Awakening the Evangelical Church to Domestic Abuse
Romans 8:28 should be rendered, "God works all things together with those who love him". N.T. Wright says Romans 8:28 has often been mistranslated. And it's silly to use it as a platitude to mollify those who are suffering.
Victims usually stay with abusers because they face entrapment barriers that prevent them from leaving. "Churches must evaluate the entrapment barriers they create and perpetuate that keep victims entrapped in abuse," says Andrea Aleksandrova in her superb article Becoming A Safe Church: How churches can become safe spaces for victims of domestic abuse. I am… Continue reading Churches must evaluate the entrapment barriers they create and perpetuate that keep victims entrapped in abuse — Andrea Aleksandrova
Churches often have a sentimental idea of what it means to be loving. Love without truth is a hypocritical love called sentimentality. There is no justice without truth. Sentimentalism gives no justice to victims of abuse. It is loving to hold accountable your brothers in sisters in Christ who have corrupted the gospel and enabled… Continue reading Love without truth is sentimentality. Sentimentalism in churches leads to abuse.
Jesus told us to love our enemies. What does this mean? How is it to be applied? How do you define 'enemy'? Should we let our enemies live with us? Should we let enemies be part of our church communities? How does blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake relate to all this?
There is a weak and prostrate figure lying at our door. Her hands are on the threshold, flung forward in mute appeal. On one side of the door are the powers of hell. On the other side, in their safe dwelling place, the selfish sleepers to whom the pale cold hands appeal in vain.
When Tamar was raped, David took no action. When Dinah was raped, Jacob took no action. Both men reaped terrible consequences for their passivity. So-called Christian men who turn a blind eye to the epidemic of men abusing women will reap terrible consequences for their passivity.
A Cry For Justice 