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The #MeToo Reckoning: Facing the Church's Complicity in Sexual Abuse and Misconduct
The #MeToo movement has revealed sexual abuse and assault in every sphere of society, including the church. But victims are routinely ignored by fellow Christians who deny their accounts and fail to bring accountability to the perpetrators. All too often, churches have been complicit in protecting abusers, reinforcing patriarchal power dynamics, and creating cultures of secrecy, shame, and silence.
Pastor and survivor Ruth Everhart shines a light on the prevalence of sexual abuse and misconduct within faith communities. She candidly discloses stories of how she and others have experienced assault in church settings, highlighting the damage done to individuals, families, and communities.
Everhart offers hope to survivors as she declares that God is present with the violated and stands in solidarity with victims. Scriptural narratives like those of Tamar and Bathsheba carry powerful resonance in today's context, as do the accounts of Jesus' interactions with women. God is at work in the midst of this #MeToo moment to call the church to repentance and deliver us from violence against the vulnerable.
Pastor and survivor Ruth Everhart shines a light on the prevalence of sexual abuse and misconduct within faith communities. She candidly discloses stories of how she and others have experienced assault in church settings, highlighting the damage done to individuals, families, and communities.
Everhart offers hope to survivors as she declares that God is present with the violated and stands in solidarity with victims. Scriptural narratives like those of Tamar and Bathsheba carry powerful resonance in today's context, as do the accounts of Jesus' interactions with women. God is at work in the midst of this #MeToo moment to call the church to repentance and deliver us from violence against the vulnerable.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 14, 2020
26 people are currently reading
1556 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Everhart
5 books104 followersRuth Everhart is an author and Presbyterian pastor. She writes books and articles for people who dare to believe that Jesus values the lives of women.
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January 2, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book, especially since I got the book a whole three months before it came out. It's a book that I wish was out now.
SUMMARY
This book is primarily about how the church handles (and sadly, helps) sexual abuse cases, particularly those that happen at/in the church by church leaders. Everhart pulls from both previous experiences (and testimonies from others) and scripture as she intertwines them. Her thoughts on the story of Tamar and Bathsheba are both worth the cost of the book alone.
At the end of the book she gives some helpful advice to both Christians and churches on how to both handle reported abuse cases and how to better prevent sexual abuse from happening.
THE GOOD
There is a lot to love in Everhart's book. My favorite parts (outside of the Bible sections mentioned above) was how well this book teaches the subject of grooming. It's not a thing that's often deeply and well explained, but Everhart explains it well, usually with personal story.
Note: I would read her other book Ruined first. While I liked this book better, her previous book gives a lot of color to this book that I feel is important. Everhart can't add everything from that book into this one, but it's important to read. I mentioned in my review of Ruined:
I can't state how important that understanding is.
But the breakout chapter is the one on "Purity Culture & Rape Culture". Here are some quotes:
This book constantly challenged my views and gave those views faces and stories. You won't finish reading this book in one piece. Everhart's point is the same one I often state: we are not getting this right.
The preface for this book showed more love and care than most entire books on women do. It touched me.
THE CHALLENGES
When I reviewed Ruined, the only problem I really had with the book is how often the author asserts; meaning when her feelings or the story (her experiences) dictated her theology. I think they can inform theology, but not dictate it.
However, this book is mostly free of it. The only challenge I had was with the introduction, which acts as a "this is who I am and what I believe" section. I was worried that the whole book would be like this (and therefore more similar to Ruined). However, once Chapter 1 started there were no issues. Everhart and I have distinctly different theological convictions, though not as many as some might think. While I felt the introduction could've been less assertive and the tone better, it's such a small detail that I would encourage everyone to read it and engage with it. I actually loved that she honestly told the reader her theological stances before starting the book.
CONCLUSION
Books like this need to be written and they also need to be read. Much of the church is cold or lukewarm in response to the troubling issue of sexual abuse in the church. Everhart writes early on:
She's right. This book should be a welcome critique from the church to the church. I hope we read it as such and take it to heart.
Five stars.
Side-note to my Reformed followers: How many books do we have to read before we realize that there are certain beliefs and connections in our reformed theology that allow for abusers and racists to stay hidden and thrive?
SUMMARY
This book is primarily about how the church handles (and sadly, helps) sexual abuse cases, particularly those that happen at/in the church by church leaders. Everhart pulls from both previous experiences (and testimonies from others) and scripture as she intertwines them. Her thoughts on the story of Tamar and Bathsheba are both worth the cost of the book alone.
At the end of the book she gives some helpful advice to both Christians and churches on how to both handle reported abuse cases and how to better prevent sexual abuse from happening.
THE GOOD
There is a lot to love in Everhart's book. My favorite parts (outside of the Bible sections mentioned above) was how well this book teaches the subject of grooming. It's not a thing that's often deeply and well explained, but Everhart explains it well, usually with personal story.
Note: I would read her other book Ruined first. While I liked this book better, her previous book gives a lot of color to this book that I feel is important. Everhart can't add everything from that book into this one, but it's important to read. I mentioned in my review of Ruined:
I think this is a book that everyone should read, if nothing more than to better understand the mental affects of rape.
I can't state how important that understanding is.
But the breakout chapter is the one on "Purity Culture & Rape Culture". Here are some quotes:
"This is the simplest indicator of rape culture—that, given the opportunity, it is considered normal for men to rape women."
"Rape culture mandates that women and men have very different sexual responsibilities. The assumption is that it’s normal for men to rape women, which means that victims are to blame. By her action (or inaction) a woman creates an opening that allows a man to do what’s perfectly natural for him to do—assault her. "
"More precisely, what David did with Bathsheba is an abuse of his power. David exploited the enormous power differential that existed between men and women in general, and between himself and any vassal, in order to have sex with a particular woman. The word for that crime is RAPE."
This book constantly challenged my views and gave those views faces and stories. You won't finish reading this book in one piece. Everhart's point is the same one I often state: we are not getting this right.
The preface for this book showed more love and care than most entire books on women do. It touched me.
THE CHALLENGES
When I reviewed Ruined, the only problem I really had with the book is how often the author asserts; meaning when her feelings or the story (her experiences) dictated her theology. I think they can inform theology, but not dictate it.
However, this book is mostly free of it. The only challenge I had was with the introduction, which acts as a "this is who I am and what I believe" section. I was worried that the whole book would be like this (and therefore more similar to Ruined). However, once Chapter 1 started there were no issues. Everhart and I have distinctly different theological convictions, though not as many as some might think. While I felt the introduction could've been less assertive and the tone better, it's such a small detail that I would encourage everyone to read it and engage with it. I actually loved that she honestly told the reader her theological stances before starting the book.
