A politics of forgiveness? Engaging the ontological and the structural in the dialogical theology of John de Gruchy

Dion Forster

doi:10.17570/stj.2019.v5n3.a04

Abstract

Forgiveness is a deeply contested theological notion in contemporary South African theology and society. The same could be said for South African theologies of reconciliation, of which forgiveness is considered to be a part. Some claim that these concepts have been weakened, abused, and corrupted. In particular, there are doubts whether forgiveness holds any theological or social value at present. John de Gruchy has devoted a great deal of time and effort to developing a theologically subtle, and politically robust, understanding of forgiveness that links justice and reconciliation. This article will consider how John de Gruchy’s dialogical theology, which takes account of both the ontological and the structural aspects of forgiveness, facilitates an understanding of political forgiveness that can address some of the critiques of this notion in contemporary South African theologies.

Highlights

IntroductionThis essay intends to honour the dialogical theological approach of John de Gruchy by focussing on a particular aspect of his contribution – namely his concept of “political forgiveness”.1 De Gruchy characterises political
This essay intends to honour the dialogical theological approach of John de Gruchy by focussing on a particular aspect of his contribution – namely his concept of “political forgiveness”.1 De Gruchy characterises politicalForster STJ 2019, Vol 5, No 3, 78–97 forgiveness as, “a risk taken on the basis of mature insight and political acumen and one that displays moral courage” (De Gruchy, 2002: 173)
This article will consider how John de Gruchy’s dialogical theology, which takes account of both the ontological and the structural aspects of forgiveness, facilitates an understanding of political forgiveness that can address some of the critiques of this notion in contemporary South African theologies

Summary

Introduction

This essay intends to honour the dialogical theological approach of John de Gruchy by focussing on a particular aspect of his contribution – namely his concept of “political forgiveness”.1 De Gruchy characterises political. This essay aims to show how John de Gruchy’s dialogical theological approach is capable of holding a creative tension between faith-filled theological conviction and contemporary (and historical) concerns – these will be characterised as the “ontological” and the “structural” aspects of De Gruchy’s theology When these two characteristics are brought together, the outcome is a more robust theological understanding of the necessity, and conceptualisation, of notions and processes, of forgiveness that honour the convictions of the Christian theological tradition (ontologically), while taking concrete social and historical realities (structural elements) seriously. In what follows we shall see how John de Gruchy’s notion of “political forgiveness” provides an example of such a theology and such a theological approach (De Gruchy 2002: 173)

A prolegomenon on John de Gruchy’s dialogical theology

Between the prose of justice and the poetics of agape

Findings

Conclusion