Confronting Church Trauma: Time to Break the Chains!
The definition of trauma can be summed up in the following:
A deeply distressing or disturbing experience.
It can also be expressed by the following:
An emotional response to a terrible event.
Trauma in the World
The word “trauma,” derived from its Greek origin meaning “wound,” sets the stage for a profound exploration. Shockingly, statistics reveal a pervasive impact: in the United States, 61 percent of men and 51 percent of women report exposure to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Moreover, a staggering 90 percent of individuals in public behavioral healthcare settings have grappled with trauma.
Today’s society is besieged by a continuous stream of traumatic incidents, flooding news channels and social media feeds. Regrettably, our children are growing up in this environment, frequently becoming direct victims. Childhood trauma, notorious for its persistence into adulthood, often leads to a lifelong struggle. Unaddressed, it can prompt individuals to seek solace in unhealthy coping mechanisms. The rise in substance abuse, toxic relationships, and alternate lifestyles can often be linked back to unresolved trauma.
Mental health issues, prevalent in our world, often find their roots in various forms of trauma—be it acute, chronic, or complex. The consequences of disregarding trauma can be grave, leading to perilous and life-altering outcomes.
Fight or Flight
When confronted with trauma, individuals typically exhibit a fight-or-flight response. Similar to a wounded animal, they may either retaliate or withdraw, even in the presence of those offering assistance. The fight response might manifest as hostility, defensiveness, or bullying, while the flight response may result in withdrawal, secrecy, or even suicidal thoughts. It’s crucial to understand that these reactions aren’t inherent but rather a response to pain.
It’s common for people to attribute their struggles to familial history, presuming it’s an inherited predisposition. However, delving deeper often reveals that it’s not necessarily genetic. Rather, it could be a legacy of unaddressed “pain” and behaviors transmitted across generations. Unresolved traumas passed down from grandparents to parents could shape an environment where emotional wounds remain unhealed, perpetuating a cycle of trauma within the family.
If the subsequent generations don’t seek support, they may replicate the cycle, acting out due to their unresolved trauma. Breaking this chain demands awareness, courage, and a commitment to healing.
Biblical Example
Our scripture reading is about a young blind man who experienced a great deal of trauma in his life. Some of that trauma came about because of the physical condition that he had to deal with day-in and day-out. However, some of the trauma was caused by the very religious system that he lived in. Religious leaders added to that trauma and even his own parents were guilty of causing trauma or wounds in his life. He, however, was able to break the cycle with help from a new and true friend, Jesus!
Punishment?
The beginning of this account starts with Jesus passing by and seeing this man who had been blind from his very birth. His blindness was definitely traumatic. However, that is all that he knew. As he sat, he heard Jesus’ disciples question whether his blindness was as a result of a punishment from God that was either caused be his parents or himself. He was blind not deaf. He could hear the conversation. How would we feel if someone identified us an an object of God’s punishment and displeasure? The Jews at that time strongly believed in spiritual cause and effect. If someone had something wrong in their lives (effect), it must be because they were not right with God (cause). Think of Job!
Jesus begins to dispel this way of thinking by explaining that neither this blind man nor his parents were the cause of the trauma (his blindness). On the contrary, God was actually going to use this situation to unveil “the works of God” through his Son.
Stigma
Jesus heals the blind man by using what would seem to be a very unconventional means. Spitting was considered to be an unclean act in the Jewish religion. However, from the very clay that man was created, God, through his son, created new eyes. The man was obedient and washed as he had been instructed and through his obedience he was made whole.
You would think that the “neighbors” would rejoice. However, this act was met with much skepticism. The young man was stigmatized due to the unbelief of his neighbors. Instead of breaking the chain of trauma, they continued to question and in a sense pile on. They questioned the young man to the point of him having to explain himself and what had happened … he remained in a wounded state.
