Friday, January 4, 2008 at 12:12am
Freedom through forgiveness
Column: Executive Soul
This column originally was published on Oct. 26, 2007.
When Archbishop Desmond Tutu became head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the mid-'90s, South Africa had to come to terms with how it would bring to justice perpetrators of crimes under the old regime. Retributive justice, not only too costly for the financially strapped country, would also result in winners and losers, and could easily backfire. Blanket amnesty would leave the victims unacknowledged, in effect victimizing them again. How was the country to move forward?
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission chose a third way, distinct from both retributive justice and blanket amnesty. Through inviting perpetrators to apply for amnesty in exchange for full disclosure of their crimes, South Africa chose restorative justice.
For 18 months the commission heard case after case, listening to victims as well as to perpetrators. In his book "No Future Without Forgiveness," Tutu reported:
"We in the commission were quite appalled at the depth of depravity to which human beings could sink. ... We had to distinguish between the deed and the perpetrator, between the sinner and the sin, to hate and condemn the sin while being filled with compassion for the sinner."
Tutu found himself stretched to offer compassion to perpetrators on both sides, and his heart grew larger in the process. Unflinchingly facing the truth, he also prayed to forgive.
Tutu found himself inspired to forgive by victims who forgave:
"Mercifully and wonderfully, as I listened to these stories of victims I marveled at their magnanimity, that after so much suffering, instead of lusting for revenge, they had this extraordinary willingness to forgive."
More than 10 years later, what does South Africa's example have to offer the world? Though there is still much work to be done in South Africa (centuries of oppression take time to overcome), the world has marveled at the peaceful transition and healing that have occurred there.
While each culture, nation, organization and family is different and there is no cookie-cutter solution that can be applied to every conflict, South Africa's example demonstrates the power of forgiveness. What would it look like for leaders everywhere — in families, in organizations, in nations — to draw on the power of forgiveness? The International Criminal Tribunal in Rwanda, for example, created its own version of restorative justice after the heinous crimes committed there. How might others learn from South Africa's example? In this world of wars, retribution and vengeance, leaders would do well to experiment with the power of forgiveness.
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Margaret Benefiel, Ph.D., author of "Soul at Work: Spiritual Leadership in Organizations," works with leaders in business, healthcare, government and non-profits to help them develop spiritual leadership. Visit her website at www.ExecutiveSoul.com. © Copyright 2008 by Margaret Benefiel.
When Archbishop Desmond Tutu became head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the mid-'90s, South Africa had to come to terms with how it would bring to justice perpetrators of crimes under the old regime. Retributive justice, not only too costly for the financially strapped country, would also result in winners and losers, and could easily backfire. Blanket amnesty would leave the victims unacknowledged, in effect victimizing them again. How was the country to move forward?
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission chose a third way, distinct from both retributive justice and blanket amnesty. Through inviting perpetrators to apply for amnesty in exchange for full disclosure of their crimes, South Africa chose restorative justice.
For 18 months the commission heard case after case, listening to victims as well as to perpetrators. In his book "No Future Without Forgiveness," Tutu reported:
"We in the commission were quite appalled at the depth of depravity to which human beings could sink. ... We had to distinguish between the deed and the perpetrator, between the sinner and the sin, to hate and condemn the sin while being filled with compassion for the sinner."
Tutu found himself stretched to offer compassion to perpetrators on both sides, and his heart grew larger in the process. Unflinchingly facing the truth, he also prayed to forgive.
Tutu found himself inspired to forgive by victims who forgave:
"Mercifully and wonderfully, as I listened to these stories of victims I marveled at their magnanimity, that after so much suffering, instead of lusting for revenge, they had this extraordinary willingness to forgive."
More than 10 years later, what does South Africa's example have to offer the world? Though there is still much work to be done in South Africa (centuries of oppression take time to overcome), the world has marveled at the peaceful transition and healing that have occurred there.
While each culture, nation, organization and family is different and there is no cookie-cutter solution that can be applied to every conflict, South Africa's example demonstrates the power of forgiveness. What would it look like for leaders everywhere — in families, in organizations, in nations — to draw on the power of forgiveness? The International Criminal Tribunal in Rwanda, for example, created its own version of restorative justice after the heinous crimes committed there. How might others learn from South Africa's example? In this world of wars, retribution and vengeance, leaders would do well to experiment with the power of forgiveness.
— — —
Margaret Benefiel, Ph.D., author of "Soul at Work: Spiritual Leadership in Organizations," works with leaders in business, healthcare, government and non-profits to help them develop spiritual leadership. Visit her website at www.ExecutiveSoul.com. © Copyright 2008 by Margaret Benefiel.