I have been wrestling with these terms (repentance, forgiveness, unconditional love, hope, and faith), searching for an irreligious version of reconciliation for atheists, agnostics, humanists, and freethinkers, and I have found three sources that may help address this issue:
(1) Forgiveness: theory, research, and practice
(2) Between morality and repentance: recapturing "sin" for bioethics
(3) Wounds not healed by time: the power of repentance and forgiveness
Out of all three sources, I think the best source would be the third one, but that's mainly because I somehow I can't access the first source (someone already borrowed it at the library) and because the second source seems to be written from a self-described Christian position that mainly seeks to criticize "secular morality and ethics". I choose the third source, because (1) it does not blame secularists for spoiling morality like the second source, and (2) it seems to be quite applicable to nonreligious folks who has been hurt in the past or hurt others and need to figure out a way to reconcile relationships or figure out a way to seek comfort in times of distress and pain without organized religion. It almost provides a personal spirituality or "religion", so I recommend this source. Besides, the author, Schimmel, a professor of Jewish education and psychology, seems to be trustworthy and reliable. Eh, it's the best that I could get.
I am going to claim that repentance, forgiveness, unconditional love, hope, and faith can be quite applicable to anybody, including nonreligious folks. Despite all the tribulations I have had with my own mother, I still love her regardless, because I treat her as God loves Christians - a godly type love called agape. I love her, because I recognize that she is human, prone to error; therefore, I should show agape-like love toward my mother - a type of love that is unconditional, self-sacrificing, voluntary, and thoughtful. I may not like all that she says or all that she does, especially her hot and quick temper and her cantankerous disposition, but still she is my family. I try to speak to my mother about my feelings, and I hope that she understands someday, repents, and changes her ways for the sake of humanity, community, and social cooperation. I have faith in her, I trust her, that she would become a better person and mature. I believe that repentance, forgiveness, unconditional love, hope, and faith are all good virtues, and I believe that non-Christians can benefit from them as much as Christians.
(1) Forgiveness: theory, research, and practice
(2) Between morality and repentance: recapturing "sin" for bioethics
(3) Wounds not healed by time: the power of repentance and forgiveness
Out of all three sources, I think the best source would be the third one, but that's mainly because I somehow I can't access the first source (someone already borrowed it at the library) and because the second source seems to be written from a self-described Christian position that mainly seeks to criticize "secular morality and ethics". I choose the third source, because (1) it does not blame secularists for spoiling morality like the second source, and (2) it seems to be quite applicable to nonreligious folks who has been hurt in the past or hurt others and need to figure out a way to reconcile relationships or figure out a way to seek comfort in times of distress and pain without organized religion. It almost provides a personal spirituality or "religion", so I recommend this source. Besides, the author, Schimmel, a professor of Jewish education and psychology, seems to be trustworthy and reliable. Eh, it's the best that I could get.
I am going to claim that repentance, forgiveness, unconditional love, hope, and faith can be quite applicable to anybody, including nonreligious folks. Despite all the tribulations I have had with my own mother, I still love her regardless, because I treat her as God loves Christians - a godly type love called agape. I love her, because I recognize that she is human, prone to error; therefore, I should show agape-like love toward my mother - a type of love that is unconditional, self-sacrificing, voluntary, and thoughtful. I may not like all that she says or all that she does, especially her hot and quick temper and her cantankerous disposition, but still she is my family. I try to speak to my mother about my feelings, and I hope that she understands someday, repents, and changes her ways for the sake of humanity, community, and social cooperation. I have faith in her, I trust her, that she would become a better person and mature. I believe that repentance, forgiveness, unconditional love, hope, and faith are all good virtues, and I believe that non-Christians can benefit from them as much as Christians.
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