CONCLUSION
Books like this need to be written and they also need to be read. Much of the church is cold or lukewarm in response to the troubling issue of sexual abuse in the church. Everhart writes early on:
"The remedy to being lukewarm is to add some heat: reproof and discipline."
She's right. This book should be a welcome critique from the church to the church. I hope we read it as such and take it to heart.
Five stars.
Side-note to my Reformed followers: How many books do we have to read before we realize that there are certain beliefs and connections in our reformed theology that allow for abusers and racists to stay hidden and thrive?
December 3, 2019
I wrote the following endorsement for this important book:
"Individual bodies can't heal until they receive a diagnosis. Likewise, the body of Christ can't heal until it learns what is making it sick. With bold storytelling and deep engagement with the biblical text, Ruth Everhart diagnoses the unchecked power, patriarchy, and shallow forms of forgiveness that plague many Christian communities grappling with abuse. She also points to the cure: a better, more biblical practice of justice for victims. May this book ensure that more victims' cries for justice are finally heard."
"Individual bodies can't heal until they receive a diagnosis. Likewise, the body of Christ can't heal until it learns what is making it sick. With bold storytelling and deep engagement with the biblical text, Ruth Everhart diagnoses the unchecked power, patriarchy, and shallow forms of forgiveness that plague many Christian communities grappling with abuse. She also points to the cure: a better, more biblical practice of justice for victims. May this book ensure that more victims' cries for justice are finally heard."
December 29, 2019
This book needed to be written. I was triggered, not gonna lie...
What courage for the author to tackle such a sensitive topic, and shed light into the dark places.
In a time where the church and evangelical Christianity want to label the #MeToo movement as
a leftist sociopolitical stance, Ruth Everhart brings to the forefront of the conversation just how
complicit the church is in allowing our safest spaces to become a breeding ground for predators.
If this sounds like an indictment against the church, it's not. She loves the church, and she continues to
serve as a clergywoman. Her indictment is against predators, and against our habit as Christians to excuse and bury criminal behavior in our midst, under the guise of sloppy grace and with the motive of self-preservation. Ruth Everhart has taken up the mantle we should all take up as Christians - to care for those who have been victimized, and to protect the flock within the safest space we all love - our churches.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for permission to review this galley copy.
What courage for the author to tackle such a sensitive topic, and shed light into the dark places.
In a time where the church and evangelical Christianity want to label the #MeToo movement as
a leftist sociopolitical stance, Ruth Everhart brings to the forefront of the conversation just how
complicit the church is in allowing our safest spaces to become a breeding ground for predators.
If this sounds like an indictment against the church, it's not. She loves the church, and she continues to
serve as a clergywoman. Her indictment is against predators, and against our habit as Christians to excuse and bury criminal behavior in our midst, under the guise of sloppy grace and with the motive of self-preservation. Ruth Everhart has taken up the mantle we should all take up as Christians - to care for those who have been victimized, and to protect the flock within the safest space we all love - our churches.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for permission to review this galley copy.
February 2, 2021
I wrote this book to call the church to account for its lousy response to the sexual abuse that occurs within its walls. To read about how and why I wrote it, check out my website, https://rutheverhart.com/about-ruth-e...
September 18, 2019
I just finished reading an advance reader copy of Ruth Everhart's "The #MeToo Reckoning: Facing the Church's Complicity in Sexual Abuse and Misconduct," published by InterVarsity Press. It is, by turns, a slap in the face, a kick in the rear, and a shoulder to cry on. It publishes on January 14, 2020, and I highly recommend church leaders to read it.
December 2, 2019
I will try to write a fuller review once I’ve had a chance to process this book more.
This should be required reading for all seminarians, pastors, denominational leaders, and really anyone in a position of church leadership (lay or ordained, volunteer or staff).
I cannot imagine a more excellent handling of a more devastating topic.
This should be required reading for all seminarians, pastors, denominational leaders, and really anyone in a position of church leadership (lay or ordained, volunteer or staff).
I cannot imagine a more excellent handling of a more devastating topic.
June 29, 2020
Summary: A discussion of sexual harassment and assault in the church, the impact on victims and the response of many churches more focused on institutional reputation than protecting victims and justice for the perpetrators.
Ruth Everhart tells two #MeToo stories of her own in this book. In the first, she was raped at gunpoint in college. Part of her healing was testifying against her rapist, seeing him convicted and sent to prison. In many ways, the second incident was harder. Serving as an assistant pastor under Zane Bolinger, a respected senior pastor, she became the object of inappropriate attention, culminating with being forcibly kissed in her own office.
The early chapters of this book use this incident to trace how the dynamics of sexual assault often play out in churches, beginning with the patriarchal power exercised by Bolinger in assaulting her. She describes her efforts to seek redress from the church's personnel committee, how they accepted the pastor's account that he had acted from "pure Christian love," burying the assault in pious language that protected the abuser and the institution. She concluded that she had to leave.
Perhaps the most chilling part of this narrative was the subsequent consequences in her former church. It did not have to do with Reverend Bolinger, who was gone by this time, at least not directly. A young man had been sexually abused by a church member. Everhart describes the conspiracy of secrecy that followed that did not report abuse to the authorities or even to the congregation and that elicited a "confession" that failed to acknowledge responsibility. The culture created by Bolinger, one of autocratic leadership that covered over anything detrimental to the church's reputation continued. Healing only began with a process of bringing what had been hidden into the light, eventually resulting in the perpetrator's conviction, and a new policy for handling allegations of sexual abuse.
Everhart then goes on to describe her efforts to bring Bolinger up on charges before the denomination and the mixed results that illustrate how such proceedings often try to bring healing without justice, that neglect the basic issue of sincere apology, and the preservation of power and institutions (including protecting the institution from legal exposure above protecting victims). Subsequent chapters detail the connection between purity culture and rape culture in the church, patterns of betrayal and deceit by perpetrators, not only on victims, but on manipulated church leaders, and the challenge, particularly for women, of finding a voice to speak up, to press for justice.
Everhart interweaves biblical narrative with her own and others narrative. Abuses of power and sexual abuse run through scripture, in the stories of Tamar, of David and Bathsheba, and others. She shows God's concern for the victims, some incorporated into the ancestral line of Jesus. Everhart also speaks frankly and practically about what denominations and churches can do to care for survivors rather than institutions, from honest language ("rape" instead of "had sex with") to involving the whole church in how churches will respond to sexual abuse.
