 The need to understand the power and place of forgiveness in our world was defined on September 11, 2001. It is urgent that we examine the steps that lead to justice and strengthen society. Now more than ever, we need to understand how forgiveness improves the human condition. How do we choose to forgive? What are the effects of holding grudges and seeking revenge? We can find a way to balance our need for security with the potential for granting forgiveness. A Campaign for Forgiveness Research supports scientific studies that can deepen our understanding of forgiveness and begin the process of building many different roads to reconciliation. The John Templeton Foundation and other donors have contributed 7 million dollars in support of A Campaign for Forgiveness Research to fund these studies. A Campaign for Forgiveness Research, in cooperation with an initial research initiative by the John Templeton Foundation, has funded 46 research projects. Some projects generated multiple published papers. We have insisted that authors publish in scientifically reviewed and respected sources, rather than compile an internal publication. These scientifically-refereed studies investigated the number of ways forgiveness and reconciliation take place. We are learning about the powerful benefits to individuals, families and nations when they construct and follow roads to reconciliation. Particular research studies give us insight into the biology of forgiveness in humans and how forgiveness operates among chimpanzee and baboon groups. We turn for inspiration and hope to those who have deeply invested their lives and their work to understanding and promulgating forgiveness. Leaders of A Campaign for Forgiveness Research include Co-chairs Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pulitzer Prize winning author Dr. Robert Coles, community activist Ruby Bridges Hall and campaign endorser former United States President Jimmy Carter. While we face the stark challenges of destruction, genocide, racial discrimination, substance abuse, domestic violence, physical illness and mental illness, there can be no better time for this Campaign for Forgiveness Research toward understanding the ways individuals and nations build roads to reconciliation.
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"Forgiveness offers the possibility of two types of peace: peace of
mind -- the potential healing of old emotional wounds, and peace with
others -- the possibility of new, more gratifying relationships in
the future."
Kenneth I. Pargament & Mark S. Rye A Campaign for Forgiveness Research funded 46 innovative research projects on the effects of forgiveness. Now you can read about their discoveries. |
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A Campaign for Forgiveness Research