Christian attitudes to forgiveness
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain different views about forgiveness, including Christian perspectives.
Key learning points
- Forgiveness is letting go of resentment and choosing not to seek revenge, often leading to healing and reconciliation.
- Christianity teaches that forgiveness is essential, based on Jesus’ teachings and example and linked to salvation.
- Forgiveness is not always easy, as shown by people like Julie Nicholson, who struggled to forgive after personal loss.
- Forgiveness can be lived out through supporting restorative justice or working with organisations like Caritas.
- People hold different views on forgiveness, some see it as healing and freeing, others fear it may excuse wrongdoing.
Keywords
Forgiveness - to grant pardon for a wrongdoing; to give up resentment and the desire to seek revenge against a wrongdoer
Reconciliation - making up and rebuilding relationships between two groups/sides after disagreement
Restorative justice - an approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by wrongdoing through dialogue and understanding
Common misconception
Forgiveness comes naturally to all Christians because it is part of their faith.
Christianity teaches that forgiveness is important, but not that it is easy. Julie Nicholson’s story shows that even people of strong faith can struggle to forgive, especially after traumatic events. Forgiveness can be a long and difficult process.
Teacher tip
Clips of both Julie Nicholson and Gee Walker speaking about their stories would help to bring them to life.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a key Christian teaching about how we should treat others?
Q2.What did Jesus say about enemies?
Q3.The Commandments are an ancient set of laws from the Old Testament to help Christians live a moral life.
Q4.What is one aim of punishment in Christianity?
Q5.Why do Christians believe people should not commit crimes?
Q6.What did Jesus say is the most important commandment?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is forgiveness?
Q2.Some Christians support restorative to help repair harm after wrongdoing.
Q3.Jesus taught his followers to forgive not just seven times, but times.
Q4.Why did Eva Kor choose to forgive the Nazis?
Q5.What helped Gee Walker choose to forgive her son’s killers?
Q6.True or false? Forgiveness comes naturally to all Christians because it is part of their faith.
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Christian attitudes to forgiveness, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Christian attitudes to forgiveness, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Issues of Good and Evil unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.