Reformed Anthropology

Resource Library

5 Misconceptions about Spiritual Abuse: #5: “Talking About Spiritual Abuse Will Just Lead to False Accusations Against Pastors”

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The problem with this misconception, however, is the way it frames the issue. It is suggestive that our default position should be a posture of suspicion toward the victims—as if the norm is that people lie about their pastors and the accuser is probably yet another person who just hates the church.

5 Misconceptions about Spiritual Abuse: #4: “Spiritual Abuse Is Not As Harmful As Other Kinds of Abuse, So We Shouldn’t Worry Too Much About It”

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“In my research for my forthcoming book, [Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church (Zondervan, 2022)] I was a bit surprised to discover how many people think that the harm caused by spiritual abuse is a distant second (or even third) to other kinds of abuse (whether physical or sexual). “Indeed, […]

5 Misconceptions about Spiritual Abuse: #3: “The Bible Doesn’t Talk about Spiritual Abuse–It’s Just a Modern Psychological Construct”

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“We come now to #3 in the series: “Spiritual abuse is not in the Bible or church history—it’s just a modern psychological construct.” “A number of folks may balk at the idea of spiritual abuse solely on the grounds that the terminology itself is relatively modern. If it does not appear in the Bible (or […]

5 Misconceptions about Spiritual Abuse: #2: “Spiritual Abuse is Only a Problem in Independent Churches That Have No Established Church Polity”

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Across the board, folks regularly expressed the idea that authoritarian, domineering pastors must be linked to a church polity that is either non-existent or underdeveloped. Thus, independent churches, it is thought, must be the prime breeding ground for bully pastors. But the reality on the ground doesn’t bear this out.

5 Misconceptions about Spiritual Abuse: #1 “Loving the Church Means You Don’t Call Out Her Problems”

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When it comes to the issue of abuse, it’s been a rough stretch for the church. While we might hope for the church to respond like Nehemiah (Neh 1:6-7), strangely, there’s also been another reaction afoot.

Diane Langberg: Understanding Abuse of Power in the Church

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Abuse has become epidemic in the church—and so has cover-up. But what causes abuse in the church? And how can we stop it?

Phil Monroe: Trauma and Healing

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How do you heal when you’ve been hurt and traumatized by those who profess Christ—when both Christians and church seem incredibly unsafe?

Resource Type

Resource Type
  • Article (227)
  • Audio/Podcast (76)
  • Biography (9)
  • Book Review (25)
  • Infographics (2)
  • Position Paper (7)
  • Research (3)
  • Sermon (25)
  • Video (52)

Categories

Categories
  • Abuse (78)
    • Child Abuse (7)
    • Domestic Abuse (22)
    • Sex Abuse (9)
    • Spiritual Abuse (23)
  • Abuse in the Church (26)

Creeds and Confessions

The Chalcedonian Creed

Canons of Dordt

Thirty-Nine Articles

The Belgic Confession

Athanasian Creed

Nicene Creed

The Second Helvetic Confession

The Apostles’ Creed