Kazusa Okaya

Biography	I am a PhD candidate in Theology, working on a theology of repentance and apology (both interpersonal and collective) under the supervision of Prof Robert Song and Dr Samuel Tranter. My research is funded by the AHRC through the Northern Bridge Consortium. I am also a research fellow at Tokyo Christian University (共立研究所) Current Research Interest in the philosophy of forgiveness has increased rapidly after the Second World War, and in recent years, theologians such as Gregory Jones, Miroslav Volf, and Anthony Bash have contributed to articulating a distinctively Christian account of forgiveness. Nevertheless, theologies of forgiveness have often been abused and utilized by offenders in a way that victimizes the victim for their sins of being unable to forgive. One of the causes for Christian forgiveness falling into "cheap forgiveness" is the conspicuous absence of a theological treatment of apology and repentance. In the literature on Christian forgiveness, the concept of apology is often taken for granted, where its complexity and theological foundations are not given adequate consideration. Hence, this research aims to fill the conceptual lacuna and contribute to Christian ethics and reconciliation, providing the necessary resources for the church to become agents of reconciliation.

Biography

I am a PhD candidate in Theology, working on a theology of repentance and apology (both interpersonal and collective) under the supervision of Prof Robert Song and Dr Samuel Tranter. My research is funded by the AHRC through the Northern Bridge Consortium.
I am also a research fellow at Tokyo Christian University (共立研究所)

Current Research
Interest in the philosophy of forgiveness has increased rapidly after the Second World War, and in recent years, theologians such as Gregory Jones, Miroslav Volf, and Anthony Bash have contributed to articulating a distinctively Christian account of forgiveness. Nevertheless, theologies of forgiveness have often been abused and utilized by offenders in a way that victimizes the victim for their sins of being unable to forgive. One of the causes for Christian forgiveness falling into "cheap forgiveness" is the conspicuous absence of a theological treatment of apology and repentance. In the literature on Christian forgiveness, the concept of apology is often taken for granted, where its complexity and theological foundations are not given adequate consideration. Hence, this research aims to fill the conceptual lacuna and contribute to Christian ethics and reconciliation, providing the necessary resources for the church to become agents of reconciliation.