The Faithful Struggle to Forgive

The Second Betty Jo Hay Seminar on Religion and Mental Health
1/9/2010( 8:30:00 AM – 1:45:00 PM )
Northway Christian Church, Dallas
Joretta Marshall, Professor of Pastoral Theology and Care, Brite Divinity School

Forgiveness is part of the journey of faith for many Christians. It is, on the one hand, something that compels us toward right relationships and justice. On the other hand, forgiveness is hard work that requires energy, spiritual integrity, and honesty. Forgiveness is not a fix for our relationships; rather it is a process one moves through. This seminar will engage participants in wrestling with the call of forgiveness in our lives even as it seeks to unpack the complexity of forgiveness in diverse contexts and situations. The day is designed to help people of faith discern how best to respond to individual, interpersonal, and communal pain and injustice through the work of forgiveness.
Joretta Marshall is currently Professor of Pastoral Theology and Care at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, TX. Prior to joining the faculty at Brite, she served on the faculties of Vanderbilt University Divinity School (1989-1993), Iliff School of Theology (1993-2001), and Eden Seminary (2001-2007), where she was also Academic Dean (2001-2005). Dr. Marshall has served as one of the Co-Editors for the Journal of Pastoral Theology, a publication supported by the Society for Pastoral Theology, and is currently on the editorial Boards for The Journal of Religion and Abuse and Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling. Joretta is the author of Counseling Lesbian Partners and Why Should I Forgive?, is the co-editor of Forgiveness and Abuse: Jewish and Christian Reflections. (with Marie Fortune), and The Formation of Pastoral Counselors: Challenges and Opportunities (with Duane Bidwell), along with a number of articles in professional and church-related journals. Currently she serves as the President of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. She is ordained as an Elder in the United Methodist Church and holds membership in the Rocky Mountain Conference.
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