There has been a #MeToo reckoning taking place in our culture, from exposing assault by physicians to gymnasts and other athletes, to movie moguls and political figures. The Catholic Church is paying huge damages for past abuses. Bill Hybels, longtime leader of Willow Creek Church, was forced to step down due to a pattern of improper sexual behavior. These are stories now being played out in many churches. Everhart's book ought to be a must-read for every church governance board. The church in the greatest danger is the one that says, "it won't happen here." Those are the ones that practice institutional denial when it does, including shaming, or shunting aside the survivors of abuse. Those are the ones that wittingly or unwittingly create a culture where abuse can continue unchecked--until the reckoning.
Everhart does not want your church to be among these but rather among those who create brave and safe spaces where these matters are spoken of with candor, where survivors can find support rather than shame, where "brightline" policies are in place that discourage or identify potential abusers early, and if abuse occurs, it is made public and prosecuted, not covered up. This is a book filled with hope for survivors and gritty encouragement for leaders who are ready to set aside patriarchy and power for protecting and raising up the vulnerable, who are willing to expose the ugly underside of human behavior to Christ's truth and justice.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Ruth Everhart tells two #MeToo stories of her own in this book. In the first, she was raped at gunpoint in college. Part of her healing was testifying against her rapist, seeing him convicted and sent to prison. In many ways, the second incident was harder. Serving as an assistant pastor under Zane Bolinger, a respected senior pastor, she became the object of inappropriate attention, culminating with being forcibly kissed in her own office.
The early chapters of this book use this incident to trace how the dynamics of sexual assault often play out in churches, beginning with the patriarchal power exercised by Bolinger in assaulting her. She describes her efforts to seek redress from the church's personnel committee, how they accepted the pastor's account that he had acted from "pure Christian love," burying the assault in pious language that protected the abuser and the institution. She concluded that she had to leave.
Perhaps the most chilling part of this narrative was the subsequent consequences in her former church. It did not have to do with Reverend Bolinger, who was gone by this time, at least not directly. A young man had been sexually abused by a church member. Everhart describes the conspiracy of secrecy that followed that did not report abuse to the authorities or even to the congregation and that elicited a "confession" that failed to acknowledge responsibility. The culture created by Bolinger, one of autocratic leadership that covered over anything detrimental to the church's reputation continued. Healing only began with a process of bringing what had been hidden into the light, eventually resulting in the perpetrator's conviction, and a new policy for handling allegations of sexual abuse.
Everhart then goes on to describe her efforts to bring Bolinger up on charges before the denomination and the mixed results that illustrate how such proceedings often try to bring healing without justice, that neglect the basic issue of sincere apology, and the preservation of power and institutions (including protecting the institution from legal exposure above protecting victims). Subsequent chapters detail the connection between purity culture and rape culture in the church, patterns of betrayal and deceit by perpetrators, not only on victims, but on manipulated church leaders, and the challenge, particularly for women, of finding a voice to speak up, to press for justice.
Everhart interweaves biblical narrative with her own and others narrative. Abuses of power and sexual abuse run through scripture, in the stories of Tamar, of David and Bathsheba, and others. She shows God's concern for the victims, some incorporated into the ancestral line of Jesus. Everhart also speaks frankly and practically about what denominations and churches can do to care for survivors rather than institutions, from honest language ("rape" instead of "had sex with") to involving the whole church in how churches will respond to sexual abuse.
There has been a #MeToo reckoning taking place in our culture, from exposing assault by physicians to gymnasts and other athletes, to movie moguls and political figures. The Catholic Church is paying huge damages for past abuses. Bill Hybels, longtime leader of Willow Creek Church, was forced to step down due to a pattern of improper sexual behavior. These are stories now being played out in many churches. Everhart's book ought to be a must-read for every church governance board. The church in the greatest danger is the one that says, "it won't happen here." Those are the ones that practice institutional denial when it does, including shaming, or shunting aside the survivors of abuse. Those are the ones that wittingly or unwittingly create a culture where abuse can continue unchecked--until the reckoning.
Everhart does not want your church to be among these but rather among those who create brave and safe spaces where these matters are spoken of with candor, where survivors can find support rather than shame, where "brightline" policies are in place that discourage or identify potential abusers early, and if abuse occurs, it is made public and prosecuted, not covered up. This is a book filled with hope for survivors and gritty encouragement for leaders who are ready to set aside patriarchy and power for protecting and raising up the vulnerable, who are willing to expose the ugly underside of human behavior to Christ's truth and justice.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
December 4, 2020
"[Y]ou know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you know how to control your own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one wrong or exploit a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you."
1 Thessalonians 4:2-8 NRSV, emphasis mine
Christian churches of every size, denomination, and theological bent have faced "complicity in sexual abuse and misconduct," as the subtitle of Everhart's book states. I hardly need state it myself. You can see it in the news, hear firsthand accounts from a friend, or experience it yourself.
Everhart, a PCUSA pastor, experienced sexual harassment and assault in her ministry and suffered manipulation at the hands of church committees. She tells those stories here, and also relays the stories of other victims and church authorities in Reckoning. I appreciated the breadth of the stories she included. Not only did she share stories from the victims' points of view, but also from clergy who regretted their mishandling of problems in their church and changed course. Interspersed are passages from the Bible, stories that Everhart tells in parallel with the modern-day stories. These passages are the usual suspects (Tamar, Bathsheba, Jesus' interactions with women).
Everhart could have let up on the Old Testament stories and tightly grasped passages from the pastoral epistles that speak directly to sexual abuse within the church (see 1 Thessalonians 4, quoted above, a "silver bullet" passage that is routinely ignored in church/#MeToo discussions). It's not that Everhart handles the stories badly, but that she could have made a much stronger case to the church by exploring passages that were written to, well, churches. The Old Testament stories are important, and so are the New Testament ones, but the pastoral epistles say so much about sexual abuse/misconduct, and they are often overlooked.
For example, 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 contains Paul's astonishment that the Corinthian church has not banished a man for his sexual misconduct. "And you are arrogant!" Paul cries. "Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you?" (1 Cor 5:2 NRSV). When I've heard this passage preached, there's often a sly patting-on-the-back that at least no one in our church is doing something so yucky! If anyone in our church was doing something that bad, we'd get rid of that person! Well, I doubt Paul would consider abuse of minors, or clergy assaulting other clergy, any less worse than whatever nonsense that man was doing. In 1 Thessalonians, he specifically called out "wronging" and "exploiting" church members, calling for the vengeance of almighty God on sexual abusers.
