You’re heading to college this fall? Consider a major in forgiveness studies.
OK, it’s not offered as a discipline yet. But it may just be a matter of time before the topic takes its place as a complete field of study.
Since 1985, educational psychology professor Bob Enright, of the University of Wisconsin, in Madison, has investigated the effects of forgiving someone who has done you harm.
“Evidence suggests forgiveness causes psychological healing,” says Enright. “I want to demonstrate it, to take scientific skepticism and test it and see if it’s reasonable.”
And so he has. A series of doctoral studies under his tutelage has found forgiveness in cases of incest and parental neglect increases self-esteem, decreases depression and anxiety and engenders hopefulness toward the future. The process involves 20 steps and can take more than a year.
To disseminate information about forgiveness studies, which Enright says is “quietly exploding” nationwide, he has just created the International Forgiveness Institute. He plans to publish a newsletter listing forgiveness conferences and books as well as update members on the latest thinking on forgiveness.
The biggest benefit of forgiveness? You are “giving up anger which can turn on (you),” in the form of anxiety, depression and unhappiness.
For more information, contact Enright at 608-222-0241. Membership in the International Forgiveness Institute is $30 per year.
