Nothing profound right now, just reading Krista Tippett's book, Speaking of Faith, and on page 188-189 she writes:
"Miroslave Volf puts a finer point on this: we are substantially defined not only by those we love but by who our enemies are. Our own identities are shaped by our interactions with them. As a Croatian Protestant, he was defined by the identity and convictions of Serbian Christians. We are all, whether we wish it or not, in profound relationship with our enemies, especially when that relationship is a combative one. When we respond in king to hatred and aggression, we risk becoming like our foes. As so the biblical virtue of "love" of enemies is not romantic but practical, a love of action and intention, not of feeling. The religious wisdom would subvert the either/or choices often presented for debate in our age, where rhetoric about enemies local and global abounds. This faith requires both realism and compassion. We might need to fight our enemies or keep them at a safe remove; but we cannot let hatred, anger, and fear toward them determine our character and our actions. This cleansing of focus is the true purpose of forgiveness."
I know this is not new to religious thinking, however it seems this is a rather concise way of talking about what it means to love the enemy and forgiveness.
"Miroslave Volf puts a finer point on this: we are substantially defined not only by those we love but by who our enemies are. Our own identities are shaped by our interactions with them. As a Croatian Protestant, he was defined by the identity and convictions of Serbian Christians. We are all, whether we wish it or not, in profound relationship with our enemies, especially when that relationship is a combative one. When we respond in king to hatred and aggression, we risk becoming like our foes. As so the biblical virtue of "love" of enemies is not romantic but practical, a love of action and intention, not of feeling. The religious wisdom would subvert the either/or choices often presented for debate in our age, where rhetoric about enemies local and global abounds. This faith requires both realism and compassion. We might need to fight our enemies or keep them at a safe remove; but we cannot let hatred, anger, and fear toward them determine our character and our actions. This cleansing of focus is the true purpose of forgiveness."
I know this is not new to religious thinking, however it seems this is a rather concise way of talking about what it means to love the enemy and forgiveness.