This is the only "cancel culture" of which Paul approves: "For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh...Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened." (1 Cor 5:3-7 NRSV, emphasis mine)
Here, Paul clearly lays out a method that churches can follow to excise abusive members of their body, to pronounce judgment and cast out the member in public assembly for the sake of the church. This is a point that Everhart makes again and again, for herself and in commentary on others' stories. Often, "solutions" take place behind closed doors, in private. Paul clearly calls for censure in front of the whole church in 1 Corinthians 5, and in 1 Thessalonians 4 he states that sexual misconduct is a violation of God, not only of human law. Often in these situations, I've seen church authorities deflect to government law,* and sidestep any divine judgment on the wrongdoer. Clearly, God stands with survivors of sexual abuse and wreaks vengeance upon abusers, even if it is not vengeance we humans can fully understand.
Everhart says many helpful things about repentance and reconciliation. "Forgiveness" and "reconciliation" are often churches' first goal, rather than telling the truth about what happened, seeking reparation for the wronged, and unqualified repentance from the wrongdoer. True biblical reconciliation can only happen after all of these things take place. Returning to the story of Tamar, I recall a powerful sermon I heard on a later passage, when David welcomes Absalom back into his family, but Absalom persists in his wrongdoing. David welcomed reconciliation, but there was no repentance or restitution, so the reconciliation failed completely. (Shoutout to Colin Smith for bringing the word that day!) There are a few situations in my own life where I long for reconciliation, but I know that no matter how much I forgive the wrongdoers, we cannot reconcile until they repent and make reparation.** This is part of the reason why asking a victim to forgive immediately after s/he reveals the truth is so cruel. The wrongdoer becomes a "victim" of the survivor's "unforgiveness," and repentance from the wrongdoer is rarely sought as stringently as survivors' forgiveness.
All this being said, I heartily recommend The #MeToo Reckoning to laypeople and clergy alike. I think it would be a fantastic resource for lay leaders and church staff to go through together as they formulate plans for how to handle these sadly inevitable situations. My one complaint is that Everhart missed some key passages that would have made her argument even stronger.
-----
*Romans 13 (being subject to governing authorities) absolutely applies here, and churches must abide by the laws regarding sexual misconduct for this reason. However, churches often use this as a cop-out, neglecting their role in removing the wrongdoer from their midst, and leaving it all to the courts. Churches need to embrace legal justice and ecclesial justice, a point Everhart makes well and frequently. Ecclesial justice should look like ejection of a recalcitrant member, standing with the survivor rather than the abuser (as God does), and censure before the whole church.
**Reparation is not always financial. A genuine apology may suffice. Apologies are part of reparation rather than repentance, because repentance takes place before God, in prayer and by changing one's ways. Only then is an apology genuine.
1 Thessalonians 4:2-8 NRSV, emphasis mine
Christian churches of every size, denomination, and theological bent have faced "complicity in sexual abuse and misconduct," as the subtitle of Everhart's book states. I hardly need state it myself. You can see it in the news, hear firsthand accounts from a friend, or experience it yourself.
Everhart, a PCUSA pastor, experienced sexual harassment and assault in her ministry and suffered manipulation at the hands of church committees. She tells those stories here, and also relays the stories of other victims and church authorities in Reckoning. I appreciated the breadth of the stories she included. Not only did she share stories from the victims' points of view, but also from clergy who regretted their mishandling of problems in their church and changed course. Interspersed are passages from the Bible, stories that Everhart tells in parallel with the modern-day stories. These passages are the usual suspects (Tamar, Bathsheba, Jesus' interactions with women).
Everhart could have let up on the Old Testament stories and tightly grasped passages from the pastoral epistles that speak directly to sexual abuse within the church (see 1 Thessalonians 4, quoted above, a "silver bullet" passage that is routinely ignored in church/#MeToo discussions). It's not that Everhart handles the stories badly, but that she could have made a much stronger case to the church by exploring passages that were written to, well, churches. The Old Testament stories are important, and so are the New Testament ones, but the pastoral epistles say so much about sexual abuse/misconduct, and they are often overlooked.
For example, 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 contains Paul's astonishment that the Corinthian church has not banished a man for his sexual misconduct. "And you are arrogant!" Paul cries. "Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you?" (1 Cor 5:2 NRSV). When I've heard this passage preached, there's often a sly patting-on-the-back that at least no one in our church is doing something so yucky! If anyone in our church was doing something that bad, we'd get rid of that person! Well, I doubt Paul would consider abuse of minors, or clergy assaulting other clergy, any less worse than whatever nonsense that man was doing. In 1 Thessalonians, he specifically called out "wronging" and "exploiting" church members, calling for the vengeance of almighty God on sexual abusers.
This is the only "cancel culture" of which Paul approves: "For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh...Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened." (1 Cor 5:3-7 NRSV, emphasis mine)
Here, Paul clearly lays out a method that churches can follow to excise abusive members of their body, to pronounce judgment and cast out the member in public assembly for the sake of the church. This is a point that Everhart makes again and again, for herself and in commentary on others' stories. Often, "solutions" take place behind closed doors, in private. Paul clearly calls for censure in front of the whole church in 1 Corinthians 5, and in 1 Thessalonians 4 he states that sexual misconduct is a violation of God, not only of human law. Often in these situations, I've seen church authorities deflect to government law,* and sidestep any divine judgment on the wrongdoer. Clearly, God stands with survivors of sexual abuse and wreaks vengeance upon abusers, even if it is not vengeance we humans can fully understand.
Everhart says many helpful things about repentance and reconciliation. "Forgiveness" and "reconciliation" are often churches' first goal, rather than telling the truth about what happened, seeking reparation for the wronged, and unqualified repentance from the wrongdoer. True biblical reconciliation can only happen after all of these things take place. Returning to the story of Tamar, I recall a powerful sermon I heard on a later passage, when David welcomes Absalom back into his family, but Absalom persists in his wrongdoing. David welcomed reconciliation, but there was no repentance or restitution, so the reconciliation failed completely. (Shoutout to Colin Smith for bringing the word that day!) There are a few situations in my own life where I long for reconciliation, but I know that no matter how much I forgive the wrongdoers, we cannot reconcile until they repent and make reparation.** This is part of the reason why asking a victim to forgive immediately after s/he reveals the truth is so cruel. The wrongdoer becomes a "victim" of the survivor's "unforgiveness," and repentance from the wrongdoer is rarely sought as stringently as survivors' forgiveness.
