Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness

Even thought it sounds somewhat like a cliche, it is also true that suffering is part of human life. For some, however, suffering is so extreme that little sense can be attached to it, especially while suffering is ongoing. One example of such extreme suffering is that of the Jews at the hands of the Nazi's during World War II. Much has been written and said in response to these events by both Jews and non-Jews. One of the most compelling reflections on the events is Simon Wiesenthal's The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness. The focus point of this book is an event during the author's stay in a Nazi concentration camp. On his way to a work detail, he is taken from the ranks to hear the confession of a dying Nazi soldier. At the end of the...
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