgive the Nazis was widely accepted.

Pause the video, think about your answer, and also think about why it is true or false.

Come back when you are ready to check.

Well done if you put false, but why is it false? Well, her decision was controversial because some people thought she was appearing to excuse terrible crimes.

The term restorative justice comes from Latin.

Restorative comes from 're' meaning again, and 'storare' which means to make strong or renew.

Justice comes from 'iustus' right or fair.

So it's come to mean an approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by wrongdoing through dialogue and understanding.

It's a belief that can affect all behaviours.

It can result in bringing victims and offenders together, encouraging apology and accountability, avoiding purely punitive responses that means purely punishing, focusing on healing rather than revenge and involving the wider community in making things right.

Laura is talking to Frank, who works for the Probation Service as a restorative justice practitioner.

Laura says, "Do you really think talking about a crime makes a difference?" Frank responds, "Yes, I think it can.

I worked with a teenage boy who broke into a family's house.

We held a meeting where the victims told him how it had affected them.

Facing them and hearing the harm he caused made a difference.

He wrote a full letter of apology and he agreed to do voluntary work to make amends." Laura asks, "Is restorative justice about forgiving the offender?" Frank says, "Well, it can be.

And in this case, the victims chose to forgive.

Hearing the boys speak honestly and seeing his effort to make things right helped them move on.

Restorative justice does not require forgiveness, but it can help make it possible." So why might restorative justice make forgiveness possible? Have a think.

Pause the video, turn and talk to someone nearby if you can, or you can talk to me.

And then come back when you're ready to move on.

Restorative justice can take a variety of forms. It could be a face-to-face meeting, where people talk about the impact of what happened.

It could be through indirect communication.

So maybe a facilitator passes messages between the victim and the offender.

It could be community reparation.

So the offender does voluntary work in the community.

Or it could be a letter of apology.

The offender writes to the victim to show understanding and to take responsibility.

A YouGov 2018 survey asked British people whether, if they were attacked by a stranger and left with bruises but not seriously injured, they would prefer restorative justice or pressing charges.

So we can see from the chart, 20% preferred restorative justice.

61% would press charges and 19% didn't know.

So what factors might make someone more or less prepared to agree to restorative justice? Pause the video, turn and talk to someone nearby if you can, or you can talk to me.

And then come back when you're ready to move on.

Let's check your understanding.

Give one example of restorative justice.

Take a moment, pause the video, come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So you could have said any one of the following.

A face-to-face meeting between the victim and the offender.

A letter of apology.

Indirect communication through a facilitator.

Or community reparation through voluntary work.

Well done if you chose one of those from that list.

For Task A on forgiveness, Jacob has been asked to chat a debate on forgiveness.

He's made a start, and I'd like you to use the points that will appear below to finish.

Jacob says, "Forgiveness is something people talk about a lot, but not everyone agrees on what it involves or whether it is always the right thing to do." So remember, you're introducing the debate.

I'd like you to continue by including what forgiveness means and where the word comes from.

An example of forgiveness, either within a tradition or culture or from an individual.

And an example of how restorative justice might support forgiveness.

So take your time to think about what we've just learned.

Pause the video, and when you are finished come back and see what you could have written.

You could have said, "Forgiveness is something people talk about a lot, but not everyone agrees on what it involves or whether it is always the right thing to do.

The word comes from Old English, combining 'for' (completely) and 'giefan' (to give).

It now means letting go of blame or resentment towards someone who has caused harm.

One example is Eva Kor, a Holocaust survivor who forgave the Nazis to free herself from hatred and focus on healing.

Forgiveness can also be supported through restorative justice.

For example, a victim and offender might meet in a safe, structured setting.

The offender could listen to the impact of their actions, offer a letter of apology and agree to do voluntary work.

This process might help the victim feel able to forgive." So well done if you manage to explain something of the meaning of the word and to use some examples to support your explanation.

Let's move on to the second part of our lesson.

Arguments about forgiveness.

