This power-over structure is harmful, demeaning, and depersonalizes women who were made in the Image of God.
Category: Spiritual Abuse
The Who’s Who and What’s What of Poisonous Patriarchy in Contemporary Christianity
"I’ve decided to document pastors and individuals who promote patriarchy here on my blog. I will post screenshots of their tweets or social media posts, and name them and their churches as a public record."
Religious Power and Control: Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is a tactic used by abusive leaders or groups to maintain power and control over their members.
John Piper Questions Whether Wives Should Share Their Wisdom with Their Husbands
John Piper could have stopped with "I don't know" in his response to a listener about wife submission. Instead, he gives a round about answer which ultimately adds an extra emotional and spiritual toll on the wife.
Religious Power and Control: Minimizing, Denying, and Blaming
Minimizing, denying, and blaming are tactics used by abusive leaders and groups to maintain power and control over their members.
Religious Power and Control: Isolation
Isolation is one tactic used by abusive leaders and groups to maintain power and control over their members.
Book Review Series – "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace – Chapter Twenty-One – Who Knew Sorrow and Grief Could be Sinful
This chapter is supposed to help a wife who is grieving over her husband's sinful actions. Interestingly, nothing specifically points to how a wife can manage her grief or sorrow.
The Latest from Greg Morse: Being a Nice Man Isn’t Enough
Greg Morse at Desiring God has a problem with nice guys.
Book Review Series – “The Excellent Wife” by Martha Peace – Chapter Twenty – When Desiring Intimacy is Idolatrous
In this chapter, Martha Peace lets wives know it's their problem if they feel lonely when their husbands isolate them.
Book Review Series – “The Excellent Wife” by Martha Peace – Chapter Nineteen – Never Fear, the Lord is Near
In this chapter wives are told that fear is associated is sinful and indicates a lack of trust in God.
Book Review Series – “The Excellent Wife” by Martha Peace – Chapter Eighteen – Only Gentle Responses Allowed
Anger, an emotion which on its own is not bad, is viewed as sinful and should not be a part of a Christian marriage.
Spiritual Abuse & Domestic Violence – A Call for Stories
Requesting stories for a training opportunity for victim advocates.
Bill Hybels’ Mentor, Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian, Accused of Clergy Sexual Misconduct: A Personal Story
I’m writing to tell the story of my victimization by Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian, who was Bill Hybels’ professor and mentor, and was very influential in the development of Willow Creek Community Church. This is a story I take no pleasure in telling.
Book Review Series – “The Excellent Wife” by Martha Peace – Chapter Seventeen – Conflicts and Lists
Wives, please don't hold on to the destructive teaching that God has a purpose and plan for abuse that happens to you.
Blaming Abuse on Satan is Not Enough
It's time for Focus on the Family to start acknowledging abuse happens in Christian marriages.
Book Review Series – “The Excellent Wife” by Martha Peace – Chapter Sixteen – Watch Your Words
This chapter is full of conflicting important points and is a reminder that verbal and emotional abuse is not appropriate.
When “O Holy Night” Becomes a Nightmare to Someone Whose Faith Has Been Harmed
"This performance is so sincere and heartfelt, shows a high level of skill, and may be the very one you love best of all. I think it is just awful, the perfect expression of a particular culture that I used to think was just distasteful and now believe to be rotten to the core."
Book Review Series – “The Excellent Wife” by Martha Peace – Chapter Fifteen – One Long, Unmotivating List
In this chapter, the author provides a list of ways wives are motivated to honor Christ in submission to their husbands. I'm motivated to cut out as much from the list as possible. ~Kathi
The Not so Simple Act of Forgiving and Forgetting
Forgiving may come with time, but should we really forget?
Book Review Series – “The Excellent Wife” by Martha Peace – Chapter Fourteen – A Wife’s Orderly Way to Respond to Her Husband’s Evil Responses
How does a Christian wife respond to her husband's evil behavior? This orderly list provides more harm than help.
Spiritual Sounding Board 