Archive for March, 2009

God’s justice – punishment or restoration?

March 30th, 2009 – by Howard Zehr (category: Peacebuilding, Restorative Justice)

“My soul cries out, let the fires of your justice burn,” the congregation sings on this Sunday. I lean over to my wife: “What does that mean?” “Maybe it means God is passionate about justice,” she whispers with a twinkle in her eye. True enough, but she knows that I think there’s more to it. [...]

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Why can’t we just apologize?

March 18th, 2009 – by Howard Zehr (category: Restorative Justice)

A colleague says unkind things about you behind your back and you hear about it. She comes to you and says, “I’m sorry if I hurt you.” How does that feel? Now consider the same scenario but this time she says, “I’m sorry that I hurt you.” This feels better, doesn’t it? What a difference [...]

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Restorative justice, restorative knowing, restorative being

March 18th, 2009 – by Howard Zehr (category: Photography, Restorative Justice)

To keep me entertained during church when I was young, my parents would give me two small plastic dogs – one black, one white – each with a magnet glued to its feet.  When two similar poles of the magnets were put together, the dogs would repel one another.  Turned so opposite poles were aligned, [...]

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