The Abuse of Power: A Theological Problem - Softcover

Poling, James

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0687006848 ISBN 13: 9780687006847

Verlag: ABNDP - Abingdon Press, 1991

Inhaltsangabe

Pastoral care instruction and observation from a therapist of survivors of sexual abuse. "The Abuse of Power is 'must' reading for clergy and denominational officials.... Weaving case stories with theory, Poling demonstrates that sexual abuse of children is not a private matter, but very much a matter for society and church--a question of structure and ideology, not just of individual character. He is not afraid to tackle the tough question: Does the image of God sacrificing Jesus on the cross contribute to abusive parent-child relationships?...If pastors and church officials read this book the church will change." --Karen Lebacqz, Pacific School of Religion "For the exploitation of women and children to stop, men must be willing to break ranks with all forms of privilege that sanction male dominance. James Poling does so by deconstructing his own sense of male entitlement, by refusing to distance himself from perpetrators, by allowing survivors of sexual and domestic violence to speak with their own voices, by giving us profound words of hope, and by articulating a powerfully healing theology wrought through the depths of his own struggle with one of the worst evils in our society. His courageous and compassionate work reveals the love and hope that is born of solidarity across the boundaries of gender, sexual orientation, race, and economics....The psychological, political, spiritual, and theological power of this book is such that all educators, ministers, therapists, and Christians must read it." --Rita Nakashima Brock, Hamline University Chapter titles are: 1. Hearing the Silenced Voices 2. Power and Abuse of Power 3. "Karen" Survivor of Sexual Violence 4. Stories of Recovering Perpetrators 5. The Schreber Case: Methods of Analysis 6. The Search for Self 7. The Search for Community 8. The Search for God 9. Ministry Practice and Practical Theology

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

James Newton Poling is Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care and Counseling at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois. He has also taught at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, New York, and Bethany Theological Seminary, Oak Brook, Illinois. He is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Fellow of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, past President of the Society of Pastoral Theology, and author of The Abuse of Power: A Theological Problem.

Von der hinteren Coverseite

'The psychological, political, spiritual, and theological power of this book is such that all educators, ministers, therapists, and Christians must read it.'

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

The Abuse of Power

A Theological Problem

By James Newton Poling

Abingdon Press

Copyright © 1991 Abingdon Press
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-687-00684-7

Contents

Chapter One: Hearing the Silenced Voices, 
Chapter Two: Power and Abuse of Power, 
Chapter Three: Karen: Survivor of Sexual Violence, 
Chapter Four: Stories of Recovering Perpetrators, 
Chapter Five: The Schreber Case: Methods of Analysis, 
Chapter Six: The Search for Self, 
Chapter Seven: The Search for Community, 
Chapter Eight: The Search for God, 
Chapter Nine: Ministry Practice and Practical Theology, 
Notes, 
Bibliography, 
Index, 

CHAPTER 1

HEARING THE SILENCED VOICES

A twelve-year-old girl tells the pastor that her father, a Sunday school teacher, has been sexually molesting her since she was four years old.

The brother of a deacon is arrested for raping his five-year-old son.

The pastor in a nearby church has to leave his parish because he engaged in sexual relations with three female parishioners.

Several prominent religious figures are "caught" in exploitative sexual relationships with women and fall from power.

The local and national news is filled with the stories of the sexual abuse of women and children.

Pastors and theologians, as moral and religious leaders, are the recipients of questions:

—Why are we suddenly hearing so much about sexual exploitation of children and women? Is there an increase in this problem?

—Is sexual violence unusual or is it typical of human morality?

—If sexual violence is a serious problem why have the church and society been silent?

We are hearing a lot about sexual violence because many women are beginning to break the silence and tell about their experiences. The taboos about speaking the truth are being set aside, and shocking stories are being heard. Experts estimate that 20 to 40 percent of all children experience some form of sexual violence before age eighteen, and that more than half of all women have experienced a rape or attempted rape in their lifetime. Even more disturbing is that most sexual violence is perpetrated within families and by persons who are trusted leaders in communities. Sexual violence is a far-reaching problem with very destructive consequences for many people.

