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Inspired
Inspired is the nation's leading public radio show about faith, ethics and spirituality. Each week we offer you analyses of the big headlines alongside lesser-told stories – those of Orthodox Jewish artists and African-American atheists, Muslim feminists and spiritual seekers. Through these stories, a rough sketch of our country’s religious landscape begins to emerge. It’s a marketplace of beliefs and ideas too complex for sound bites, and too important to ignore.
What does it mean to make amends and does a person wronged have an obligation to forgive the person who hurt them? These are some of the questions Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg tackles in her new book exploring the aftermath of the #MeToo movement, and what it means to repent and repair. From cancel culture to the laws of repentance authored by medieval Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides, Ruttenberg bridges the ancient philosophy of her tradition into the broader culture in a new book dedicated to transformative healing.
Part 1 “My Tradition Has a Roadmap”
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg spoke to a reporter about the Jewish views on redemption and forgiveness in 2018. When she shared her teachings in a Twitter thread, the reaction surprised her. The lack of awareness about her tradition’s philosophy on repentance developed by medieval Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides inspired her to write a book reflecting on how forgiveness and redemption can lead to transformative change. Published by Beacon Press in September 2022, On Redemption and Repair seeks to change the conversation about accountability, forgiveness, responsibility, and reparations in popular culture.
Part 2 “Repentance will Upend Oppressive Systems”
In this segment, Rabbi Ruttenberg shares how the process of repenting can apply to both individuals and institutions.
Part 3 “There is no obligation to forgive”
Rabbi Ruttenberg takes on the mythology surrounding cancel culture and suggests another way of looking at the use of social media.
