This book is an interdisciplinary exploration of the intertwining impact of violent trauma, culture, and power through case studies of two ministries serving in different demographic contexts within the United States. Mass shootings continue to rise in the United States, including in religious and school contexts, and the U.S. also is ground zero for the now international Black Lives Matter movement. The author shows how all forms of violent trauma impact more than individuals devastating communal relationships and practices of religious or spiritual meaning-making in the aftermath, and assesses how these impacts differ according to lived experiences with culture and power.

Looking at the two ministries, an urban grassroots lay ministry organization that serves surviving family members in the aftermath of homicide, and a denominational ministry that served a church in the aftermath of a political and religiously motivated shooting, the author develops trauma-specific interdisciplinary tools for lived religion studies. "This book powerfully utilizes an intersectional lens to highlight the inter-interconnections to be found for those working in faith communities, as well as mental health. Walsh provides the reader with an opportunity to explore and develop theoretical and practice perspectives that include: race and ethnicity, religion and spirituality, social class and ability, sexual orientation, immigration and refugee status, and explores the impact that oppression and discrimination have on our communities and society. I highly recommend this book for those who are engaged in working to combat domination at the local, national and global levels." - Gary Bailey, Simmons College, USA

Uses interdisciplinary studies to analyse the responses of organized institutional trauma ministries Discusses the severity of violence in the United States as a context for looking at the treatment of violent trauma on a personal and communal level Fosters inter-cultural dialogue across religious and secular boundaries

Autorentext
Rev. Dr. Michelle Walsh, PhD, LICSW teaches at the School of Social Work, Boston University, USA. She is a licensed independent clinical social worker, activist, ordained as a Unitarian Universalist community minister, and holds a Ph.D. in practical theology.

Inhalt

Introduction.- 1.. Challenges and Possibilities in Interdisciplinary Encounters.- 2. Two Case Studies by a Researcher Living Between Worlds.- 3. Trauma in a Lived Religion Perspective.- 4. Attending to Survivors as Experts: Lessons Learned.- 5. Cross-Cultural Encounters in the Research: Lessons Learned.- 6. Poetics and Ethics of World/Sense EncountersCultivating the Lessons.- 7. A Queer Postlude of Intersections in the Aftermath