The Gospel, Sexual Abuse and the Church

The Gospel, Sexual Abuse and the Church
Author: The Faith and Order Commission
Publisher: Church House Publishing
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2016-07-07
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0715111094

The Gospel, Sexual Abuse and the Church has been written by the Faith and Order Commission of the Church of England in response to a request from the lead bishop for safeguarding for theological material that complements the work of the National Safeguarding Team on policy and training. It has been approved for publication and commended for study by the House of Bishops. The Gospel, Sexual Abuse and the Church is intended to be used by those with responsibility for teaching and preaching in the Church of England, including clergy and licensed lay ministers, and those with specific responsibilities for safeguarding training. The three main sections provide material that can be used for training sessions and study days, with groups such as a PCC or Church Council, a ministry team, or a discussion group. Each section includes suggested quotations for reflection, discussion questions and a ‘Bible focus’. ‘Safeguarding raises significant theological questions for Christians: questions about humanity, sin, grace, forgiveness, reconciliation and the church. Making space for grappling with the issues that arise here is essential if the church is going to be able to speak about God and about the gospel both when it is seeking to do safeguarding well and when it is reacting to situations where something has gone badly wrong.’ - From the Preface by The Right Revd Dr Christopher Cocksworth, Chair of the Faith and Order Commission

A Gospel of Shame

A Gospel of Shame
Author: Elinor Burkett
Publisher:
Total Pages: 318
Release: 1993
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN:

The relentless crescendo of revelations of sexual abuse in the nation's Catholic churches has rocked the nation. Just how widespread is child sexual abuse by the Catholic clergy? And why hasn't the Catholic church done more to stop it?In A Gospel of Shame, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalists Elinor Burkett and Frank Bruni provide the answers to these questions and more. The answers, however, turn out to be infuriating and heartbreaking, difficult to accept but impossible to dismiss. The authors thoroughly document dozens of cases across the country and reveal how this heinous abuse of trust has been tacitly sanctioned by the Church's silence.

On Guard

On Guard
Author: Deepak Reju
Publisher: New Growth Press
Total Pages: 227
Release: 2014-10-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1939946999

On Guard offers churches eight strategies for preventing child abuse and three for responding to it, helping to move church staff and leaders beyond fearful awareness to prayerful preparedness.

We Too

We Too
Author: Mary E. DeMuth
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2019-08-13
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0736979190

"Timely and necessary...This book is not only a warning. It is an opportunity. An opportunity to live out the gospel we so passionately proclaim. And it starts with listening."—J.D. Greear, President of the Southern Baptist Convention Time’s Up: Addressing the Unspoken Crisis in the Church We like to think the church is a haven for the hurting. But what happens when it’s not? Author and advocate Mary DeMuth urges the church she loves to rise up and face the evil of sexual abuse and harassment with candor and empathy. Based on research and survivors’ stories, along with fierce fidelity to Scripture, DeMuth unpacks the church’s response to sexual violence and provides a healthy framework for the church to become a haven of healing instead of an institution of judgment. In the throes of the #MeToo movement, our response as Christians is vital. God beckons us to be good Samaritans to those facing trauma and brokenness in the aftermath of abuse and provide safe spaces to heal. DeMuth advocates for a culture of honesty and listening and calls on the church to enter the places where people are hurting. In the circle of that kind of empathetic #WeToo community, the church must become what it’s meant to be—a place of justice and healing for everyone.

Assault on the Body

Assault on the Body
Author: Nicole Ong
Publisher: Graceworks
Total Pages: 291
Release: 2023-07-18
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 981186540X

Assault on the Body presents a Christ-centred response to sexual violence, through testimonies by sexual assault survivors and articles by theologians, pastors, academics, social workers, counsellors, lawyers and advocates. Taken together, these chapters reveal God’s heart for victims of sexual violence, demonstrate how to be a supportive church community, explain how to avoid common mistakes when responding to and journeying with victims, and propose how to safeguard our churches responsibly. Whether you are a pastor managing a sexual assault case, a lay person who wants to equip your church community to be a safe space, or someone journeying with a victim of sexual violence, this book is for you.

Vocation and Violence

Vocation and Violence
Author: Miryam Clough
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2022-01-17
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 100056648X

As #MeToo and its sister movement #ChurchToo demonstrated, sexual violence is systemic in many and varied workplace settings, including Christian churches, and can destroy women’s careers and vocational aspirations. The study draws on empirical evidence – personal stories from survivors and the views of church leaders and educators – in dialogue with theoretical perspectives, to consider clergy sexual abuse of adult women and the conditions that support it. Institutional abuse only changes when survivors come forward. This study focusses on New Zealand Anglicanism, the locus of the author’s experience, and has resonance for a range of denominational settings. It aims to be a useful resource to clergy, ministry educators, and those training for ministry, and to academics and scholars with an interest in theology, gender, and professional ethics. Notably, it will be a potentially helpful text for women survivors of sexual misconduct by clergy, not least those who are considering a future in the church or grieving the loss of one. The volume concludes by suggesting that alternative theological models and relational ethics are essential if the church is to truly address the problem of clergy sexual abuse and give greater priority to the abused.

Rid of My Disgrace

Rid of My Disgrace
Author: Justin S. Holcomb
Publisher: Crossway
Total Pages: 246
Release: 2011
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1433515989

Helps adult victims of sexual assault move from brokenness to healing. This book outlines a theology or redemption and includes an application of how the disgrace of the cross can lead victims toward grace.

Redeeming Power

Redeeming Power
Author: Diane Langberg
Publisher: Brazos Press
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2020-10-20
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1493427563

Power has a God-given role in human relationships and institutions, but it can lead to abuse when used in unhealthy ways. Speaking into current #MeToo and #ChurchToo conversations, this book shows that the body of Christ desperately needs to understand the forms power takes, how it is abused, and how to respond to abuses of power. Although many Christians want to prevent abuse in their churches and organizations, they lack a deep and clear-eyed understanding of how power actually works. Internationally recognized psychologist Diane Langberg offers a clinical and theological framework for understanding how power operates, the effects of the abuse of power, and how power can be redeemed and restored to its proper God-given place in relationships and institutions. This book not only helps Christian leaders identify and resist abusive systems but also shows how they can use power to protect the vulnerable in their midst.

Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused

Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused
Author: Brad Hambrick
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Total Pages: 155
Release: 2019-06-04
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1535988150

Is your church prepared to care for individuals who have experienced various forms of abuse? As we continue to learn of more individuals experiencing sexual abuse, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse, it’s clear that resources are needed to help ministries and leaders care for these individuals with love, support, and in cooperation with civil authorities. This handbook seeks to help the church take a significant step forward in its care for those who have been abused. Working in tandem with the Church Cares resources and videos, this handbook brings together leading evangelical trauma counselors, victim advocates, social workers, attorneys, batterer interventionists, and survivors to equip pastors and ministry leaders for the appropriate initial responses to a variety of abuse scenarios in churches, schools, or ministries. Though the most comprehensive training is experienced by using this handbook and the videos together, readers who may be unable to access the videos can use this handbook as a stand-alone resource.