Hi ~

Someone asked me to promote his blog article about “church hurt” on my website. I declined.

I declined for a few different reasons, but being faced with that term again made me ponder anew that it’s a term I don’t want to use.

For one thing, you can get your feelings hurt in church when the church people have done nothing wrong. “Church hurt” might indicate that you’re just too sensitive.

Look at the situation with the Corinthians and the man who was committing adultery with his father’s wife in 1 Corinthians 5–-they cast him and her out of the church. That man and woman may well have gotten their feelings hurt about that “church hurt.” But the church people did the right thing.

Also, what I actually write about is “spiritual abuse.” I define spiritual abuse as using the (twisted) Bible and/or the (distorted) character of God to oppress, control, and harm others. This makes it very clear where the hurt comes from and why. 

This article of mine seems really pertinent right about now. The original Gospel Coalition article I was responding to seems to me to make a mockery of your “church hurt.”

Read my response to the Gospel Coalition here.

Wanting to shine light on spiritual abuse without ambiguity,

Rebecca

Untwisting Scriptures at heresthejoy.com

See my Untwisting Scriptures series

Trauma-informed Christian book coach at Rebecca Davis WordWorking

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