Domestic Abuse Jan. - Feb. 2008
Faith and the School Board
Curtis K. Shelburne
08/06/2008 - Personally, even if I were a member of a distinctly minority faith and enrolled my children in public school, all the while aware of the religious persuasion of the vast majority of that particular public, I hope I would show my children by example that good upbringing, courtesy, and common sense would indicate that enduring a prayer I might not completely agree with at a football game might be rightly viewed as a relatively minor irritant.


R.A.D.I.C.A.L. Recovery: Boot Camp for those going through divorce
Suzy Brown
02/28/2008 - My life has not turned out like I thought it would. My name is Suzy Brown, and I’m on a mission. I didn’t want this mission. I didn’t plan on this mission. And when God said, “Suzy, here’s what I want you to do,” I first said, “No thanks, I have other plans.” But, sort of like Jonah, here I am. I never considered in my wildest imagination that I would have a ministry committed to helping women find a new vision after divorce. But that’s where I am, and the need is overwhelming.


Will Boys Continue to be Boys?
Ron Clark
02/24/2008 - "It’s as if we don’t believe that men are capable of rape. It’s as if we don’t hold men accountable. It’s as if we don’t believe that men should step up to protect a young woman. It’s as if we believe that women who drink alcohol, wear certain clothes, or walk in certain areas of town invite rape. It’s as if we believe that men cannot control themselves. So, we blame the victim. Is it possible that we should be holding the men accountable for their actions? Don’t men have the ability to act out of compassion, empathy, and self control?"


My Name is Shame and Silence
Bettie Williams-Watson
02/21/2008 - "My name is Shame and Silence, and I am a member of your congregation, and sometimes I feel almost invisible. Today, I came to church, after being physically, and emotionally abused by my partner, who is sitting here right next to me wearing a big smile and saying 'amen' every now and then. We’re holding hands and appear to be the perfect couple. You don’t know about the threats my partner made, before we arrived at church this morning, or the bruises that I often have to hide."


The Art of Rebecca Hull
Rebecca Hull
02/14/2008 - Rebecca is an accomplished painter and muralist. Her artwork has been featured in the Street of Dreams (Portland, OR) and in fine homes, businesses, churches, and schools across the country. She creates custom artwork with her Little Masters by Rebecca offering and also paints murals in cities across Texas and by special engagement in Portland, Oregon and elsewhere.


Loving Those Who Betray the Foundation of Love
David Livingston
02/08/2008 - It is one of the most difficult things to love those who violate the innocent, but we are called to do this in spite of how difficult it is. We cannot demonize those who sin; we must work within our communities to bring these men face to face with their acts of violence and love them through their healing.


The Apostle Paul on Authority and Abuse
Catherine Clark-Kroeger
02/01/2008 - "The stance of these leaders was not much different from leaders in some contemporary cults who exercise total control over their adherents. Under the cloak of supreme holiness and sanctification is hidden a terrifying pattern of abuse."


Book Review: No Turning Back: My Summer with Daddy King
Greg Taylor
01/21/2008 - I underestimated the force of this book when I started reading, but I was profoundly moved by the transformation that took place in Brewster, the descriptions of and conversations with Brewster’s new-found friends, the way he absorbed the faith of women and men through their prayers and songs and sermons and non-violent—even humorous—responses to hatred from whites.


Sexual Violence: The Unmentionable Sin
Dr. Marie M. Fortune
01/15/2008 - "One in three females and one in seven males in our churches were sexually abused before eighteen years old. Media coverage of the abuse of children by Catholic priests should not blind us to the fact that Protestant clergy also sexually abuse children and adults. Neither should we pretend that the sexual abuse of children in the home, nor rape are somehow someone else’s experience."


The Dilemma of Anger, Aggression, and Intimate Partner Violence
Ron Clark
01/10/2008 - Domestic violence is an ongoing problem in the United States and throughout the world. This problem not only affects the spouse who is targeted by the abuser, but it also affects the children in the home. ... This is an issue of social justice. In the Gospel of Luke (4:16-19) Jesus preached in the synagogue a message of liberation, freedom, and hope. While this text has been used for many years, and in my opinion justly, to promote a Gospel of social justice I find that intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and gender oppression is rarely mentioned by the church in conjunction with the Social Gospel.


Holy Hush or Shattered Silence?
Nancy Nason Clark
01/07/2008 - Abuse is ugly. It is always wrong. It is never part of God’s design for healthy family living. It distorts relationships and shatters dreams. It creates pain and despair.


Rethinking Evangelism
Michael Gose
01/05/2008 - A very good friend of mine once asked me about the agenda Christians have. He had had a Christian couple in his neighborhood who seemed to enjoy his company, and they visited regularly to see him at his house. He enjoyed their visits and looked forward to them. Thus he was dismayed when these visits suddenly ended. My friend had the strong impression the visits had stopped because he had not joined their church.


Domestic Abuse and the Family of God
Ron Clark
01/03/2008 - In this issue of New Wineskins you have the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the area of domestic abuse. The authors in this issue have taught me a great deal. They are men and women of courage. Some are survivors. All have a challenge for the church to speak about concerning abuse.