All this being said, I heartily recommend The #MeToo Reckoning to laypeople and clergy alike. I think it would be a fantastic resource for lay leaders and church staff to go through together as they formulate plans for how to handle these sadly inevitable situations. My one complaint is that Everhart missed some key passages that would have made her argument even stronger.
-----
*Romans 13 (being subject to governing authorities) absolutely applies here, and churches must abide by the laws regarding sexual misconduct for this reason. However, churches often use this as a cop-out, neglecting their role in removing the wrongdoer from their midst, and leaving it all to the courts. Churches need to embrace legal justice and ecclesial justice, a point Everhart makes well and frequently. Ecclesial justice should look like ejection of a recalcitrant member, standing with the survivor rather than the abuser (as God does), and censure before the whole church.
**Reparation is not always financial. A genuine apology may suffice. Apologies are part of reparation rather than repentance, because repentance takes place before God, in prayer and by changing one's ways. Only then is an apology genuine.
May 14, 2021
Calling this a good book is like calling radiation therapy "good." This was a hard book to read, painful to hear the stories embedded in it. At the same time, Everhart cannot help but hold out hope that healing is within reach, that the treatment can be effective.
I pray the church will accept this sort of radiation treatment, and engage in the hard work of eradicating the cancer of abuse that has metastasized within its walls (across any and all denominations).
I pray the church will accept this sort of radiation treatment, and engage in the hard work of eradicating the cancer of abuse that has metastasized within its walls (across any and all denominations).
January 5, 2020
I read an advanced reader copy of this important book. The #MeToo Reckoning is an unapologetic examination of how church complicity with sexual abuse occurs and a loud call for churches to do everything within their power to stop it.
Ruth rightly frames this book within the context of patriarchal norms and beliefs that declare women less than. She is correct when she insists no complementarian construction of man as a head and woman as sidekick can embody genuine equality. It is this way of thinking, no matter the fancy ways words are used to convince folks that “women are equal, they’re just different!” (so long as they follow the script), that emboldens men to exploit or assault women and strips women of their agency.
In shockingly few pages, considering punch they pack, Ruth powerfully skewers purity culture and its gender dynamics that reduce women to their bodies, devaluing them as humans and priming them for exploitation. Throughout the text, Ruth deconstructs the policies, failures, sexism, willful blindness, church-speak, and clerical power that makes abuse within the church not only particularly heinous but also so difficult to effectively address. Abusers, we learn, are extremely good at blending in, at convincing. And the church’s desire to save face, rehabilitate the abuser, or trust its own internal processes are all doomed to endanger the vulnerable and inflict additional pain on the abused.
I was thrilled to see trauma-informed care mentioned several times throughout the book. The evidence is there and this is a critical approach to handling sexual trauma. It also points to the need for churches to not rely solely on spiritual healing. Brains and bodies need healing too.
This book is critical reading for anyone involved in church leadership, whether on serving on session, working in a church nursery, chaperoning a youth group, or preaching from a pulpit each Sunday.
Ruth rightly frames this book within the context of patriarchal norms and beliefs that declare women less than. She is correct when she insists no complementarian construction of man as a head and woman as sidekick can embody genuine equality. It is this way of thinking, no matter the fancy ways words are used to convince folks that “women are equal, they’re just different!” (so long as they follow the script), that emboldens men to exploit or assault women and strips women of their agency.
In shockingly few pages, considering punch they pack, Ruth powerfully skewers purity culture and its gender dynamics that reduce women to their bodies, devaluing them as humans and priming them for exploitation. Throughout the text, Ruth deconstructs the policies, failures, sexism, willful blindness, church-speak, and clerical power that makes abuse within the church not only particularly heinous but also so difficult to effectively address. Abusers, we learn, are extremely good at blending in, at convincing. And the church’s desire to save face, rehabilitate the abuser, or trust its own internal processes are all doomed to endanger the vulnerable and inflict additional pain on the abused.
I was thrilled to see trauma-informed care mentioned several times throughout the book. The evidence is there and this is a critical approach to handling sexual trauma. It also points to the need for churches to not rely solely on spiritual healing. Brains and bodies need healing too.
This book is critical reading for anyone involved in church leadership, whether on serving on session, working in a church nursery, chaperoning a youth group, or preaching from a pulpit each Sunday.
November 27, 2019
We are a nation facing so many broken issues, this book hopefully can shed some light on ways to help fix one of them.
I was a little skeptical about reading this, as a victim like so many women I tend to stay away from these books because they either trigger me or trigger some depressive episode. This book actually did the opposite. I wanted to applaud the fact that she chose to take on such a subject and give some light on things such as "grooming"
Alot of people are not aware that there is such a thing as grooming done, that people choose their victims and fix it so they hurt them and then make them feel isolated.
I also liked at the end of the book there were resources to help those who have been abused.
This is a book that needs to be talked about for the resources provided alone, so people who are still afraid know that there are others fighting for them to be comfortable and safe to step out into the light.
I was a little skeptical about reading this, as a victim like so many women I tend to stay away from these books because they either trigger me or trigger some depressive episode. This book actually did the opposite. I wanted to applaud the fact that she chose to take on such a subject and give some light on things such as "grooming"
Alot of people are not aware that there is such a thing as grooming done, that people choose their victims and fix it so they hurt them and then make them feel isolated.
I also liked at the end of the book there were resources to help those who have been abused.
This is a book that needs to be talked about for the resources provided alone, so people who are still afraid know that there are others fighting for them to be comfortable and safe to step out into the light.
Read
March 2, 2020I wish I could press this book into the hands of every lay leader, elder, deacon, minister, and staff member of every church across this country. In these pages, Author Ruth Everhart issues a clarion call to the church to wake up to the injustices and abuse of power present in both the structures and the culture of the church today.
Each chapter weaves together scripture, expert data and insights, and a real life example of abuse within a christian institution. It’s the stories that have stuck with me most, not just because they were heartbreaking to read but because Everhart cuts through the shame and silence and clearly explains exactly what led to and perpetuated each victim’s experience. Through these stories Everhart gives us eyes to see what has already been happening right in front of us, offering both the motivation and the practical next steps a community can take to protect their parishioners and hold abusers accountable.
