This is not only the best book on forgiveness that I have read, but it is the only one that comprehensively defines what forgiveness is and is not. The exposition of Scripture and practical application to everyday life is clear, focused, and relevant to our time. I believe that the prevalent teaching of today's church on forgiveness is wrong even though it is right. Right because it teaches that Christ followers must follow His example and forgive. Wrong because it does not define what forgiveness is and is not. This hurts victims of abuse and oppression even more and causes some to reject the Savior whose teachings have been misrepresented. Timothy Keller defines forgiveness so thoroughly and applies the Bible's teachings on forgiveness to our lives so poignantly, that he gives an extremely rare balanced teaching that helps us walk the narrow road with Jesus and not fall into error on one side or the other. Thank you, Doctor Keller, for carefully, clearly, compassionately, and uncompromisingly bringing a much-needed word of correction and guidance to today's church.

It's hard to disagree with Tim Keller. He's very authoritative in his writing and speaking. His arguments are carefully supported by Scripture, and he balances his views with important cultural references and critiques. This book is a timely book admonishing the Body of Christ, to grow deeper into the image of Christ by mature practices of forgiving. Our smaller forgiveness story is to cohere more to His larger story. His insights on resentment, bitterness and also what repentance is and is not, are excellent. He provides a practical step by step process in the appendix at the end. That said, the inner journey of forgiveness, as well as being the first to do grant forgiveness before confronting (Luke 17:3-4) - both put a very high onus on perfecting one's inner state. For those have suffered trauma, grief and abuse (physical/sexual/emotional), there is no language of 'the body remembers' herein. To quote Keller (212): "to remain unforgiving means you remain unaware of your own need of forgiveness". Instead of black and white thinking, a more generous approach could have helped here, e.g when the small debts are still being processed (e.g 70 x 7 - covered to some extent earlier in his book)

Four other areas I would have found helpful to have clarified:

1) Keller mentions his many years as a pastor, yet gives little example of difficult behaviour he encountered along the way and how forgiveness was practiced (or not) by community members, or himself.

2) Several people have been wounded by excessive authority and lack of disclosure in the Church, which has resulted in the agonizing breaking of brotherhood. This is indeed "emotionally very expensive" for the forgiver (p.210) , yet there's only minimal illustration of authority excesses in real life context.

3) The admonition to leave a gift at the altar and first be reconciled (Mat 5:23-24) is treated thinly, & not with the same seriousness as other verses chosen (especially Mark 11:25), mainly an admittance that procrastination and avoidance rule. It would have been preferable to read 2-3 examples of people who applied that verse, e.g at communion time

4) In the application of Luke 17 - i.e. when to confront -the high bar onus on the forgiver to have purged any hint resentment and hurt before the conversation, is to the point that if a perpetrator has not accepted the rebuke it might be because the offended one had not done enough work to forgive enough on the inside. In reality sometimes denial is so thick it doesn't matter how perfectly you confront - notably in abuse cases. Confronting may not stem from any lack of courage by the forgiver (again his high onus on the forgiver first) but instead may be a brave act of peacemaking (Rom 12:12 p. 215). Whichever wise way is chosen, and Keller would be first to agree - forgiveness is indeed hard work!

such a good read.

This book is a blessing in understanding, "Forgive us our trespasses/debts as we forgive others." Our God is a loving God and we communicate His great Love and forgiveness for us through Jesus when we, in turn, give forgiveness of debts or trespasses to others.