Tackling Trauma: Global, Biblical, and Pastoral Perspectives

by Paul A. Barker (Editor)

Overview

Trauma is a universal phenomenon that can be caused by international catastrophes or individual, personal tragedy. Trauma is also a severely neglected topic in Christian literature, and while it can challenge someone’s faith in Christ, God and the ministry of his Word is central to dealing with the emotional and psychological impact of trauma. By his Spirit, through his Word, and through his church, God is available to minister to people suffering from trauma and bring transformation to their lives. In this book, a team of experienced and informed Christian professionals from around the world promote a deep biblical response to trauma through clinical and theological wisdom and their first-hand experience of witnessing and experiencing trauma. The contributions provide practical responses to people’s trauma, rather than mere descriptions of the problems, making it an ideal resource for pastors, counsellors, humanitarian workers and students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781783684823
Publisher:	Langham Creative Projects
Publication date:	03/14/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	350
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

PAUL BARKER is an Assistant Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Australia. He was previously Regional Coordinator for Asia for Langham Preaching and Langham Scholar Care. His PhD was published as The Triumph of Grace in Deuteronomy. He has written books and articles on Amos, Psalms, and Deuteronomy as well as preaching. He was Senior Minister at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Doncaster, Melbourne, Australia, for many years before living in Asia, teaching in seminaries and training preachers since late 2009. Through his extensive travels across Asia he encountered many people dealing with the effects of trauma.

Table of Contents

Preface

1. Joseph and Trauma Recovery (John Steward)
2. Praying the Psalms: From Trauma to Resilience (Samuel B. Thielman)
3. Facing Trauma in Proverbs 24:13–22: Cultivating Virtue Ethics amidst Evil and Wickedness (Shirley S. Ho)
4. A Trauma Observed: Biblical Reflections on Safety, Control and Fragmentation (Ida Glaser)
5. Heeding Matthew’s Voice in the Conflicts and Civil Wars in the DRC (Dr Isaac K. Mbabazi)
6. Vulnerability and a Vision of Hope: Engaging Creation’s Groaning in Romans 8 and Disasters in the Philippines (Rev Rolex M. Cailing)
7. Forgiveness in a Broken World: An Exploration through the Drama of Scripture (Kethoser [Aniu] Kevichusa)
8. Christian Discipleship in a Traumatized Society (Rachel C. Mutai)
9. The bad, the Ugly, the Worst: A Reflection on Christian Forgiveness towards Perpetrators of Traumatic Experiences (Amos Winarto Oei)
10. Pastoral and Spiritual Response to Trauma and Tragedy (Naji Abi-Hashem)
11. Trauma Care for Disaster Survivors in Tacloban: Spiritual, Psychological and Cultural Dimensions (Melba Padilla Maggay)
12. Strengthening Resilience of Disaster Survivors: Integrating Psychospiritual Support in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Response (Annabel Manzanilla-Manalo)
13. Suffering and Mission: Narrative Research from Cambodia (Yuzo Imamura)
14. The Family as a Source of Mental Trauma in the Military Conflict in Ukraine (Svitlana Kravchuk and Vacheslav Khalanskyy)
15. By His Wounds I Am Healed to Love: Learning from Rwandans (John Steward)
16. The Civil War in the DRC and Trauma (Bishop Muhindo Isesomo)
17. Trauma Healing and Reconciliation in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of the Church (Gladys K. Mwiti)
18. Trauma Healing in Men (William Foute)
19. Healing Trauma through Art and Drama (Lorraine Foute)
20. Healing around the Cross and Liturgy (John and Sandi Steward)

Contributors

Editorial Reviews

This book makes an enormous contribution to a topic and reality faced by so many individuals and communities across the globe. The breadth and depth of this much-needed volume illustrates the power and relevance of the gospel of reconciliation and the multi-faceted peacemaking mission that God has given his church.

Dr Peter Rowan

National Director OMF (UK)

This book combines personal testimony, therapeutic expertise, and biblical exegesis in a way that is as rare as it is useful. Written by Christians from a variety of cultures with experience in helping trauma victims, many of these essays will prove enormously helpful to pastors, therapists, and survivors as they think through strategies for recovery from a biblical and Christian perspective.

Frank Thielman, PhD

Presbyterian Professor of Divinity,

Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

In the UK today the word “trauma” is often debased by overuse and application to trivial events. This book lays bare the scope and depth and impact of real trauma, and combines profound scriptural truth, painful testimony, and reports of almost unimaginable suffering, both individual and communal. It offers wise practical advice as to Christian response and action. Surely, the heart of God asks us to weep and mourn with those who suffer, to listen and learn, but then to bring by word and deed his love and grace that is the only source of real healing. Sober, painful reading, but a biblical tool in our hands for our hurting world.

Rose Dowsett

Author, Missiologist, Speaker

Member of OMF International

Member of Lausanne Cape Town Commitment Team

Former Vice-Chair, WEA Mission Commission

A strength of this book is the unique combination of Scripture with personal narrative and experience, as well as more clinical- and evidence-based information about trauma. I’m encouraged to see pastoral leadership willing to engage with this difficult topic and desiring to be informed about these things to better lead and serve. It is of the utmost importance to emphasize that pastors (and all engaging in trauma work) need a processing space and accountability for secondary trauma. It is difficult to see how holding the trauma of others impacts our own hearts, minds, and bodies; and it is important to gain perspective on individual cases to most wisely proceed in providing care and counsel.

Jen Scofield

Licensed Graduate Social Worker

Mental Health Practitioner

From the Publisher