Wounded Faith: Understanding and Healing From Spiritual Abuse - Softcover

Inhaltsangabe

Wounded Faith: Understanding and Healing from Spiritual Abuse is a new collection of essays edited by the Reverend Dr. Neil Damgaard. It has two audiences in mind: recovering victims and the religious community at large. While is was written as an aid to help victims who are grappling with their faith, the book also seeks to clarify the meaning of spiritual abuse and instruct religious communities on how to effectively welcome victims of spiritual abuse. The book’s authors come from a background in Christianity and have each, in their own way, experienced spiritual abuse. Here they attempt to dispel commonly held misconceptions, to elucidate the circumstances in which spiritually abused individuals often find themselves, and to implore leaders in communities of faith to shine a light on this harmful, not uncommon offense. In addition, each chapter provides an encouraging and sympathetic voice that will be appreciated by readers who have also been victims of spiritual abuse. The end note is that faith, though perhaps wounded, is salvageable on the other side of abuse, with a little help from our (educated) friends.

A quick read, the book is sometimes touching, sometimes funny, and always instructive to survivors and loved ones alike. While the circumstances, comments, and struggles of the authors will be meaningful to all people who have experienced coercive control (cults, domestic abuse, human trafficking), those who have a familiarity with and interest in Christianity will find it most rewarding.

The audience for whom this book is intended includes but is not limited to: clergy, churches, seminarians, mental health professionals, survivors of spiritual abuse, family and loved ones of survivors, and anyone emerging from or involved in fringe Christian groups.

Contributors: Harold L. Bussell, DMin; Ray Connolly; Neil Damgaard, DMin; Doug Duncan, MS; Wendy Duncan, MA; Kenneth Garrett, DMin; Maureen Griffo, MA; Heidi I. Knapp; Patrick J. Knapp, PhD; Michael D. Langone, PhD; Judy Pardon, MEd; Diana Pletts, MA; Eric K. Sweitzer, PhD

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