I’ve attended churches where the cult of personality around the pastor insulated him from even the most mild disagreement, let alone real conflict. I don’t have enough fingers to count the number of women and men I know who have experienced some kind of abuse or manipulation within the church walls. Virtually everyone I know who grew up in the grip of purity culture has been forever scarred by it, many of them leaving the church permanently in response. Even so, christians often feel the need to defer to their ‘God-given’ pastoral or denominational authority, assuming the best of their leaders. In The #MeToo Reckoning, Everhart helps us understand exactly why this attitude is harmful and what we can do about it. Healing is on the horizon, but there is work to be done. If you don’t know where to begin, start with this book.
Each chapter weaves together scripture, expert data and insights, and a real life example of abuse within a christian institution. It’s the stories that have stuck with me most, not just because they were heartbreaking to read but because Everhart cuts through the shame and silence and clearly explains exactly what led to and perpetuated each victim’s experience. Through these stories Everhart gives us eyes to see what has already been happening right in front of us, offering both the motivation and the practical next steps a community can take to protect their parishioners and hold abusers accountable.
I’ve attended churches where the cult of personality around the pastor insulated him from even the most mild disagreement, let alone real conflict. I don’t have enough fingers to count the number of women and men I know who have experienced some kind of abuse or manipulation within the church walls. Virtually everyone I know who grew up in the grip of purity culture has been forever scarred by it, many of them leaving the church permanently in response. Even so, christians often feel the need to defer to their ‘God-given’ pastoral or denominational authority, assuming the best of their leaders. In The #MeToo Reckoning, Everhart helps us understand exactly why this attitude is harmful and what we can do about it. Healing is on the horizon, but there is work to be done. If you don’t know where to begin, start with this book.
June 14, 2020
This is a hard book to get through. But it is an important book for Christians to grapple with and seriously contend with. As the past couple years have hopefully made clear, there is a lot of ugly situations of sexual abuse that get covered up in churches of all stripes and denominations. And that needs to end.
The book is largely structured as a series of stories of different churches and their (mostly failed) responses to sexual abuse interspersed with narrative explorations of various related Scriptural passages. I would have personally preferred there to be more time spent on the practicalities of what policies churches should be pursuing to better catch abusers. But Everhart did make a number of good points about what sort of patterns we should be aware of in order to better recognize abusers, and she did make several applications for churches (even if she was more focused on sharing the stories of those who have been abused within the church).
The one critique I'd make of this book is that at times Everhart seemed to be implying that conservative views of gender and authority within the church bear responsibility for the covering up of abuse. Certainly I would agree that certain patriarchal spheres within conservatism promote policies that do so. But as a critique of a doctrine that's much larger than the Wilsons or Spanglers that hold to it, I found it unhelpful with regards to this specific issue. The truth is that sexual abuse is rampant everywhere and I'm not sure we do any favors by blaming it on one worldview or another. Whether its conservatives trying to use sexual abuse issues to discredit liberals in Hollywood, Protestants using it to discredit Catholics, seculars using it to discredit churches, all these are too often ways to discredit other groups without reckoning seriously with the sexual abuse in our own circles. It's a particularly odd implication for Everhart to be making since many of these cases related in the book are from the PCUSA, which hasn't really identified itself with conservative Christianity since the 1920s.
The truth is that all circles--conservative or liberal, religious or secular, complementarian or egalitarian--have abusers lurking in them. And so rather than pointing at the other side and blaming their doctrines for the covering up of abuse, we need to take an honest, hard look at our own doctrines and practices to understand how abusers use them to cover up and protect themselves from accountability and justice. And to Everhart's credit, she did spend most of the book focusing on this, with the exception of a few scattered chapters and paragraphs.
My prayer is that through this book and the rest of the cultural moment we're in, many churches do begin taking these issues more seriously and routing more of these abusers out of our ranks.
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
The book is largely structured as a series of stories of different churches and their (mostly failed) responses to sexual abuse interspersed with narrative explorations of various related Scriptural passages. I would have personally preferred there to be more time spent on the practicalities of what policies churches should be pursuing to better catch abusers. But Everhart did make a number of good points about what sort of patterns we should be aware of in order to better recognize abusers, and she did make several applications for churches (even if she was more focused on sharing the stories of those who have been abused within the church).
The one critique I'd make of this book is that at times Everhart seemed to be implying that conservative views of gender and authority within the church bear responsibility for the covering up of abuse. Certainly I would agree that certain patriarchal spheres within conservatism promote policies that do so. But as a critique of a doctrine that's much larger than the Wilsons or Spanglers that hold to it, I found it unhelpful with regards to this specific issue. The truth is that sexual abuse is rampant everywhere and I'm not sure we do any favors by blaming it on one worldview or another. Whether its conservatives trying to use sexual abuse issues to discredit liberals in Hollywood, Protestants using it to discredit Catholics, seculars using it to discredit churches, all these are too often ways to discredit other groups without reckoning seriously with the sexual abuse in our own circles. It's a particularly odd implication for Everhart to be making since many of these cases related in the book are from the PCUSA, which hasn't really identified itself with conservative Christianity since the 1920s.
The truth is that all circles--conservative or liberal, religious or secular, complementarian or egalitarian--have abusers lurking in them. And so rather than pointing at the other side and blaming their doctrines for the covering up of abuse, we need to take an honest, hard look at our own doctrines and practices to understand how abusers use them to cover up and protect themselves from accountability and justice. And to Everhart's credit, she did spend most of the book focusing on this, with the exception of a few scattered chapters and paragraphs.
My prayer is that through this book and the rest of the cultural moment we're in, many churches do begin taking these issues more seriously and routing more of these abusers out of our ranks.
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
January 1, 2020
I received an advanced reader copy and this is a must-read. Everhart weaves scripture in with her own and other survivor's stories of sexual assault and how the church was complicit in allowing, excusing, and covering up behavior. This is a brave book. She names names. She lists organizations and processes that have failed. Even though I'm of a different denomination, my eyes widened while reading in recognition. I've heard the same excuses for abusive behavior by leaders and pastors. I've heard stories of abuse of children by trusted lay leaders, and their accounts dismissed. Everhart doesn't just call out what's wrong, but offers a way forward: through lament, and the work of justice.
I'll be writing a longer review later, but do pre-order this necessary resource for pastors and all leaders in churches, as well as those who have survived assault in the church: you are not alone.
I'll be writing a longer review later, but do pre-order this necessary resource for pastors and all leaders in churches, as well as those who have survived assault in the church: you are not alone.
