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Restoring the Soul of a Church Paperback – November 1, 1995

by Mark R. Laaser (Editor), Nancy Myer Hopkins (Editor)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 8 ratings
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What happens to the sense of community and faith of a church that finds itself wounded by pastoral sexual abuse? Counseling and other resources are available to victims and abusers, but what about the congregations, which are also left with feelings of disbelief, disillusionment, and anger? To fill this void, the Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute commissioned this pastoral work. While the focus of this book is the healing of congregations, it first discusses the original problem of sexual misconduct and exploitation, as an understanding of this dynamic is essential to understanding its effect on the congregation. Once this understanding is established, the majority of the text focuses on those neglected "secondary" victims of abuse: the congregation, the wider community, other clergy, the wider Church, the offender's family, and the pastor who must take over for an offending pastor. An "intervention model" provides each of these six victim groups sound principles and suggestions that can be applied to most situations. Case studies and first-person testimonies appear throughout the work and serve to demonstrate the very sensitive nature of the problems faced and the practicality of the solutions offered.
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  1. Print length
    272 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Liturgical Press
  4. Publication date
    November 1, 1995
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0814623336
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0814623336
  8. See all details
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What happens to the sense of community and faith of a church that finds itself wounded by pastoral sexual abuse? Counseling and other resources are available to victims and abusers, but what about the congregations, which are also left with feelings of disbelief, disillusionment, and anger? To fill this void, the Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute commissioned this pastoral work. While the focus of this book is the healing of congregations, it first discusses the original problem of sexual misconduct and exploitation, as an understanding of this dynamic is essential to understanding its effect on the congregation. Once this understanding is established, the majority of the text focuses on those neglected ?secondary? victims of abuse: the congregation, the wider community, other clergy, the wider Church, the offender's family, and the pastor who must take over for an offending pastor. An ?intervention model? provides each of these six victim groups sound principles and suggestions that can be applied to most situations. Case studies and first-person testimonies appear throughout the work and serve to demonstrate the very sensitive nature of the problems faced and the practicality of the solutions offered.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Liturgical Press; 6th Paperback Edition (November 1, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0814623336
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0814623336
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 0.952 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
8 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

DB361
5.0 out of 5 stars really helpful on a difficult problem.
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2015
Verified Purchase
I am also a minister serving a church that suffers from some aspects of this problem and the book was most helpful.
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N. Curtis
5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely helpful for congregations and pastors
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2007
When I first read this book, in the confusing time of having found out about undisclosed clergy sexual misconduct in my first parish, I finished it at 3 a.m. without stopping. The craziness of the congregation, the way that the bishop had covered up, the way that the evidence of the abuse was making itself known in parish interactions among people who hadn't even been there at the time, all of it, including me, my spouse, and the congregational members and even the abused were clearly "known" and understood by those who wrote this book. Without it, I might not have been able to lead the congregation through the time of disclosure and healing that was so necessary for them, and also for me as the pastor. Get it. It's not a book to stay in the library. It's a book to be used in any congregation where there was an intimation of clergy sexual misconduct even in what might seem to be in the far distant past.
2 people found this helpful
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rdscott
4.0 out of 5 stars Like this Very Much
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2013
Verified Purchase
I found this book to be a very useful resource to helping me gain a working knowledge of how to assist the congregation I was working with to regain its vitality, grounding, and sense of future hope. Thanks
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John Calvin
5.0 out of 5 stars VERY HELPFUL!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2006
This is an extremely helpful volume for understanding clergy sexual misconduct on the offender's family, the church family, and other clergy (including the after-pastor). This book helps one recognize and identify congregational dynamics and has helpful suggestions of how to address such a situation.

A fine addition to any church library.
3 people found this helpful
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