There are positives and negatives of forgiveness for both forgiver and forgiven.

For the forgiver, a positive is that they may experience emotional healing.

And for the forgiven, they may experience relief from guilt.

But a negative for the forgiver is that they may be taken advantage of.

And a negative for the forgiven is that it may mean they don't face up to their actions, they avoid accountability.

One way to decide on whether forgiveness is the right course of action is to apply an ethical theory.

However, applying ethical theories does not always give us easy answers.

Deontological theories ask whether an action is right in itself.

They might say, "Yes, forgiveness is the right thing to do." Supporters, for example, of Kantian ethics might argue that it's right because we have a duty to treat others with dignity.

Supporters of teleological theories which judge the rightness of an action by its likely consequences might also agree that forgiveness is the right course of action.

So utilitarian could argue that forgiveness is right because it brings peace, emotional healing, and therefore greater happiness overall.

On the other hand, supporters of deontological theories that are talking about the action in itself, whether it's right or wrong, might say forgiveness is wrong.

Supporters, for example, of Kantian ethics might argue that forgiveness is wrong because it might ignore the need for justice.

And equally supporters of teleological theories judging an action by its consequences might also say it's wrong.

Utilitarians might argue that it's wrong because it leads to further harm or it encourages repeated wrongdoing.

So which of the following best reflects a teleological argument in support of forgiveness? Is it A, forgiveness is right because it follows religious teaching? B, forgiveness is right because it brings peace and emotional healing.

Forgiveness is wrong because we have a duty to uphold justice, that's C.

Or D, forgiveness is wrong because it treats people unfairly because it avoids harm and promotes greater happiness.

So take a moment to think about the correct answer.

Pause the video if you need to, jot it down and then come back when you're ready to move on.

So well done if you put B, forgiveness is right because it brings peace and emotional healing.

Zoe is a psychologist who works with victims of crime.

And she's talking about forgiveness.

Zoe says, "Forgiving others can reduce stress and lower blood pressure, which helps the heart and immune system work better.

Holding on to anger and resentment can cause tension and negatively affect physical health.

That's why forgiveness is often a positive step for overall well-being.

In my work with victims of crime, I explain how restorative justice can support this process.

While it never forces forgiveness, it can help create a safe space for healing." So why might creating a safe space be important for healing and forgiveness? Take a moment, pause the video, reread what Zoe has said, have a talk if you can with someone nearby or you can talk to me.

And then come back when you're ready to move on.

The Forgiveness Project is a global organisation that shares real-life stories of forgiveness to promote understanding and reconciliation.

It works with individuals and communities affected by conflict and trauma, and it encourages dialogue and empathy to help heal divisions.

Unlike some approaches that focus solely on justice or punishment, it highlights forgiveness as a personal and social process that can help reduce anger and build peace through human connection.

Brandon is a humanist and he's explaining why he supports The Forgiveness Project.

Brandon says, "I believe in empathy and personal responsibility as ways to help people heal and build understanding.

I support The Forgiveness Project by volunteering to run workshops and discussions that focus on real stories of forgiveness.

My goal is to help people explore forgiveness as a personal and social choice, encouraging peace and reconciliation through dialogue." So how does supporting The Forgiveness Project align with Brandon's values as a humanist? Take a moment, pause the video, have a look at what Brandon said again.

And then come back when you're ready to move on.

Neil is a humanist.

He works as a defence barrister.

Neil says, "I believe justice must be fair and based on the law, with offenders held accountable regardless of whether they're forgiven.

Forgiveness is a personal choice and should not influence legal consequences.

While I support the reform and rehabilitation of offenders, forgiveness is not required for this to happen.

The system should focus on helping offenders change while ensuring justice is served." So how does Neil address the concern that forgiveness may undermine justice? Take a moment, pause the video, reread what Neil has said.

You can always turn and talk to someone nearby and then come back when you are ready to move on.

Let's check your understanding.

