No forgiveness, no future

Author: Desmond Tutu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-07-01
Features: The establishment of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a pioneering international event. Never before had any country attempted such a transformation from authoritarianism to democracy, revealing the atrocities of former oppressors while also achieving reconciliation with them. At the heart of this unprecedented healing movement was Desmond Tutu, the Archbishop who was appointed as the chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by President Nelson Mandela. With the final publication of the Commission's report, Tutu offered profound wisdom gained from guiding South Africa through its painful journey. In No Future Without Forgiveness, Tutu argues that denying history cannot achieve true reconciliation. But if a nation is too eager for revenge, achieving reconciliation is also not easy. Tutu avoids clichés about forgiveness and instead demonstrates a noble courage—acknowledging the terror that humans can inflict while still holding onto an ideal of reconciliation. With the clarity of thought honed over decades in his tenure, Tutu shows readers how to build a renewed, more humane world with sincerity and understanding.