June 15, 2023
Two years ago, I wrote a poem for my English class that referenced the #MeToo movement even though I did not fully understand the scope of the movement as a whole. I decided that I would research and educate myself on this particular movement alongside others that raise awareness of sexual violence, and came across this book. It took me a year to finally sit down and read this book, but I am so thankful that I did. What courage this author had to tackle this subject matter. The author did a beautiful job speaking truth with honesty and cautiousness. The content is definitely triggering, but the book contains several warnings especially before the personal stories. I think that everyone should read this book because it explains how to approach hard subjects and prevalent issues within the church through a Biblical worldview.
March 22, 2020
Such a powerful, necessary book. This isn’t a matter of the author being brave in telling her story, but it’s a matter of speaking truth and bringing change to a broken system.
January 7, 2020
Rev. Everhart tells a compelling story that is so important and not talked about. 100% would recommend for anyone who has been affected in the church--for good or for bad--to read.
February 27, 2020
Ruth Everhart's book on sexual abuse and the church is an excellent, albeit difficult, read. She shares her personal experiences with abuse/assault, as well as other people's experiences with abuse within the context of the local church, in juxtaposition with stores from Scripture of abuse, assault, and sin. I was surprised about how common all this heartache is, not just in the present day, but also in the Bible.
If you read this book with your heart and not just your mind, it will change how you view the church and how you view Jesus's work and mission. All in a good way (in my opinion) but it will still be challenging. I read this book for a broader perspective on what Christians can do in an era of #MeToo. I encourage all Christians to read this book and to truly consider how we can better love those around us like Jesus did.
Everhart's writing was compelling, engaging, and very readable despite the challenging nature of this subject matter. I truly appreciated this book and the heart behind it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
If you read this book with your heart and not just your mind, it will change how you view the church and how you view Jesus's work and mission. All in a good way (in my opinion) but it will still be challenging. I read this book for a broader perspective on what Christians can do in an era of #MeToo. I encourage all Christians to read this book and to truly consider how we can better love those around us like Jesus did.
Everhart's writing was compelling, engaging, and very readable despite the challenging nature of this subject matter. I truly appreciated this book and the heart behind it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2020
#MeToo
This book hit all the soft, broken spots in my heart, not only for myself, but for the church in general. The church routinely ignores and belittles sexually assaulted men, women and children. The church needs to wake up and figure out that protecting the assaulter isn't ok, and protecting and believing the assaulted is what they need to be doing.
I love the hope, the peace and the validation Ruth gives to survivors in this book. I think it will bring healing, and hope to hearts that feel dry and desperate.
This book hit all the soft, broken spots in my heart, not only for myself, but for the church in general. The church routinely ignores and belittles sexually assaulted men, women and children. The church needs to wake up and figure out that protecting the assaulter isn't ok, and protecting and believing the assaulted is what they need to be doing.
I love the hope, the peace and the validation Ruth gives to survivors in this book. I think it will bring healing, and hope to hearts that feel dry and desperate.
January 16, 2020
The church needs this book right now. Pastor Everhart’s writing is truthful, poetic, blunt, convicting, and prophetic. We need to take the time and space to listen to victims and survivors so that the church can re-form itself into a safe and sacred space. This book, reading these stories, understanding these Bible passages, is a fantastic first step in this journey toward reconciliation. I commend it to everyone involved in the church but most especially to those in power— pastors, lay leaders, elders, councils, vestries, and bishops. Read it for the sake of our children, read it for the sake of our church.
August 31, 2020
Ruth Everhart works as a Presbyterian pastor, but she is also a victim of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Long before the #metoo movement sexual assault and harassment victims struggled to tell their stories and receive compassionate responses when they did. You would think that the Church, a haven for broken people finding healing through Christ, would be better in handling this issue. But, unfortunately that is not always the case. Everhart shows some of the reasons why the Church hasn't handled sexual assault and harassment well and gives current and Biblical examples. Unfortunately the Church has tended to shy away from discussing sexuality overall, which tends to lead to shame for victims and easy targets for predators. Everhart gives solid tips for how Church leaders can do better and be more aware of these issues, how to prevent them, and how to better deal with them when they happen. While parts of this book are hard to read, Everhart does give hope that the Church can do better with this issue. So, while it is a hard read, it is also a hopeful read.
Some quotes I liked:
"Let me be clear about another thing: I am not a liberal feminist. I am a radical feminist. Which is to say, it's not enough that individual women can thrive in a patriarchal culture. As long as women as a group are treated as less than men, it doesn't matter that individual women can experience success. Inequality is not what God intends for human society. Inequality is certainly not what Jesus modeled. My love for Jesus is why I embrace the #MeToo movement. As imperfect as it is, this collective action highlights the ways that inequality breeds abuse. It has garnered the power to push back against that abuse, pushback that is long overdue. I feel frustrated when Christians treat #MeToo as a sinful movement dripping with the venom of feminism. Feminism is not a hateful ideology. It's the belief that women are people too." (p. 6-7)
"While complementarians insist that these gendered roles are equal in value, in practice they are not. From my childhood, I know that the roles do not feel equal. Certainly the dynamic created is one of unequal power. This is an enormous problem. Sexual abuse is always the abuse of power. I am not alone in connecting the dots between a conservative view of gender roles and increased harm from sexual abuse." (p. 12)
"Making an untimely push toward so-called reconciliation is a way religious people commonly deal with wrong doing. Real reconciliation lies at the end of a long road and is rarely achieved. It involves the pursuit of accountability and justice, which takes time and intentionality." (p. 68)
"I learned that many people equate healing with silence. I sometimes receive messages from people who hope I will finally find healing. While I don't believe they intend to convey condescension, what they unintentionally echo is the premise at the heart of my memoir: that when a woman is raped, she is viewed as permanently damaged. To some people, the rape stain has apparently lingered on me some forty years - since I'm still writing about it. The implication is that when I'm healed I will stop writing about sexual assault. In other words, their goal is my silence." (p. 106)
"Since the story line involves David having sex with Bathsheba, David's sin is often labeled as adultery. But adultery is an odd label for a king who's polygamous and has access to dozens of concubines. What marital bond has he violated? David's targeting of Bathsheba is altogether different from a modern-day husband stepping out on a spouse. More precisely, what David did with Bathsheba is an abuse of his power. David exploited the enormous power differential that existed between men and women in general, and between himself and any vassal, in order to have sex with a particular woman. The word for that crime is rape....When I was a child, David's 'downfall' was blamed on Bathsheba's beauty. This is a cunning interpretation. It sidesteps the question of identifying David's sin - adultery, theft, or rape - and simply makes Bathsheba responsible for it. The victim is to blame for being victimized." (p. 122-23)
