A Course in Forgiveness

Instructor: Charles “Chris” Rupp moved to Huntsville from Pennsylvania at the age of 13. He graduated from Auburn in 1963 with a BSEE and MSEE, served two years in the US Army, and then went to work at the MSFC. He retired from NASA in 2000 and worked as a NASA contractor until 2003. Chris teaches copyrighted courses “Power of Self-Esteem” and “Power of Purpose” and helps to produce personal and professional development courses for the Kairos Foundation. This is his fifth course he has developed and taught at the Academy.

Course description: The purpose of this course is to find deeper and more authentic expressions of your true character and nature by providing safe and doable ways for you to release judgments and resentments. In order to accomplish this, the process of forgiveness will be introduced using spiritual and psychological tools. The tools will then be applied to forgiving others, self, and life.

Course Syllabus

  • Session 1: What is forgiveness
    • Definitions
    • Benefactor
    • Benefits
  • Session 2: The art of forgiving others
    • The Nature of Resentments
    • Products of holding resentments
    • Practical Process
  • Session 3: The art of forgiving self
    • How we don't do it
    • Why we don't do it
    • Recommitment
    • Practical process
  • Session 4: The art of forgiving life
    • The source of human suffering
    • Benefits of acceptance
    • Practical Process
  • Session 5: Radical forfiveness Part 1
    • Definition
    • Benefits
    • Practical process
  • Session 6: Radical Forgiveness Part 2
    • Beliefs about right and wrong, good and evil
    • A dramatic reading - "It's your choice"
    • Course feedback