Reading: What are Your Conflict Stories? - Slides

Restoring Relationships
Transforming Justice

Lecture 1

What Are Your Conflict Stories?

We All Experience Conflict Stories

How we process and respond to conflict impacts how our conflict stories develop. 

Kevin and his friends – A divided community .

Joe and Amy – A story of restoration that looks forward.

What is Conflict?

A disagreement through which the parties involved perceive a threat to their needs, interests, or concerns.

Not just a disagreement – we can disagree without creating a conflict

The disagreement must be accompanied by a perceived threat to someone’s needs, interests, or concerns.

5 Types of Conflict

Conflict within the Individual

5 Types of Conflict

Conflict within the Individual

Interpersonal Conflict

Conflict between an Individual and a Group

Intergroup Conflicts

Inter-Organizational Conflicts

The dynamics of conflict discussed in this course apply in all of these types of conflict.

6 Types of Conflict

Conflict within the Individual

Interpersonal Conflict

Conflict between an Individual and a Group

Intergroup Conflicts

Inter-Organizational Conflicts

Conflict between God and Humankind

The Bible tells a Conflict Story

A story of justice.

The Lord reigns forever; He has established His throne for judgment He will judge the world in righteousness; He will govern the peoples with justice. The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:7-9

A story of love.

God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blod. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:25-26

God identifies with our Conflict Stories

Jesus Christ identifies with Offenders

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great; and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12

Jesus Christ identifies with Victims

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

The Bible’s Conflict Story

From cover to cover, the Bible reveals God’s plan to restore relationship with fallen men and women – offenders and victims – through the man who satisfied God’s justice - Jesus Christ.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

God’s Justice Restores Relationship

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

Justice is More Than Retribution

Justice is about individuals

Justice is about relationships

Relationships between Offenders and their Victims.

Relationships between Offenders and the Community.

Relationships between the Offender and the Justice System

What is the Focus of Your Justice Story?

Retribution/Punishment?

Regret?

Bitterness?

Making Amends?

Restitution?

Restoration?

Our Goal

To examine the dynamics of conflict from a Biblical perspective and consider an approach of responding to conflict that restores relationships and transforms the meaning of justice in our lives.