Abuse – Sadly, I’ve heard the acronym PTSD used too many times to describe the millennials experience growing up in the Church. Who would’ve thought that Jonathan Edwards brimstone and fire would be slightly traumatic for an 8-year old attending Wednesday night pioneer club? Thanks to this newfound technological age of information, past “malpractices” such as this, but not limited to only this, have been put on blast forcing leadership to respond. Abuse, as we all know, is widespread, it was not only in the form of theological but physical and sexual in both Catholic and Protestant sects of Christianity. Rachel Held Evans puts it quite well stating that “While such abuse once thrived in the darkness of secrecy, silencing, and cover-ups, the Internet Age has helped shine a light on the problem of abuse not only in the Catholic Church but also among evangelical churches and ministries. Survivors have spoken out about pervasive abuse or sexual misconduct situations with Sovereign Grace Ministries, Vision Forum, Jesus People USA, the Bill Gothard Ministry, Bob Jones University, Patrick Henry College, Pensacola Christian College, and several missions organizations.” Some call it patriarchy, others simply refer to it as neo-Calvinism. It’s triggering for many to step back into a church, or to even hear the word “evangelical”… The take away for this is simply that there are many who do not go to church because they have been deeply wounded…
Andy Gill
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In