David Anderson Hooker (Professor of the Practice of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding at Notre Dame and member of the JustPeace staff team) has a new book as part of the The Little Books of Justice and Peacebuilding series. Click here to buy it from Skyhorse Publishing. From the publisher: When conflicts become ingrained in communities, people lose […]
Restorative Justice
Restorative justice became more widely known in the last century through encounter programs with crime victims and offenders – highlighting an alternative to retributive justice. Today, restorative practices and approaches are deepening within educational institutions, faith communities and societies.
…In the love of Christ, who came to save those who are lost and
vulnerable, we urge the creation of a genuinely new system for the care
and restoration of victims, offenders, criminal justice officials, and the
community as a whole. Restorative justice grows out of biblical authority,
which emphasizes a right relationship with God, self, and community.
When such relationships are violated or broken through crime,
opportunities are created to make things right.
(¶164H,The Book of Discipline ofThe United Methodist Church).
Key principles of restorative justice include:
- A repair of the damage or a righting of the wrong to those harmed
- A path of real accountability – making things right in so far as possible – with those harmed and the disrupted community
- Healing and restoration
- Through engagement of the parties involved
Restorative Practices – Although gaining in widespread awareness during recent decades, many restorative processes for engagement are rooted in ancient practices. The circle process is one of those.
Learn More:
Resources:
- Conflict & Communion: Reconciliation & Restorative Justice at Christ’s Table
- The Journey: Forgiveness, Restorative Justice and Reconciliation
Restorative justice principles with the United Methodist Church’s judicial processes:
- Chapter 8 in the Revised Administrative and Judicial Procedures Manual
- Just Resolution and Restorative Justice Principles in the Complaint Procedure of The United Methodist Church
Posts in this Category
New Blog by Ron Kraybill
Honoring Relationships
During difficult times, when divisiveness is pervasive, attention to the quality of relationships often suffers. In order to find a way forward, relationships must be honoring. A relationship is honoring when it provides space for authentic self-expression and seeks to not do violence to the Other because of the differences. A relationship is honoring, when it has as its highest priority the dignity of all.
JustPeace Youth Initiative
In 2016, JustPeace is beginning an initiative to survey, network, connect and support leaders in the United Methodist Church who are working with youth in the areas of conflict transformation, mediation, racial justice, intercultural exchange and/or peacebuilding. This is part of a larger Network Weaving Initiative supported in part by the GCORR CORR Action Fund that will cultivate and sustain networks of leaders committed to conflict transformation and cultural competency.
Meaningful Conversations on Race
What Should Forgiveness Look Like in Charleston?
From Around the Web
Mass Incarceration, Retributive Justice and the Penal Substitution Doctrine of the Atonement
Tom Porter, director of the Program in Religion and Conflict Transformation at Boston University School of Theology and former Executive Director of JustPeace, delivered the 2013 Karl Cron Community Lecture, speakin on “Restorative Justice” as a response to mass incarceration, retributive justice and retributive theology.
The Power of Questions for Leaders and for Life
How do we ask good, high-level, honest questions and listen for the emerging wisdom and Spirit? My experience is, power resides in good questions more than answers. Do you have any questions? Listen, listen deeply to that inner voice as if your life depends on it, for it does. What question is it asking? What question wants to emerge? What question are you living? ….Well?