On Interpersonal Forgiveness and Its (Overrated) Relation to Divine Forgiveness: A Lutheran Perspective 1

Abstract

This article provides a phenomenological analysis of interpersonal forgiveness and evaluates the correlation between interpersonal and divine forgiveness from a Lutheran perspective. By highlighting the morphological distinctness of the two forms of forgiveness, the article posits that they are best conceptualised as homonyms. Consequently, the link between divine and human forgiveness can be understood as causative rather than causal or analogous, which equates the quality of this connection to the connection of other things that divine forgiveness may evoke. This suggests that interpersonal forgiveness does not possess a distinctive link with divine forgiveness.