At the heart of the Christian understanding of reconciliation is the healing of a relationship that is broken: the relationships with other human beings … with God … with the earth. To be reconciled, people must honestly acknowledge the brokenness—the mistakes that have been made that have caused damage or pain—and then make a commitment to a different path. The journey of reconciliation is often a slow one, and it involves trying to repair the harm that has been done, and to show by actions the intention to act differently.

It calls to new ways of thinking and acting, and helps to bring about renewal and possibility, where perhaps there was only alienation and hurt. For Christians, reconciliation is rooted in the teachings and example of Jesus; in 2 Corinthians 5:19, St Paul says that God was accomplishing the work of reconciliation in and through Jesus, and has entrusted the task of reconciliation to the believers, to continue it in relationships, and in the world.

In the Protestant tradition, the Eucharist is interpreted as reconciliation of God and believers.

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