Name: Nancy Murphy
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Executive Director, Northwest Family Life; Adjunct Professor, The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology
Church Affiliation: Shoreline Free Methodist
What course(s) do you teach about sexual and domestic violence?
I teach two master level courses at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology (formerly Mars Hill Graduate School). One is called Domestic Violence Advocacy and the other covers The Impact of Abuse. I also present in classes at Fuller Theological Seminary, as well as supervise dissertations for doctoral students addressing violence against women and trafficking in persons for Bakke Graduate University. As of this year, I am partnering with seminaries, mission organizations and therapists for an online training of Speaking Up: Recognizing and Addressing Domestic Violence in the Christian Community, which is based on an 11-week curriculum that I co-authored.
Why do you think it’s for important theological schools to offer this kind of training or teaching?
Research shows that more abuse victims, abusers, and family members go to church leaders for help than all other helping professionals combined and that more perpetrators complete treatment programs when referred by their churches. Thus pastors and lay leaders who become educated about the dynamics of sexual and domestic violence, who offer a scripturally-based theology that denies permission to abuse, who hear and support victims, who hold abusers accountable, and who learn about community resources for referral and assistance can not only reduce trauma, but also save lives.
What has surprised or challenged you as you teach this material?
I began teaching these courses in 2003. Twelve years later, this material still appears to be brand new to students and people of faith. I constantly hear feedback such as “How come I am just learning this now?” and “How different my life could've been if I had known this.” I’m constantly surprised at the denial around domestic violence and the resistance to addressing it and appreciative of those willing to step into these waters.
The challenge has been a personal one. I weary often from the amount of stories of violence, abuse, and trauma that I hear—particularly among people of faith. It has been vital to me to be among community and relationships that fosters care for the soul in the midst of such harm.
What gives you hope as you do this work?
My passion for and commitment to the issue of domestic violence springs from my personal experience of abuse in marriage, where I eventually fled across the border from Canada to the U.S. with my three children for safety. Now remarried and in partnership with my husband Tom Murphy—and through our five children and their partners and 16 gorgeous grandchildren—I am strengthened in my work against violence and abuse. Together we learn to face the impact of violence and work on healing with the very hopeful goal of preventing violence in all forms.
Dr. Nancy Murphy, a licensed therapist and the Executive Director of Northwest Family Life, teaches at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. She is also the co-author of Speaking Up: Recognizing and Addressing Domestic Violence in the Christian Community.
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