A bite of the intro:
"This study guide on forgiveness aims to help individuals and small groups think, feel and pray about forgiveness. We hope it complements the poignant beauty of “i4giveday” inspired by Danny, Leila, and the Abdallah family’s forgiving response amidst grief and loss (https://www.i4give.com)...
Our format for the studies is simple: silence for meditation and prayer to begin; Biblical passages with more stories and spiritual exercises; discussion questions; concluding prayers and additional resources. We hope the studies are neither too simple nor too complex. We hope everyone can find illumination, comfort and encouragement for the journey we are all sharing...
These studies on forgiveness invite us to feel what it is we seek. We hope it helps us all make and sustain the choice to heal and not to harm; to know better what we are doing and to find healing around what we have done and what has been done to us. That is our hope and prayer, in the giving and forgiving love of Jesus. Poet and farmer, Wendell Berry, has simple and wise advice for a good life and good community: “Slow down. Pay attention. Do good work. Love your neighbours. Love your place. Stay in your place. Settle for less, enjoy it more” (Berry, 2017). To slow down and be attentive, we provide the opportunity at the start of each session to open with silent meditation. You may wish to use the Jesus Prayer, shortened to “Jesus, have mercy” (see Session Two of these studies) or the ancient Christian prayer-word “Maranatha” used by the World Community of Christian Meditation (see www.wccm.org/meditate/how-to-meditate)...
In addition to the hard-copy book format, these studies are available on-line through the ACC&C website: www.acc-c.org.au. The E-book of Forgiveness: A Study Guide (in PDF format) is free of charge, and is designed as a supplement for those who may wish to dig deeper, outside of the group sessions. Our electronic copy of the study guide contains an additional section at the end of each session entitled: “See, Hear, Feel.” It contains images, on-line resources, and further meditations and journaling exercises that may be useful for study group leaders, teachers, and individuals wishing to reflect further on the themes we explore in each session. Also published free of charge on the ACC&C website are audio files of the authors reading sections of the text, for use in study groups or by individuals."