I'm excited that this book, " Spiritual Abuse Recovery: Dynamic Research on Finding a Place of Wholeness " has been published, hot off the press and ready for people to access. It has been a long period of gestation for Barb Orlowski, to finally see her " baby " birthed. I'm guessing I first talked to Barb when she was working on her doctoral dissertation at the Associated Canadian Theological Schools, the Graduate School of Theological Studies of Trinity Western University a couple of years ago. I know from the updates along the way it was a tremendous amount of work, and research on a very sensitive subject. But through her work, she has gathered data from interviews across the landscape of the whole church ; big and small, cross denomination; evangelical, mainline and traditional. It is a must read for the whole church, to help us better understand spiritual abuse, and move forward from dysfunction to wholeness.
Book Description
What factors contribute to active Christians in ministry
leaving their church and becoming exiting statistics? Every year dedicated
Christian people leave churches because of spiritual abuse. The stories of
people who left their home church because of a negative and hurtful experience
paint a picture of a widespread occurrence which beckons consideration by
church leaders and church congregants alike.
Spiritual abuse, the misuse of spiritual authority to maltreat followers in the
Christian Church, is a complex issue. This book shows how people processed
their grief after experiencing spiritual abuse in their local church and how
they rediscovered spiritual harmony. Their spiritual journey shows how one may
grow through this devastating experience.
This book offers a thoughtful look at the topic of spiritual recovery from
clergy abuse through the eyes of those who have experienced it. It invites
church leaders to consider this very real dysfunction in the Church today and
aims to demonstrate a path forward to greater freedom in Christ after a season of
disillusionment with church leadership.
"In an age of increasing calls for strong church
leadership, this book is a gift to church leaders and those who have been severely
hurt and abused in our churches. Through careful research and an insider's
perspective, Barb has opened up both pathways for healing from church abuse and
insights for leadership to ensure that potential future abuse is stopped."
—Alan Jamieson, author of A Churchless Faith
"What we refer to as spiritual abuse was a concern for Jesus in his
earthly ministry and it is a common problem today. It is, therefore, surprising
that more attention is not given to it by today's Christian community. Barb Orlowski,
however, does take it seriously as she offers insight into the causes of bad
church experiences and how to recover from them. Her counsel alerts people to
the dangers of spiritual abuse, and if leaders hear her, they will be less
likely to become part of the problem . . . I encourage you to read it."
—Ken Blue, author of Healing Spiritual Abuse
"Dr. Orlowski's research has provided a balance for various perspectives
on the experience of woundedness. She listens to the voices of the wounded and
lets them inform us of their reality of feeling disappointment and
disenfranchisement, tragedy and turbulence in the Church . . . For recovery,
Dr. Orlowski gives an excellent starting point—the voice of the
wounded—and follows that with the grace of God demonstrated through
hearing the voice of God and basing recovery on the Word of God."
—Kirk E. Farnsworth, author of Wounded Workers
You can purchase a copy of the book by contacting Barb Orlowski at ( info@churchexiters.com ). She will have books available, autographed if you like...and details about cost of the book and postage.
