Journal Article Review

Summary
A critical examination of the article indicates that it delves into self-forgiveness, which is
crucial in handling negative feelings toward oneself. It is vital to acknowledge that the journal
article presents different defenses of self-forgiveness from a theological and psychological
viewpoint. Notably, the article has various main concepts discussed in the form of questions.
One of the main concepts discussed is the dissimilarity between self-forgiveness and divine
forgiveness. According to the authors, divine forgiveness entails an unconditional offer to
forgive sins by God and conditional reconciliation through returning to God, repenting, and
having faith in Jesus Christ (Kim & Enright, 2014). Divine forgiveness involves God, who
forgives our sins because of His unconditional love. While in the case of self-forgiveness, an
individual forgives his own sins be he feels he has done things that violate his moral standards.
Additionally, the article explains the nature of self-forgiveness. The article states that as a
deed of judgment, self-forgiveness would be illogical because, from a scriptural perspective,
only God is the arbiter of our sins. Notably, the article uses person-to-person forgiveness to
establish the meaning and essence of self-forgiveness. The article asserts that as a moral virtue,
self-forgiveness is a response to unconditional love for oneself, when an individual violates his
or her moral standards (Kim & Enright, 2014). Also, the journal article explains the criticisms
that surround self-forgiveness. Some of the criticisms presented by the article include the notion
that we cannot be the perpetrator and the arbiter over our own ethical shortcomings, the source of
an individual’s moral principles may be problematic, and that when we disrespect our moral
canons, all we need is the pardon of iniquities from God. Also, the article explains that self-

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forgiveness, divine, and person-to-person forgiveness must coexist for forgiveness to be
complete and successful.
Interaction
From my perspective, the article provides a plethora of information about forgiveness and
how it affects an individual. Notably, I believe that the article vividly explains the essence of
self-forgiveness, which is crucial in one’s life. After reading the article, I gained numerous
insights about self-forgiveness and other related aspects. One of the things I learned is that self-
forgiveness is a moral virtue that helps people to acknowledge their self-worth, especially as
God’s special creation. Additionally, I have learned that human beings cannot forgive their own
sins, which means that we can only go to Jesus Christ to cancel our wrongdoings (Kim &
Enright, 2014). A critical examination of the article indicates that human beings are entitled to
divine forgiveness from God, and they can only respond in faith and repentance.
Regarding the importance of self-forgiveness in counseling, it is vital to acknowledge
that clients who learn and implement self-forgiveness enjoy numerous benefits. One of the
benefits of self-forgiveness is the reduction of negative affect, which may include depression,
anger, and stress that are detrimental to one’s health (Kim & Enright, 2014). The other benefit of
self-forgiveness is that it promotes freedom because people who cannot forgive are often trapped
in negative emotions and may always be thinking about revenge.
Notably, I have to say I got interested in this article due to many reasons. First, the
authors help us understand the concept of self-forgiveness that many people in the past have
misunderstood. The article vividly explains what self-forgiveness entails and why it is necessary
from a moral perspective. I got interested in this article because it gives a theological view of the

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meaning of self-forgiveness and uses the Holy Scriptures to support some facts about self-
forgiveness.
Application
As a clinician who deals with numerous clients with numerous issues, I have a
responsibility to understand what self-forgiveness means and how I can help my clients forgive
themselves for the wrongs they have committed. It is vital to acknowledge that most clients do
not understand self-forgiveness and thus are burdened by the guilt of having sinned.
In this scenario, I will assume I have a client who feels guilty about having engaged in
infidelity and has not forgiven himself for that wrongdoing. The first thing I will do as a clinician
counseling a client who was previously involved in infidelity is to explain why it is important to
forgive themselves for their sins. As a counselor, I will establish if the client understands the
difference between divine forgiveness and self-forgiveness. Notably, such distinction will help
me fathom the next step to help the client. I will help the client to understand divine forgiveness
is provided by God, and as human beings, we need to have faith in God and repent our sins (Kim
& Enright, 2014). If the client is a believer in God, then it would be easy to explain the concept
of divine forgiveness to them. After coming to an understanding with the client about divine
forgiveness, then I would explain how self-forgiveness works. Notably, understanding the
concept of self-forgiveness will help the client recognize that infidelity is wrong based on his
moral standards. The acceptance of the wrongdoing is crucial in self-forgiveness, and this is
exactly what I expect of the client so that he can forgive himself.

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Reference

Kim, J. J., & Enright, R. D. (2014). A Theological and Psychological Defense of Self-
Forgiveness: Implications for Counseling. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 42(3),
260–268. https://doi.org/10.1177/009164711404200303