Add To Cart
or checkout with
Title: Domestic Violence: What Every Pastor Needs to Know, Second Edition By: Al Miles Format: Paperback Number of Pages: 224 Vendor: Fortress Press Publication Date: 2011 | Dimensions: 8.5 X 5.5 (inches) Weight: 9 ounces ISBN: 0800697553 ISBN-13: 9780800697556 Stock No: WW697550 |
According to the American Medical Association, one quarter of American women will be abused by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. Loving support can make a tremendous difference to survivors as they struggle with the difficult process of healing and regaining trust in themselves and others. Often, however, pastoral caregivers possess the same misconceptions about domestic violence as does the uninformed public.
Al Miles addresses the issues related to inadequate pastoral response to this pervasive problem. He explores the dynamics of abusive relationships and the role that clergy members can take to heal this painful situation.
The new edition of Domestic Violence builds upon the insights, policies, and programs of the original volume and includes new information on the pathology of domestic violence and the effect the economic downturn is having on victim-survivors and batterers. Miles also focuses on helping clergy and other pastoral ministers develop a more compassionate response to victim-survivors who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender.
This thoroughly updated edition includes questions for discussion, a list of additional resources, and contact information for state coalitions working to end domestic violence.
Rev. Al Miles has served as hospital chaplain in a number of medical centers throughout the United States since 1981 and now coordinates the hospital ministry at The Queen's Medical Center in Hawaii. He is the author of articles on domestic abuse and has counseled victims and perpetrators for eighteen years. Miles also serves on the National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women, which is co-chaired by the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services.
The only thing wrong with Domestic Violence: What Every Pastor Needs to Know is the title. This book contains information essential to every person, not just pastors.
Motivated by what he terms "the magnitude of pastoral neglect" of domestic violence, Rev. Miles has written a compelling and practical book, based on years of experience in hospitals and interviews with 158 clergy members, 52 survivors, 46 professionals working in the domestic violence field and 21 former batterers.
Through the interviews with both male and female pastors, Miles found they overwhelmingly denied the idea that abused women and perpetrators are part of their congregations. Since statistics suggest that one quarter of American women will be abused by an intimate partner, Miles refutes this widespread misconception and others, such as:
An emerging fact is that misinterpreting Scripture can fuel the problem. Traditional teachings on relationships often instruct men to rule and women to submit, a model that promotes unhealthy relationships and isn't biblical, according to Miles. In the words of Rev. John Tschudy, one who was interviewed, "Our theology is shaped as much by the passages of Scripture we choose to ignore, as those we choose to cite."
Interlaced with the information are the true stories of the abused women. These sections are perhaps most powerful, as the women share their own accounts of abuse, giving shape to the statistics. Through these stories it becomes apparent that pastors, without necessarily meaning to, often do more to endanger the victims than help.
To combat this problem, Miles offers pastors sound advice when working with perpetrators and victims. With his combined expertise in the Bible and the field of domestic violence, he shows pastors how to minister to the victims in a compassionate and informed manner. He also suggests ways to raise awareness in the congregation and work with other professionals to protect a victim of abuse.
Miles is also not afraid to address thorny questions, such as whether an abuser can ever change, or how a survivor should approach forgiveness. With each of the topics he addresses, Miles is sensitive to the needs of those involved, committed to the Bible, and thoughtful in his presentation.
If you're not a pastor, don't be scared off by the title. The insights in this book are so valuable that it would be tragic if only pastors read it. I know I gained an extraordinary amount of education, as well as a new sensitivity to an often-ignored subject.
What would you like to know about this product? Please enter your name, your email and your question regarding the product in the fields below, and we'll answer you in the next 24-48 hours.
If you need immediate assistance regarding this product or any other, please call 1-800-CHRISTIAN to speak directly with a customer service representative.