Video Transcript: Shallow Wildfire Stories - Shallow Justice

The labels of punitive and retributive justice systems can become self-fulfilling prophecies that result in a cycle of criminal behavior when an offender accepts that label that's given to them by the system and by society.  Retributive Justice applies punishment and accountability for wrongdoing, but it often fails to restore important relationships affected by that conflict story.  Relationships between offenders and their victims.  Relationships between victims and the justice system.  Relationships between offenders and society, even after offenders have paid their debt for their crime or wrongdoing and are trying to move on with their lives.  Retributive justice often prevents offenders from moving forward with their lives after they're released from the system.  

When we respond to conflict wildfires by focusing on the wildfire, in our desired outcome, we tend to write shallow wildfire stories.  People are limited by narrow and shallow labels that the wildfire cast upon them.  But at the Peacefire, we find ways to break the power of the shallow labels and the identities, the shallow identities, that flow from retributive justice.  At the Peacefire, we find a transforming justice that restores relationships motivated by the love of Jesus Christ in His people.  

I know this has been a short lecture, but let's cover the summary.  In summary form what we've just talked about.  These are important principles even though it's a short lecture. 

I want to emphasize that a shallow wildfire fire story is a conflict story that labels an offender in a narrow and shallow manner.  These labels focus solely on the offensive or criminal aspects of the offender’s behavior.  It’s who they become known as.  

The labels of retributive justice systems can become self-fulfilling prophecies that birth a cycle of criminal behavior when offenders accept these labels from the system.  Retributive justice applies punishment and accountability for wrongdoing, but it fails to restore important relationships.  Retributive justice often prevents offenders from moving forward with their lives after they've paid their debt to society.  

When we respond to conflict by focusing on the conflict wildfire in our pursuing our desired outcome, we tend to write shallow wildfire stories.  But at the Peacefire, we find a transforming justice that rejects labels and restores relationships through the love of Jesus Christ.  

God bless you.  We'll see you next time.