We live in a culture in which myths of abuse abound. As a mental health professional, I have observed that many myths of sexual abuse continue to stand in the way of love and healing for survivors of abuse and the community of faith. Here are 10 of the most common myths surrounding sexual abuse in the church.
Tell Congress:
On The Blog
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Most of us are too familiar with this story: an Upper Midwestern Baptist minister claims that “God made Christianity to have a masculine feel [and] ordained for the church a masculine ministry.” Or a Reformed Christian pastor mocks the appointment of the first female head of the Episcopal Church, comparing her to a “fluffy baby bunny rabbit.” Or a Southern Baptist megachurch pastor in California says physical abuse by one’s spouse is not a reason for divorce. Or numerous young evangelical ministers brag about their hot wives in tight leather pants.
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Recent studies from both the Urban Institute and the Pew Forum tell the story of America's growing racial wealth gap. In the May issue of Sojourners magazine, Otis Moss III talked about the unjust trend.
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Maybe sexualized images are more marketable, but that is not the point — empowering our girls is. I’m pleased that Disney has reversed its decision to alter one of their best examples of an empowered girl. I hope the trend of strong princesses started by this character continues.
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To shift the stigma of mental illness the way White did for HIV/AIDS and begin a public conversation the way Jolie has for preventative mastectomy, the mental health movement needs an everyday champion.
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But theology — our study and beliefs about God — should be a natural process involving change instead of avoiding it. Our God is too big and too wonderful to completely understand by the time we graduate high school, or college, or get married, or have children, or retire.
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In this age when the “spiritual but not religious” seem to have more relevance than churchgoers, it’s easy to wonder why church attendance matters at all. But I believe that we need common spaces, more grounded than the corner Starbucks, to discern right actions in a world faced with crises like climate change and stark economic disparities.
In The Magazine
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Social, political, and economic forces can either undermine the institution of marriage–or foster a society where it thrives.
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Who knew the Amish would become such a center of pop-cultural attention?
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Local governments push for Pentagon spending cuts.
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To have the "poor one" at the center of the Catholic faith is right and just.
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The stats say that women in the workplace – from seminaries to the boardroom – have become the norm, but being a stay-at-home dad is still considered a countercultural act (even in Portland).
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When Mexican emigration and U.S. slavery intertwine.
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Five principles for a lasting marriage.
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The roles that Jesus plays in John's gospel echo those of women in first-century Palestine.
The Common Good Forum
Jim Wallis' latest book On God's Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn't Learned About Serving the Common Good explores what would happen if, instead of focusing on partisan bickering and personal gain, we elevated the common good — in our politics, our family lives, our communities, and throughout each cross-section of our lives.
The Common Good Forum is the place to continue the conversation. What does the Common Good mean for you? How would you capture it — in film, a photo, written word? Share it with us, and we'll post it in the Forum. Be a part of the discussion. Join in now!
