Reflection for May 12

Trust in God’s forgiveness, studies find, also may make it more likely for individuals to forgive themselves, which in turn seems to make it easier for them to extend mercy to others.... An active faith appears to promote forgiveness. And how human beings perceive God—as a loving [parent] who forgives them unconditionally or as a distant sovereign who judges them—makes a difference in the way they treat friends, coworkers, relatives and neighbors.

“The kind of God we teach about matters,” says researcher Daniel Escher of the University of Notre Dame (Christian Century, May 1, 2013, reprinted from Association of Religion Data Archives).