Richard Smoley is editor of Quest: The Journal of the Theosophical Society in America. He is also former editor of Gnosis Magazine. His books include Hidden Wisdom: The Guide to the Western Inner Traditions, Inner Christianity: The Guide to the Esoteric Tradition, Forbidden Faith: The Secret History of Gnosticism, The Essential Nostradamus, Conscious Love: Insights from Mystical Christianity, The Dice Game of Shiva: How Consciousness Creates the Universe, The Supernatural: Writings on an Unknown History, The Deal: A Guide to Radical and Complete Forgiveness, and How God Became God: What Scholars Are Really Saying About God and the Bible.

Here he points out that, in the Christian tradition, the notion of forgiveness goes back to the Lord’s Prayer. In the original Greek, the prayer refers to “debts” rather than “trespasses”. He presents his formula for achieving total and complete forgiveness – by being willing to totally and completely forgive all others. In forgiving, he maintains, we are doing ourselves a favor – more than the other person. He claims that forgiveness is far better than revenge. However, offering forgiveness need not mean foregoing one’s claim to restitution.

(Recorded on August 7, 2016)

Published on February 1, 2017