Refuge from Abuse by Nason-Clark and Kroeger - Book Report/Review Example

?Critique and Summary of Refuge from Abuse by Nancy Nason-Clark and Catherine Clark Kroeger. Summary of Contents. The book en d Refuge from Abuseby Nancy Nason-Clark and Catherine Clark Kroeger has eight main chapters which are framed in the form of typical questions which an abused woman might ask herself. There is an introduction “Pathway to Hope” which starts off with a clear statement about how wrong violence is, and how Christian women are not exempt from this experience, even though they might expect things to be different in a Christian household. The layout highlights key points in blue boxes, with bold text, for example listing the indicators that show when a relationship is not healthy (p. 8). The metaphor of a journey is used to lay out the steps that an abused woman must take to recognise the state she is in, find the help that she needs, and move on through a process that brings her out of the cycle of abuse and into a healing stage. The chapters each deal with one step at a time, and include advice, examples from real life, with the names changed to protect identities, and a passage for spiritual reflection which draws on Biblical texts and Christian teachings. The structure follows a logical, and fairly standard, line of development that runs from recognizing that there is a problem, speaking out about it, finding spiritual and practical help, accessing healing, getting on with life, understanding what help the abuser needs, and rebuilding trust in God. Although the book is clearly aimed at abused women, there is a useful Appendix (pp. 157-158) that gives advice on where to find help for abused husbands, and there are two further Appendices which provide helpful scripture readings for more general use in the home and in church. At the end of the book there is a comprehensive set of notes, referencing academic literature drawn from the fields of sociology, criminology as well as Christian literature. Critique The first thing in this book that strikes me as a mental health counsellor is the way that spiritual and scientific content is presented side by side. I found it particularly helpful to go through the process of thinking about the scenarios painted in each section, using standard concepts that any secular education facility would use, and then step into a more spiritual dimension by reflecting on the Biblical material afterwards. This allows both kinds of knowledge to be presented separately and clearly, but also lets the reader see how they complement each other. For me this was a very good strategy and I would like to use this strategy myself when reading books on mental health issues. I can imagine, for example, reading a scientific textbook, and then applying religious reasoning to it, to see what additional insights this perspective gives. One particular strength of the book is, as the second part of its title “Healing and Hope for Abused Christian Women” suggests, a very clear focus on Christian women. This makes the book very useful in the context of Christian counselling, but of course limits its application. If a client has a different religious background, or is not interested in a religious perspective, then this book is not going to be very useful. I prefer such a bias to be open and clear, as it is in this book, because it allows the reader to detect from the very outset what the author’s own position is, and what sort of religious arguments are being used. Another thing that I appreciated in this book is that the tone is reasoned and calm, with plenty of scope for readers to make choices rather than just follow a single lead. In chapter 2 for example, the stories of three very different women are told: Claire, Carolyn and Martha. Each case illustrates a particular constellation of circumstances, and a different way of making the issue of abuse known to people and organizations outside the family. This multiple focus is very good because it encourages the reader to weigh up the factors in each story and think through how she would react in that situation, perhaps also comparing her own experiences and reflecting on what the best way ahead would be for herself. This gives control to the reader, and makes her see that she may not have had much say in how the abuse situation developed in the first place, but that she has the power to choose which path to take out of that situation. Above all, the writers are sensitive to the unique and individual dynamics of each abuse situation, and the different life experiences and character that individual abused woman have. No single blueprint is given, but instead there are examples and the writers encourage the reader to think her way through to her own solution, and anticipate what the postive and negative consequences of particular choices might be. One issue that concerned me slightly was a tendency towards subordinating women’s needs to the authority of men. The authors state that abused women often seek out the pastor who married them, for example, and suggest that a woman may even travel a long distance to talk to this person: “Perhaps she is seeking the pastor’s permission to leave the abusive marriage... A wise pastor can help you see that you have not broken your promise...” (p. 51) Since the large majority of pastors in most denominations are men, this in effect suggests that men are superior in judgement, and that women need to seek their approval. In the context of domestic abuse this could be quite a dangerous set of assumptions to use as a basis for moving forward. I was pleased to note that the chapter goes on to present a liberal view on separation and divorce, however, quoting the Bible to show examples where women are permitted to divorce their husbands in cases where they have experienced neglect and violence. Overall I found this an interesting book, with a narrow focus in religious terms, but a good appreciation of secular ideas and resources as well. It illuminates areas of overlap between counselling and pastoral care, and shows how a Christian woman’s faith can be a very important and positive force in her journey through abuse, recovery and moving on to life beyond. I would quite like to research some similar books which deal with the same topic of domestic abuse, and link it with a different faith such as Judaism and Islam, in order to see what similarities and differences there are. This book made me think about my own position in relation to matters of spirituality and I discovered that I am not always very clear where the boundaries are between professional and personal perspectives. More research will help me clarify this and hopefully allow me to approach the counselling task with a clearer understanding of these issues. Reference Nason-Clark, Nancy and Kroeger, Catherine Clark. Refuge from Abuse: Healing and Hope for Abused Christian Women. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004. Read More