What is the missing word? The Forgiveness Project is a global organisation that shares real-life ___ to promote healing and reconciliation.

So pause the video, take a moment, jot down your answer.

And then come back when you are ready to check.

So well done if you got that it was stories.

Faye is debating the statement, "Forgiveness causes more harm than good," with Zoe.

Faye says, "I think forgiveness can cause more harm than good.

It can allow people to avoid facing the seriousness of harm done, and let offenders escape justice.

Also, forgiveness is unrealistic in violent or repeated harmful situations, where it could put victims at further risk." So what arguments does Faye present? Take a moment to think about your answer.

Pause the video, you can turn and talk to me or to someone nearby and then come back when you're ready to move on.

Faye presents the arguments, forgiveness can let offenders avoid accountability and forgiveness may be unrealistic and safe.

Well done if you spotted both of those.

Zoe is responding to Faye's arguments.

Zoe says, "Forgiveness can be very difficult to grant, but if someone does, it can help people heal emotionally.

Holding on to anger and resentment can cause more lasting damage to a person's well-being." So what arguments does Zoe present? Pause the video, turn and talk to someone nearby if you can, or you can talk to me.

And then come back when you are ready to move on.

Well done if you spotted that Zoe presents the arguments, forgiveness can heal people emotionally and holding on to anger and resentment causes lasting damage.

So which statement is an argument to support forgiveness? A, forgiveness helps people heal emotionally.

B, holding on to anger and resentment causes more damage.

C, forgiveness allows offenders to avoid accountability.

Or D, forgiveness can be unrealistic or unsafe in some situations.

Pause if you need to, jot down your answer and then come back when you're ready to check.

So well done if you spotted it was B, holding onto anger and resentment causes more damage.

The Part 1 of our task on arguments about forgiveness, I'd like you to complete the table below to set out the positives and negatives of forgiveness.

So take a moment, pause the video, jot down some positives and negatives.

And then come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

So you might have written for the positives.

It helps the person to heal emotionally.

It can restore damage relationships and it supports peace and moving forward.

For negatives, examples would be, it may cause emotional harm if trust is broken after forgiving.

The offender may avoid proper accountability.

And it could lead to someone being taken advantage of.

Well done if you've got any of those examples.

For Part 2 of our task, I'd like you to decide whether the positives or negatives matter most when thinking about forgiveness.

So choose the strongest positive or negative and use it as an argument to support the statement, "Forgiveness causes more harm than good," or to support a different point of view.

Then explain why this is a strong argument.

You could use to help you sentences such as the strongest argument to.

And then this argument is strong because.

Or if you prefer this argument is compelling because.

Or the argument is powerful as it.

Or this argument is convincing because.

So take your time, pause the video, think carefully about whether the positives or negatives matter most.

And then choose the positive or negative that you think is the best one to support or go against that statement.

Then you need to explain why it is the best or strongest argument.

Come back when you are ready to see what you could have written.

So let's have a look at what you could have said.

For Part A, choose the strongest positive or negative.

You could have said, "The strongest argument to support the statement that forgiveness causes more harm than good is that forgiveness might allow the offender to avoid proper accountability." Now you could have chosen any of those positives or negatives.

That's just one example.

It's the one that I chose.

For Part B, explain why this is a strong argument.

You could have said, "This argument is strong because if forgiveness is given too easily, it may let harmful behaviour continue without consequences." So well done if you manage to develop the argument you chose and to explain why that argument convinces you or why that argument is strong.

In today's lesson on the concept of forgiveness, we have learned that forgiveness means to grant pardon for a wrongdoing, to give up resentment and the desire to seek revenge against a wrongdoer.

Forgiveness can lead to emotional healing and restored relationships.

Forgiveness is expressed in different ways across cultures and individuals including through restorative justice.

Restorative justice creates opportunities for victims and offenders to communicate, which can support forgiveness.

And there are positive and negative arguments about forgiveness involving healing, justice, and accountability.

Thank you very much for all of your efforts today and for working with me through this lesson.