1. The centrality of open-mindedness, perhaps the last of the attributes the teacher of God acquires, is easily understood when its relation to forgiveness is recognized. 2Open-mindedness comes with lack of judgment. 3As judgment shuts the mind against God’s Teacher, so open-mindedness invites Him to come in. 4As condemnation judges the Son of God as evil, so open-mindedness permits him to be judged by the Voice for God on His behalf. 5As the projection of guilt upon him would send him to hell, so open-mindedness lets Christ’s image be extended to him. 6Only the open-minded can be at peace, for they alone see reason for it.
2. How do the open-minded forgive? 2They have let go all things that would prevent forgiveness. 3They have in truth abandoned the world, and let it be restored to them in newness and in joy so glorious they could never have conceived of such a change. 4Nothing is now as it was formerly. 5Nothing but sparkles now which seemed so dull and lifeless before. 6And above all are all things welcoming, for threat is gone. 7No clouds remain to hide the face of Christ. 8Now is the goal achieved. 9Forgiveness is the final goal of the curriculum. 10It paves the way for what goes far beyond all learning. 11The curriculum makes no effort to exceed its legitimate goal. 12Forgiveness is its single aim, at which all learning ultimately converges. 13It is indeed enough.
3. You may have noticed that the list of attributes of God’s teachers does not include things that are the Son of God’s inheritance. 2Terms like love, sinlessness, perfection, knowledge and eternal truth do not appear in this context. 3They would be most inappropriate here. 4What God has given is so far beyond our curriculum that learning but disappears in its presence. 5Yet while its presence is obscured, the focus properly belongs on the curriculum. 6It is the function of God’s teachers to bring true learning to the world. 7Properly speaking it is unlearning that they bring, for that is “true learning” in the world. 8It is given to the teachers of God to bring the glad tidings of complete forgiveness to the world. 9Blessed indeed are they, for they are the bringers of salvation.