Unbelief
Instead of believing and rejoicing, the neighbors took the young man to the church leaders of that day. There was something else going on that was keeping them from believing. The first clue is that Jesus had healed this man on the sabbath. The religious leaders, the Pharisees, began to also question this man about his healing. However, their motives were not pure. They had heard of this man Jesus. His ways were different than their ways. It seemed that they were more concerned about maintaining their traditions than they were about the true miracle that had just taken place. And the neighbors were watching. This young man should have been able to trust the very religious leaders who supposedly trusted in God. However, the trauma continued.
Fear
Instead of believing and rejoicing, the neighbors and the religious leaders now turn to his parents. They refused to believe him so they had to ask his parents to identify him and confirm if he was truly healed as he had said. However, the parents would not offer them much help. The second clue is now identified in that the parents feared the Jewish leaders and so did the neighbors. They knew if they stated that Jesus had healed their son, that they would be put out of the synagogue. This was more than just being thrown out of church. The synagogue was at the very center of their way of life. By being “put out”, they would be shunned by the community that they lived in. They would no longer be able to “participate.” This could lead to isolation, destitution and even possible death. Their fear kept them from standing with their own son and therefore, once again we was wounded and remained traumatized.
Ultimatum
The Pharisees proceed to question the young man again. He however did not waiver in his response. Even though he faced certain dispelling from that community, he was willing to break the cycle of trauma. They told him to basically recant his account of what happen or he would be cast out. However, he, in turn, began to preach Jesus to them. He knew that he had been delivered and he knew that it wasn’t because of religion. He had sat in that same place for years and undoubtedly those same Pharisees walked by without trying to help at all. His parents could not help and the neighbors were incapable of helping. However, that one day when Jesus passed by, he was changed and completely made whole. Being “kicked out” of the community that had obviously not lent a hand to include him in the past (Remember, they thought that he and/or his parents were sinners) was not as important as his new found deliverance that came from Jesus. He was free of trauma!
Deliverance
As the young man took his stand, Jesus did not forsake him. In fact, He came to assure him of who He was and that he had made the right choice. Both his physical and his spiritual eyes were open that day.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
John 8:36
The Scriptures do not mention anything more about this former blind man. However, I believe, that as he continued to worship Jesus, Jesus in turn continued to take care of him even in his exiled state. No longer did he have to be traumatized by his past affliction or even those who tried to keep him wounded and hurt. He soared above them because he had met the Master and he had broken the cycle.
What about the church?
How many times has this very type of trauma happened in what is called the church? People have afflictions and issues. They may be dealing with wounds and pain. They may act out because they are either in a fight or flight response. Instead of the church and/or church leaders being there to “bind up the broken hearted”; Instead of the church being a trauma center; Instead of leaders allowing the Great Physician to make the “house call”, we have sadly seen a similar type of response that the young blind man saw. The response that he received was based upon fear; the parents and the neighbors were fearful of the Pharisees and the Pharisees were actually fearful of losing their position both in the eyes of the”neighbors” and ultimately the Roman Leaders. The Pharisees believed that if Jesus continued that the people might rise up against them and that the Roman leaders would possibly take away their “seats.” They were also under trauma and refused to see it.
Jesus said that he came to heal the sick and bind up the broken hearted … including the Pharisees, if they would have let him. Today, if we could pull back the curtain, we would see that many in the church, including some of its leaders, are sick (wounded) and in need of a physician. If we are honest, we would be able to see that we have been affected by what Jesus called out in the Laodicean church. They thought they were rich, increased with goods and had need of nothing. Jesus said that they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked (Revelation 3:14-22). He furthermore goes on to say “who He loves He rebukes and chastens” (not punishes). He wants to break the cycle of trauma. He wants to heal us as his people!
The journey to healing involves acknowledging the need for chains to be broken and fear to be released. Seeking support, learning healthier coping mechanisms, and finding the resilience to break free from the chains of trauma pave the way for a brighter, liberated future.
As the church, we need to be brutally honest about our own needs and allow the Great Physician to heal us. As we are healed, we can administer healing to others. We need to let go of generational “church” trauma in the form of ungodly traditions and doctrines that seem to gender more strife than healing.
There’s a path to healing, but it demands courage, determination, and a will to create a different narrative that Jesus Christ is at the center of. Let go and let God!
JEFF