This is our time
There will be better times, but this is our time, writes Tim Hart-Andersen.
Trauma, and its cycle of social, psychological and genetic damage, is as old as humanity’s time on this earth. Humanity – adapting in myriad forms, some good and others not – has survived, but at what cost? PTSD, genetically inherited damage, lived helplessness can trap us and the generations that follow in patterns of fear, poor health and mental illness.
How, then, can we minister to a pain that is, for many, cellular? How can we minister to God’s people in a world fraught with images of violence, with memories of misery? How can we minister to the human trauma that is a minute-to-minute life in the world God created for us?
In this issue of the Presbyterian Outlook, we discuss the practical theology of trauma-informed ministry that can foster healing of wounds both seen and unseen.
There will be better times, but this is our time, writes Tim Hart-Andersen.
Technology's promises of human progress, potential and possibilities give it permission to exploit marginalized people, increase inequality and frequently adopt the worst of religion. — Mike Goodwin on "Tech Agnostic"
By claiming that there is no normative Christianity, David W. Congdon critiques liberal and conservative Christians alike for their practices of exclusion. — Aram Feinberg
"(Cleghorn) has immersed himself in the stories of similar journeys, in which people of faith have re-envisioned their use of land and buildings. Anyone who has been down this path knows these decisions are not made lightly or overnight.” — Sharon K. Core
"Circle of Hope" is the true story of a church reckoning with love, power and justice, and it’s a wild ride, writes Amy Pagliarella.
The Fostering Congregations Initiative guides ministries in caring for foster families and children who have come from difficult spaces.
The ongoing challenge, says Sarah Ann Bixler, is to reconcile experiences of trauma with our theology.
We need to consider not only how we respond but how we locate ourselves as those called upon to speak and act faithfully, writes Kimberly Wagner.
We often fail to identify common stories as trauma or to recognize their impact, writes Chanequa Walker-Barnes.
In each issue of the Outlook, we include a discussion guide to further reflect on the issue. We recommend using this guide in your Bible study, small group or book club. It's our invitation into a faithful conversation.
"It pains me to witness those I love in pain. But that is the nature of love, and its responsibility," writes Teri McDowell Ott.
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