Examples of personal forgiveness
With forgiveness being such an important Christian teaching, there are lots of examples of Christians who have forgiven others as a result of their personal beliefs. Although this may be an extremely difficult thing to do in many cases, such as the murder of a family member, Christians will try their best to follow the teachings on forgiveness.
Gee and Dominique Walker
Anthony Walker was murdered at 18 years of age in a racially motivated attack in 2005. Anthony came from a strong Christian family and despite his family being devastated by the death of Anthony, both his mother and sister have publicly talked about how they have forgiven his attackers. Their forgiveness of Anthony’s attackers is a result of their strong Christian faith and beliefs on forgiveness.
Anthony Walker's mother and sister describe how forgiving his murderers is what Christ teaches them to do, and that it has helped to release their feelings of anger, bitterness and revenge
Martin Luther King Jr
Martin Luther King Jr was a Christian minister and he believed in peaceful protest without using violence. His policy of non-violence led to his arrest 20 times, and he was personally abused four times. He became a figurehead for not only black people in separatist America, but as a leader for human rights wherever there was injustice, locally, nationally, and globally. He continued to follow the teaching of forgiveness, despite being arrested many times while trying to fight to improve the lives of the black community.
We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this we are less prone to hate our enemies.
Maureen Greaves
Maureen Greaves’ husband Alan was attacked in 2012 by two men on his way to Midnight Mass. He later died from his injuries. Maureen refused to condemn the men and forgave them for their actions.
My prayer is that Jonathan Bowling and Ashley Foster will come to understand and experience the love and kindness of the God who made him in his own image and that God’s great mercy will inspire them to true repentance.
Julie Nicholson
Following the death of her daughter Jenny in the terrorist bombing in London on 7 July 2005, Julie Nicholson has found forgiveness hard, despite being an Anglican priest.
Julie felt that she had to quit her position because she could not forgive the suicide bomber who murdered her daughter. Julie justifies her stance by asserting forgiveness depends upon the guilty party requesting it. The person who killed her daughter is dead and so there's no relationship to be restored. She thinks Jenny would want her to lead a good life and try to make a real difference in the world, rather than worry about forgiveness.
Julie Nicholson shares her feelings about the loss of her daughter
