Redemption

Last updated on: September 30, 2015 at 2:30 pm by Lynn Ungar

Redemption 2015-09-30T14:30:45-06:00 Lynn Ungar

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Late last night a member of my congregation was killed. She was someone who cared deeply about her spiritual life, who not only took classes through our church but also was moved to go through seminary. She was someone who believed, as Unitarian Universalists do, in growth, in possibility, in the urge toward the good, in the value of each and every human life. She believed, as Unitarian Universalists do, that redemption is not so much something that is granted to you as something you create. She never stopped working toward her own redemption.

The state of Georgia, however, doesn’t hold the same ideas about redemption. The state of Georgia declared that because of the heinous act that Kelly Gissendaner committed nearly 18 years ago, she deserved to die. Last night, in spite of legal appeals and an appeal from the Pope, they killed her. She went to her death singing “Amazing Grace.”

I believe, along with Gissendaner, in a grace that is nothing short of amazing. I don’t happen to believe in salvation by the redemptive power of Christ. That is not my personal theology. I know it is a theology that stirs and uplifts countless hearts, but it doesn’t happen to hold deep meaning for me. But Kelly Gissendaner makes me believe in a grace so deep, so broad, that someone who would do something so horrific as to arrange the murder of her husband could come around to deep remorse, and deep commitment to living a life of love and justice. That is a grace that I can see, a grace to which I can bear witness.

But the state of Georgia doesn’t believe in that kind of grace. The law of the state of Georgia does not have room for redemption. Deliberate murder is to be met with deliberate murder. Whether or not that state-sanctioned murder makes anyone safer. Whether or not that state-sanctioned murder makes anyone more whole.

I do not condone murder. Not the murder Kelly arranged to commit, not the murder that the state of Georgia committed. I believe that growth and grace and redemption happen to the living, and that murder robs a human being of their precious right to practice redemption and grace and growth. No one was redeemed by killing Kelly. No grace was present. And there was no justice as I understand the word.

Because I do not believe that justice is “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” I believe that justice is that which moves toward restoring that which is broken. Justice is not lenience. It is not ignoring evil deeds and hoping that they will go away. Justice is the detailed, difficult work or trying to set right what has gone wrong as far as possible, and preventing more harm from being done.

Killing Kelly set nothing right, prevented no harm. Justice was not served.

All that is left is for those of us who are still living to consider the work of redemption, and how we might work for a world in which murder is no longer committed in our names.

Previous Post

September 24, 2015

Musing On Relevance

Next Post

October 1, 2015 Looking For #Happiness, Epicurean Style

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category #9/11 Abortion Class community conflict Digital Life Diversity Divorce Environmental issues Evangelism Faith Development Foregiveness Garden glbt Gratitude Grief Healing health care Holidays Hospitality Interfaith LGBT Issues Military Service Mortality Orlando Parenting Peace Politics Power Prayer Racism Relationships Religion Scripture Senior citizens Sermons simplicity Social Justice Spirituality Sports Sustainability Uncategorized Unitarian Universalist Values Women's Issues World Community Worship

Select a Month August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many times does the book of Genesis mention "God created"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

5 11 7 9