Reconciliation theology

Reconciliation theology or the theology of reconciliation raises crucial theological questions about how reconciliation can be brought into regions of political conflict. The term differs from the conventional theological understanding of reconciliation, but likewise emphasises themes of justice, truth, forgiveness and repentance.

Reconciliation is conventionally understood as a central theological concept: God reconciles himself with humanity through the atonement of Christ and, likewise, the followers of Christ are called to become peacemakers and reconcile with one another. The Greek term for reconciliation katallagē means to ‘exchange enmity, wrath and war with friendship, love and peace.’ A number of theologians have developed this theological concept, such as Irenaeus (115-202), Tertullian (160-220), Augustine of Hippo (324-430), Martin Luther (1483–1546), John Calvin (1509-64), Albrecht Ritschl (1822–89), Karl Barth (1886-1968), Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–45) and Gustavo Gutiérrez (1928).

However, the Christian concept of reconciliation has recently been applied to political conflict zones of the world by John W. de Gruchy, Robert Schreiter and others and called 'reconciliation theology'. De Gruchy demonstrates four interrelated ways of reconciliation:

The understating of reconciliation theology has raised crucial questions about how this concept of reconciliation can be applicable in each context. When it attaches to political discourse and goes uncriticised, it is sometimes seen as being greatly inappropriate and even dangerous. Thus, there is a strong emphasis on the historical and contextual considerations, and a 'reflection on what is happening on the ground' in the actual process of reconciliation.

De Gruchy notes that the issue of reconciliation needs to include the understanding of ‘covenant and creation, sin and guilt, grace and forgiveness, the reign of God’s justice and human hope’, all of which could have political significance. Joseph Liechty and Cecelia Clegg present in their study Moving Beyond Sectarianism that a true understanding of reconciliation has to deal with ‘the interlocking dynamics of forgiveness, repentance, truth, and justice.’

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