MCC Manitoba’s Abuse Response and Prevention Co-Coordinator, Val Hiebert, recently published an article titled: “The Holy Hush in our Backyards: Family Violence and the Church. The article was originally published in Didaskalia, an academic peer reviewed journal out of Providence Theological Seminary. We are excited that they granted us permission to share it with you here as well.
Family violence is often hidden within evangelical churches. Val’s article is informed by interviews, research, and her personal experience hearing countless disclosures of abuse whilst teaching at a seminary in Manitoba. The article highlights the troubling rates of abuse in southeastern Manitoba and examines why this issue is often silenced in Christian contexts. Some of these reasons include the idealization of the Christian family, the use of vague language to downplay abuse, untrained pastors, and the misuse of forgiveness to keep women in abusive marriages. It also explores factors contributing to high abuse rates, such as teachings on female submission, divorce, and male authority in the church.
We are so grateful for Val Hiebert’s scholarship around the painful reality of family violence which affects so many women and children, both within and outside faith communities. It is our hope and prayer that with greater awareness and education, churches can become places that actively work to prevent abuse, prioritize safety, and foster pathways for healing and justice.
Tags: Christian, church, domestic abuse, faith communities, family violence, intimate partenr abuse