Forgiveness without apology

Christian Century, Oct 5, 2004

FORGIVENESS WITHOUT APOLOGY: The two Totiev brothers, both Baptist leaders, lost six children between them during the recent attack by Chechen rebels on a school in Beslan, Russia. One of the brothers said: "Yes, we have an irreplaceable loss, but we cannot take revenge. As Christians, the Bible teaches us that we must forgive." A Baptist mother, who was held hostage with two of her children, escaped with one child, but her nine-year-old son was killed in front of her The Totiev brothers run a summer camp that approximately 50 of the child hostages had attended.

In an area where counseling hardly exists, the church has been playing a key role in responding to the crisis (ENI, September 10).