Why
Christian Clergy Must Be Involved
in Ending Domestic Violence
By Reverend Al Miles
Domestic violence is the number
one public health problem for women
in the United States. According
to the U.S. Surgeon General, domestic
violence is the greatest single
cause of injury among U.S. women,
accounting for more emergency room
visits than traffic accidents, muggings,
and rape combined. Although there
are a small percentage of men abused
by their female intimate partners
each year, researchers tell us that
eighty-five percent of victims-survivors
of domestic violence are women.
More than ninety percent of the
perpetrators of this crime and sin
are men.
Given these overwhelming national
statistics, it would take a great
deal of naiveté on the part
of us Christian clergy to think
that situations of domestic violence
are not occurring within the homes
of some of the members attending
our congregations. In fact, there
are men who sit in the pews, and
preach and teach from the pulpits
of every Christian denomination
and faith group known to humankind
– who also beat, cuss, rape,
stalk, strangle, and violate in
several other ways their wives and
girlfriends. There are Christian
women (and their children) who live
not in God’s grace and peace,
but under the constant horror of
being tortured emotionally, physically,
psychologically, and sexually by
males calling themselves “men
of God.”
Christian clergy can be especially
instrumental in helping to stop
the abuse and violence Christian
men perpetrate against their wives
and girlfriends. We can provide
comfort and safety to victimized
women and their children, hold abusive
Christian men accountable for the
crime and sin of domestic violence,
and we can refer both victimized
women and abusive men worshiping
in our congregations to service
providers within out communities
for additional expert support.
Christian clergy can also confront
the misuse of religious beliefs,
teachings, traditions, and sacred
texts by Christian men who perpetrate
domestic violence. Christ Jesus
himself says in John 15:12: “This
is my commandment, that you love
one another as I have loved you.”
And Christ’s servant, the
apostle Paul, writes in Galatians
3:26-28: “….for in Christ
Jesus you are all children of God
through faith. As many of you as
were baptized into Christ have clothed
yourselves with Christ. There is
no longer Jew or Greek, there is
no longer slave or free, there is
no longer male and female; for all
of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
Despite these divine edicts from
Christ Jesus, the apostle Paul,
and several other followers of Christ
in the New Testament, abusive male
Christians will frequently misuse
Scripture to justify the crime and
sin of domestic violence.
Nowhere in the entire Bible is this
sin done with greater impunity than
in Ephesians 5:21-33. Read in its
entirety, the passage offers clear
guidelines regarding principles
that must be followed by both Christian
husbands and wives. Love and respect
are the virtues that need to be
at the center of every interaction.
But over the centuries, the instructions
put forth in Ephesians 5 have been
used to elevate the status of men
and put women down. Seldom do Christian
clergy or congregants discuss the
fact that nine of the twelve verses
carry instructions for Christian
husbands to follow. An inordinate
amount of attention has been paid
to what these verses tell wives
rather than what they demand of
men. The passage clearly commands
husbands to love their wives as
they do their own bodies. Nevertheless,
the verses are often used to instruct
women on what they are to do for
their husbands – even husbands
who abuse their wives.
As Christian clergy, we must challenge
the blasphemous misuse of sacred
texts by abusive Christian men.
We must preach and teach the biblical
truths about God’s love, which
binds women and men together as
equals, with the same exact amount
of power and value, rather than
ordering them in a hierarchy. Last,
we must seek proper and ongoing
education and training on domestic
violence prevention and intervention
strategies. We must keep updated
on the articles, books, videos,
and workshops that can help us become
effective team members in ending
the abuse and violence some Christian
men perpetrate against their wives
and girlfriends.
Reverend
Al Miles teaches nationwide encouraging
clergy and professionals to speak
out clearly to protect victims and
work to end domestic violence. Interfaith
Council brought him to Spokane March
15 & 16 2005 where he gave trainings
in multiple churches. His lecture
at Spokane City Forum is available
through KPBX radio. His lecture
at Spokane City Forum is available
through Spokane City Forum 509-777-1555.
Rev. Miles is the author of Domestic
Violence: What Every Pastor Needs
to Know (Fortress Press, 2000);
Violence in Families: What Every
Christian Needs to Know (Augsburg
Books, 2002); Teen Dating Relationships:
A Resource Guide for Parents and
Pastors (Augsburg Books, 2005).
Rev. Al Miles is an ordained minister
in the Church of God (Anderson,
Indiana), ministers at The Queen’s
Medical Center in Honolulu, is a
member of the National Advisory
Committee on Violence Against Women,
and the Corporate Alliance to End
Partner Violence National Advisory
Board.
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