Intermenselijke vergeving. Maatstaf en richtsnoer voor samenleven in het licht van het evangelie

Should a Christian forgive seventy-seven or seventy-eight times (Augustin)? Did the evangelists deliberately disregard a limit to forgiving in Jesus’ teaching about forgiveness? Must the sinner first repent before he receives forgiveness? Is forgiveness possible if the sinner does not accept the gift of forgiveness? Finally, is it possible to forgive debts done to another person? This article narrowly focusses on the gift of forgiveness one person offers another from the point of view of forgiveness as a theological social ethical norm. Starting with the reality of a low occurrence of forgiveness, the essay moves on to evaluate the nature, origin and limits of forgiveness, in the light of the gospel imperative to forgive, the disposition to forgive as well, and the sinner’s acknowledgement of guilt. The last section of the essay presents the proprium of the gospel regarding the social ethical norm of forgiveness. That is, a Christian must take the initiative in forgiveness, even if the sinner lacks repentance and thus imitating the initiative God in reconciling himself to his fallen image bearer.