Forgiveness as a component of spiritual change after the murder of a loved one

Abstract

Homicide survivors experience a synergistic mixture of trauma, grief, and injustice. Literature indicates the positive role of forgiveness in healing, nuances to the definitions of forgiveness, and the potential for positive spiritual growth following homicide loss. This secondary, thematic analysis of 16 interviews examines forgiveness as part of the process of spiritual change following the homicide of a loved one. Analysis indicated the potential for religion and spirituality to become facilitators or barriers to forgiveness and emphasizes the importance of choice for survivors’ healing. Spiritually sensitive practices grounded in survivors’ autonomy to redefine and ultimately choose forgiveness are discussed.