At the House of Peace, a Catholic domestic violence shelter in Chicago, women who stay there for several months do an interesting project at the end of their stay. This project is called a “resurrection story.” These women, who have survived domestic violence, have had to flee their homes to find safety, and now face life post-trauma, paint wooden crosses and write a narrative of their story, re-imagining it in light of the cross and resurrection. Resurrection stories are a beautiful practice that the women often say is essential to their healing journey. This practice, and the lives of all domestic violence survivors, inspired Dr. Ashley Theuring’s book called Fragile Resurrection.
This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of Tria Corda Ministry!
Dr. Ashley Theuring is currently a theology professor at Xavier University in Cincinnati. Her work centers around the intersection of trauma and theology.
This book is the result of her doctoral dissertation and examines the theology of hope and how we can find hope during trauma. She specifically examines domestic violence and draws on the experiences of the women at the House of Peace. She also uses the original ending of the Gospel of Mark to draw out these themes.
I highly recommend picking up a copy because it offers some great insights on how we, as a Church, can help to promote healing. This article will discuss some lessons the book teaches about being trauma-informed as a Church and how we can support healing.
Why the Church Needs to be Trauma-Informed
Dr. Theuring begins the book by examining why, from a Catholic perspective, the Church should strive to be trauma-informed.
First, tying together the Incarnation and passages such as Matthew 25, she emphasizes that all humanity is united with Jesus. So, when trauma threatens human dignity, the Lord is also harmed. By serving trauma survivors, we serve Jesus in them.
She also draws lessons from many theologians who emphasize that those who are poor and oppressed share a special connection with Jesus, who also lived His earthly life in poverty and under oppression. So, once again, by serving trauma survivors, we minister to Jesus.
Dr. Theuring also briefly mentions how Catholic social teaching supports being trauma-informed as a church, specifically the principle of preferential option towards the poor. The preferential option toward the poor means Christians have a special obligation to care for the poor and the vulnerable (source). Trauma survivors fall into this category, so by neglecting care for them, we neglect a crucial aspect of our Christian calling.
Finally, Theuring mentions how theologians have drawn on the Suffering Servant passages in Isaiah, with whom scholars often identify Jesus. These theologians have talked about those who, like Jesus, the Suffering Servant, are “crucified” by injustice, abuse, and oppression. They help us see how our societal systems and structures fail and invite us to imagine and work towards a world where they are not “crucified.”
In sum, Theuring emphasizes that to fulfill our duty as Christians to serve Jesus in those in need, we need to imagine how we, as a Church, can serve trauma survivors.
The Original Ending of the Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Mark has two endings. In original manuscripts, the Gospel ends when the women visit the tomb, find it empty, and are told by a young man that Jesus has risen. The resurrected Jesus does not appear, leaving the Gospel to end on a mysterious note and one where the traumatic sting of Jesus’ crucifixion continues to linger amidst the hope of the resurrection.
Mark wrote his Gospel in the light of much trauma. Rome destroyed the Jewish temple, which was a collective trauma for the people of Israel. Additionally, the Christian community was facing lots of persecution.
In response to these circumstances, Mark continually emphasizes the cross throughout the Gospel and how Jesus’ resurrection vindicates His suffering. All of this invites readers of Mark’s Gospel to see a connection between Jesus and them. They, like Jesus, face suffering. But, because they share in the cross, they will share in His resurrection.
Learning From the Gospel of Mark’s Female Disciples
Mark presents the female disciples who go to the tomb to prepare Jesus’ body as loyal, brave, and in solidarity with Jesus crucified. They stayed with Jesus throughout His Passion, and Mark presents them as model disciples.
For Mark, discipleship involves suffering and carrying one’s cross, not as an acceptance of abuse but in solidarity with all those suffering. The story does not end there because we can share in His resurrection by carrying our cross like Jesus.
Unlike Jesus, though, our crosses and salvation are not one and done. Jesus calls us to carry our crosses and seek moments of resurrection daily. By living out this call, Jesus also calls us to denounce the injustice that causes suffering and announce that the resurrection can transform these sufferings.
Theuring also talks about how, through going to anoint the body of Jesus, the female disciples engaged in practices of resistance against the Roman forces who had made Jesus suffer. They were breaking the law by going to care for the body of an executed criminal. By engaging in these practices of resistance, they were attempting to undo the trauma, and in this practice, they received the promise that Jesus had risen.
Theuring uses these practices of resistance to define “fragile resurrection”. These practices of resistance against trauma and its effects provide moments of healing and resurrection amid crosses. They are often little moments of connection with God and others throughout our daily lives.
For the women in the House of Peace, these moments of fragile resurrection looked like processing their trauma in a supportive community, investing in their motherhood, establishing financial independence as now-single women, and taking the time to imagine and work towards a future of safety.
How the Church Can Support Trauma Healing
Theuring concludes the book by explaining how the Church can support healing for survivors of domestic violence.
Unfortunately, Christians have not always done a great job at this. Researchers have found that many survivors who reach out to their churches for help leave dissatisfied. Many encounter people who do not believe their stories, believe that such things don’t happen in their church, and give bad advice.
One of the main things the Church can do to help survivors is support recovery. According to one trauma researcher, Judith Herman, healing involves three steps:
- Establishing safety
- Remembrance and mourning: Processing one’s experiences and grieving losses
- Reconnecting with ordinary life and maybe allowing the trauma to fuel a new mission to help others who suffer similarly.
A supportive community can most help these three steps occur. The Church can be a great place of community, and by fostering intentional community, we can support these steps.
Additionally, Theuring suggests making connections with domestic violence shelters and nonprofits. Shelters can help provide shelter, legal services, and crisis counseling, while the Church may be better equipped to provide community, spiritual counsel, and material support. By working together, we can holistically support those going through this traumatic experience.
Conclusion: Applying Fragile Resurrection to Ministry
Domestic violence and many other forms of trauma are prevalent. As a Church, we are called to support survivors in finding healing and to work towards a future in which trauma does not exist. How can you apply these lessons to your ministry?
To learn more about Fragile Resurrection and to pick up a copy, visit this link.
To learn more about trauma-informed practices, visit this page.