24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worth every penny you spend, July 26, 2002
This review is from: No Place for Abuse: Biblical & Practical Resources to Counteract Domestic Violence (Paperback)
This book is a MUST HAVE. You can be free from abuse!!
If you have been looking for a book that speaks on abuse and what God says about it, look no further. This is an excellent book, a resource for every library. This book is a helpful tool for an abused woman who finds herself in an abusive relationship but feels trapped due to traditional teachings on marriage and family. What does God say about it? It will show her how clearly the Lord is vehemently opposed to abuse and what she can do about it. This book is invaluable in the hands of leaders in the church and lay people who find themselves face to face with abuse, whether it be a friend or relative or church member. You can be instrumental in ministering hope and healing for those involved in such relationships. I also recommend with five stars "The Verbal Abusive Relationship: how to recognize it and how to respond" by Patricia Evans. Another fantastic book that gives an inside window view of the day in the life of a marriage suffering with abuse and real helps for those hurting.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Exploration into the Abuse of Women both in and out of the Evangelical Christian Church., February 10, 2008
This review is from: No Place for Abuse: Biblical & Practical Resources to Counteract Domestic Violence (Paperback)
In this already venerated work, Catherine Clark Kroger and Nancy Nason-Clark embark on a research-supported analysis and exploration into the widespread abuse of women existing both in and out of the evangelical Christian Church.
This book is not specifically written for abused women. Instead, it is directed toward Christian pastors and laypeople willing to increase their awareness of, and provide support to, abuse victims around the world. The global prevalence of abuse and violence against females is surveyed throughout the text, along with a concluding chapter on our "global responsibility" to suffering women.
In its scope, a reader will learn 59% of female homicides occur by the hand of an intimate partner (in Zimbabwe); that 18% of women seek emergency care because of domestic violence (in Papua New Guinea); and that (in Cambodia) 50% of women report sustained injuries due to spousal abuse. In addition, the authors address female circumcision, foot-binding, dowries, and other important global issues.
A useful resource, this book provides insight into the dynamics of abuse: cycles of violence, why women remain in dangerous environments, the personal characteristics of the abusive man, etc. Useful tools for Christian counselors and pastors are specified, for instance, "Questions to Ask Yourself When Responding to an Abused Woman," and checklists such as "How Caring is My Congregation" and "Unhealthy [Church] Responses [to Abused Women]," are interspersed within the chapters.
One's heart and stomach will turn while reading these pages, endeavoring to maintain the sentiment of Philippians 4:8 "...whatever is...noble,...right,...pure,...lovely,...admirable,...excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" while still addressing this troublesome issue. Vignettes of women experiencing physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their husbands offer more than a glance at the most disturbing reality of violence and serve to provide the reader deep awareness, sympathy, shock and motivation to promote change.
Critiques of the Church are present throughout, illustrating instances where churches have acted with neglect and evil: a Bible college dismissing a woman who was beaten in public by her husband, a parish condemning the divorce of a woman who was left for dead in the woods after a third murder attempt, a woman beaten with a metal tricycle in her sleep, a husband trying to turn his wife into a prostitute (and "despite her frequent pleas" she was encouraged to endure), one vignette where a pastor rapes a parishioner, and there are many more.
To balance, the text provides several examples of ministries that provide excellent support and care for abused women, churches that hold up women through long periods of need.
In addition, the authors do well to provide a biblically solid position against abuse, and correct several misuses of Scripture including 1 Peter 3:1-6, "...For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master..." which is often misused to the travail of women.
The greatest asset of this book is its solid research foundation, for all points are referenced fittingly, and I
commend this text for lacking any breaks in logic, or unsupported speculations. In the end, this scripturally sound book is disquieting, eye-opening, and persistently optimistic about reform and an improved future for women worldwide.
FInal Note: Telephone and Online Counseling might be a good way of helping hurting women. To learn how to provide telephone and online counseling, try this very well prepared book:
The Therapist's Clinical Guide to Online Counseling and Telephone Counseling: The Definitive Training Guide for Clinical Practice
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Book, May 21, 2007
This review is from: No Place for Abuse: Biblical & Practical Resources to Counteract Domestic Violence (Paperback)
I teach a distance learning course about family violence and this is the required reading for my course. The students are required to write a paper on this book, and usually their response includes that they can't believe that spousal abuse happens in the church.
Christians can easily hide abuse that happens within the home. We can easily put on our "Sunday face" when we're around our church family, but at home, it's a different story. If you work in any ministry within the church, I would recommend that you read this book. What I like about this book is that it also has an international focus - it's not just focused on the U.S. So, even if you're a missionary in another country, this is a good read for you too. This will help you to understand the problem and cycle of spousal abuse and how you can help those in the midst of it.
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