RT Article
T1 Apologies for the Public Good: Towards a Taxonomy of Sorrow
JF International journal of public theology
VO 16
IS 4
SP 491
OP 510
A1 Parker, Stephen
LA English
PB Brill
YR 2022
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1830016679
AB Apologies are frequently called for today, and can make a valuable contribution to the public good. However, many so-called apologies are actually vague regret, blaming, placating, excusing or merely mourning. Given their importance, this article explores their nature and proposes a taxonomy of sorrow that elucidates the meaning of claims to apology. Simply saying ‘I am sorry’, or worse, adding ‘that you’, ‘if I’, ‘but’ or ‘that’ does not make an apology. Such a statement is only an apology when responsibility and regret are both offered, without excuse, such as the confessing ‘I am sorry that I …’. Given apologies can help heal victims, restore offenders, encourage forgiveness, repair relationships, and contribute to justice and peace-making efforts, the development of such a taxonomy to improve apologies is in the public interest.
K1 Justice
K1 Public Good
K1 Peace
K1 Forgiveness
K1 Sorrow
K1 Apologies
DO 10.1163/15697320-20220065