There may have been an increase in sexual violence in recent years, though more research needs to be done. Studies show that younger women have experienced more sexual abuse than their mothers and grandmothers. Changes in society such as the breakdown of cohesive local communities, the increasing isolation of many individuals and families, the sexualization of culture, and the greater tolerance for violent behavior may all have contributed to this increase. However, research also shows that sexual violence has been a problem in previous centuries. So we are facing a serious problem that has existed for many years, and one that is increasing. Sexual violence raises serious questions about the morality of human beings. Some scholars have suggested that violence against women and children is a highly symbolic and significant aspect of Western culture. Through sexual violence, sanctioned forms of social control of women and other marginal groups are being expressed. Sexual violence has been a taboo subject for a long time. The terrible suffering of victims has been silenced by public attitudes and policies; some victims maintain their silence for decades and many never tell. Recently, adult survivors have discovered new power to speak about their suffering and their hope. In small support groups, women, especially, have begun to ask why they are such frequent victims of sexual violence. As they speak, the tangled web of taboos is coming unraveled. Silence does not protect the victims; it perpetuates victimization. Without the protection of silence and taboos, sexual violence is unmasked for what it really is—the evil of abuse of power.

Power is a complex term with personal, social, and religious connotations. At a personal level, all persons have some power by virtue of being alive, along with an inner drive to use this power to become all they can be. Some are denied the chance to exercise their power because of oppression. Others use their power for destructive ends. Society dictates how power is distributed. Institutions and ideologies determine who has privilege to be dominant and who must defer. Some persons are given great power to make choices for themselves and other people and are protected from the consequences of their choices. But many are denied the power to control even their own bodies and minds, and their choices are circumscribed by others. These inequities create the occasions for abusive behaviors and unjust power arrangements. Religion serves to define the nature of power and its legitimate uses. Religious leaders must choose whether to collude with the dominant culture as sanctioning agents of abusive power or to be prophetic critics of the way power is distributed and defined. Sexual violence can serve as a test for understanding the nature of power and its destructive and creative potential in an unjust society. Chapter 2 discusses the nature of power more fully. This study is committed to understanding the suffering and hope of survivors with a goal of radically transforming the structures of power in society.

Chapters 3 and 4 of this book explore stories of persons for whom sexual violence has been a central reality. Many courageous survivors have found words to express their suffering and hope in new ways. They have overcome the victimization of the past and have found new power to live, through connections with other survivors. Survivors are opening the eyes of those who are willing to see the abuse of power that has destroyed so many persons and families in our communities.

Recovering perpetrators is a term used in this study for the few men who have confessed their crimes of abuse and violence, have begun to face the consequences of their destructive behaviors, and have committed themselves to an indefinite period of restitution and change through psychotherapy and education. I focus on male perpetrators because statistically they are in the majority (80 to 95 percent of sexual violence is committed by men), and because of my own experience working with men. Though only a very small percentage of all male abusers are trying to change their destructive behaviors, it is important to study this group to understand the dynamics of all abusers.

The later chapters engage in theological reflection on issues of sexual violence against women and children in our society. Certain theological questions have become apparent through my research that need further exploration.

First, the prevalence of sexual violence raises questions about human nature. Most sexual violence occurs in the family and in other human relationships based on trust and intimacy. If a father can rape his daughter, if a husband can rape his wife, if a pastor can rape a parishioner, is there any limit to violence? We must try to understand the human self and spirit in relation to experiences of such betrayal and destructiveness so that we can protect ourselves and our communities against evil. Equally important is the resilient hope that springs up in survivors of such extreme abuse. We need to understand those persons who are terrorized with sexual violence but keep up their struggle for integrity and wholeness. The theological question here is the...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: ABNDP - Abingdon Press
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1991
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0687006848
• ISBN 13: 9780687006847
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 228
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: preigu; mail@preigu.de; ; Lengericher Landstr. 19; Osnabrück; 49078; Deutschland