Forgiveness and Repentance

Repentance, or in other words change from previous behavior to begin a new future, is a common thread that ties all the major religions, but unique among them is the central position of forgiveness in Christianity. Indeed, it is the foundation of Christ's teaching. Without forgiveness, there can be no Christians. How important is repentance in Christianity? Is is as important as forgiveness? Paul taught that salvation is from Grace alone, not from works. Christ taught that none can be saved without being baptised, being born again. He also told the woman who was forgiven to go and sin no more. I think it is paradoxical that on the one hand, salvation is not dependent on repentance, and yet it is expected. The paradox is understandable, when we realize that forgiveness is not dependent on repentance, but on our intentions. An ancient Chinese proverb says, "Mountains and rivers are easier to move then to change one's character." Old habits die hard, so repentance is not always met with success, and we are urged to sooth the failure with forgiveness. Yet, at the same time, we are adminished to be wise as scorpions, and to not throw pearls to dogs. We are expected to be wise in our stewardship of our resources, so as to yield the most good works and not waste time, energy, and self-respect on lost causes.

It is interesting that none of the religions taught a definitive rule to draw the line as to when enough is enough. Only our own capacity for love, compassion, and all the highest virtues universally recognized, determines the point beyond which we will not give, forgive. The greatest souls are also those that have the greatest capacity to give and forgive. The meanest souls are also those with the most petty of grievances, and stubbornest grudges.

One of the most interesting definition of mature intelligence is the capacity to change one's mind, even one's character, past the normal age of childhood, even adulthood. The capacity to change one's mind is directly related to many human pathology, both psychological and spiritual. To live is to change, in response to the environment, or following one's own will. To not change is to be inanimate, literally without soul.

I came across a question in a forum on Chinese history that was thought provoking, and after considerate thought, I think I have the beginning of an answer. The question was to consider the reason behind the lack of scientific development in China during the Renaissance in Europe, even though at the time and for centuries earlier, China was technologically much more advanced in many areas. What was the reason that allowed Europe to develop scientific methods while the rest of the world, even the Arabs, from whom much of the Renaissance science was derived? I think there are many factors that contributed to the rise of Science (as in the systematic study of nature using the scientific methods).

The introduction of paper, compass, and gunpowder from China into Europe was certainly important because they allowed the Age of Exploration to become the Age of Exploitation, and channeled huge economical development that gave rise to a leisure class, the aristocracy, the thinkers. Without the economic revolution that came with the treasures of the new world, Europe would be still mired in poverty for many centuries. Science probably would not achieve the critical mass necessary for the fantastic revolutions that followed.

The systematic studies that Renaissance scholars inherited from Arabs and Jews also provided a secure foundation from which to build a new system of thought. However, I think central to the reason for the scientific revolution in Europe, and all the subsequent historical development afterwards, is the Bible. Unique among all the religion, Christ taught that we are to judge a tree by its fruits. This empirical teaching is central to Christian thought, and almost axiomatic. It is so self-evident that most western scholars fail to address this. In addition to the empirical nature of discerning good from evil, there is also the corollary to the personal nature of Christ divinity. When no priesthood should be allowed to act as the intermediary between a person's salvation and God, each individual is as worthy as another. This equality of individual souls is also the foundation of democracy, but just as importantly, the foundation of a scientific community where a person's work is not determined by status, birth, social hierarchy, etc, but by the fruit of his labour alone. It is especially significant in China during the time of European Renaissance. While Erasmus and Bacon were working hard to develop the pragmatic philosophies that eventually evolved into the scientific methods we know, Chinese scholars were working hard to maintain the old sacred texts that had been outdated for centuries earlier. Instead of adopting new and practical methods, the reverence of Confucian texts exclusively, led to the lost opportunities that allowed European development to leap frog the tremendous lead that China enjoyed for almost a thousand years. It was the unwillingness to change, that locked China into a permanent feudal society, while Europe evolved into the modern age.

A stubborn unwillingness to change is as deadly to societies as it is to a living soul.