"For instance, the concept of consent is intrinsic to sexual activity, yet it is totally absent from purity culture. The emphasis on the submission of a wife to a husband downplays a woman's ability - or need - to exercise agency. If she must submit, how can she consent? Paradoxically, a woman is often seen as responsible for her own victimization." (p. 127)
Some quotes I liked:
"Let me be clear about another thing: I am not a liberal feminist. I am a radical feminist. Which is to say, it's not enough that individual women can thrive in a patriarchal culture. As long as women as a group are treated as less than men, it doesn't matter that individual women can experience success. Inequality is not what God intends for human society. Inequality is certainly not what Jesus modeled. My love for Jesus is why I embrace the #MeToo movement. As imperfect as it is, this collective action highlights the ways that inequality breeds abuse. It has garnered the power to push back against that abuse, pushback that is long overdue. I feel frustrated when Christians treat #MeToo as a sinful movement dripping with the venom of feminism. Feminism is not a hateful ideology. It's the belief that women are people too." (p. 6-7)
"While complementarians insist that these gendered roles are equal in value, in practice they are not. From my childhood, I know that the roles do not feel equal. Certainly the dynamic created is one of unequal power. This is an enormous problem. Sexual abuse is always the abuse of power. I am not alone in connecting the dots between a conservative view of gender roles and increased harm from sexual abuse." (p. 12)
"Making an untimely push toward so-called reconciliation is a way religious people commonly deal with wrong doing. Real reconciliation lies at the end of a long road and is rarely achieved. It involves the pursuit of accountability and justice, which takes time and intentionality." (p. 68)
"I learned that many people equate healing with silence. I sometimes receive messages from people who hope I will finally find healing. While I don't believe they intend to convey condescension, what they unintentionally echo is the premise at the heart of my memoir: that when a woman is raped, she is viewed as permanently damaged. To some people, the rape stain has apparently lingered on me some forty years - since I'm still writing about it. The implication is that when I'm healed I will stop writing about sexual assault. In other words, their goal is my silence." (p. 106)
"Since the story line involves David having sex with Bathsheba, David's sin is often labeled as adultery. But adultery is an odd label for a king who's polygamous and has access to dozens of concubines. What marital bond has he violated? David's targeting of Bathsheba is altogether different from a modern-day husband stepping out on a spouse. More precisely, what David did with Bathsheba is an abuse of his power. David exploited the enormous power differential that existed between men and women in general, and between himself and any vassal, in order to have sex with a particular woman. The word for that crime is rape....When I was a child, David's 'downfall' was blamed on Bathsheba's beauty. This is a cunning interpretation. It sidesteps the question of identifying David's sin - adultery, theft, or rape - and simply makes Bathsheba responsible for it. The victim is to blame for being victimized." (p. 122-23)
"For instance, the concept of consent is intrinsic to sexual activity, yet it is totally absent from purity culture. The emphasis on the submission of a wife to a husband downplays a woman's ability - or need - to exercise agency. If she must submit, how can she consent? Paradoxically, a woman is often seen as responsible for her own victimization." (p. 127)
March 25, 2021
The #MeTwoo reckoning has come to the church. We all know about the sex scandals of the Roman Catholic Church, but Protestantism is far from perfect. In fact, the stain is widespread. In this book Ruth Everhart exposes the ways in which the church has been complicit with sexual abuse and misconduct, sometimes in the name of confidentiality. But the way in which women are perceived has added to this challenge.
This is one of those books that everyone in ministry needs to read because it covers a wide range of issues from sexual harassment by senior ministers of their associates and the cover-up by churches. Even denominational officials can, in the name of protecting the fiduciary side of things, fail to act appropriately.
What is somewhat unique is the way in which Everhart weaves the stories of abuse and misconduct with biblical stories. in doing this, she is able to root the conversation in the larger tradition of the church and thus calling us all to account. So, it is one of those must-reads!
This is one of those books that everyone in ministry needs to read because it covers a wide range of issues from sexual harassment by senior ministers of their associates and the cover-up by churches. Even denominational officials can, in the name of protecting the fiduciary side of things, fail to act appropriately.
What is somewhat unique is the way in which Everhart weaves the stories of abuse and misconduct with biblical stories. in doing this, she is able to root the conversation in the larger tradition of the church and thus calling us all to account. So, it is one of those must-reads!
January 19, 2020
This book really hits hard! I can not think of a more important book to read this year - for those in and outside of the Christian church culture. For a tough topic, Everhart does a great job of keeping the reader's interest with compelling true stories matched with biblical narratives. This book is not just for women or just for those in faith communities. Power dynamics exist everywhere, and I'm pretty sure that just about anyone could read this and find value in the experiences. These are universal truths. For those not on the receiving end of bad behavior, it can be very hard to believe that this happens - not exaggerated or misunderstood, but actually happens. Everhart's truth telling brings the reader along, to see for themselves that this is a problem that the Church needs to see and discuss. Please read this, share the ideas, and advocate for yourself and for others in your community.
February 24, 2020
It seems more MeToo stories are happening in churches more and more today. Author Ruth Everhart shares her heart and passion for helping those who have been hurt by the people in the church as well as her own traumatic story and how the Lord has used her to help others heal.
The MeToo Reckoning is a book that is needed today, not just for those who have been hurt by the church, but also for those who want their eyes open to the injustice that is happening to people today.
I graciously received an advance e-copy for review. All opinions are my own.
The MeToo Reckoning is a book that is needed today, not just for those who have been hurt by the church, but also for those who want their eyes open to the injustice that is happening to people today.
I graciously received an advance e-copy for review. All opinions are my own.
April 10, 2020
Ruth Everhart handles this sensitive and crucial topic with skill and insight. I count this as a must read for every person in ministry, professional or volunteer.
January 25, 2023
What an amazing book. If you work in a church or go to church this should be required reading. I left feeling connected to the Bible in a different way
June 15, 2024
this is an excellent book - an important read and insight into the nature of the church and the me too movement. it is a heavy topic, but one that is important.
July 25, 2020
I received this book purely accidentally, I was visiting my local library when I spotted this book sitting on the "take one free book" shelf. I hadn't realized that this was a Christian book until later that day when I began to read it. She speaks on the issue of purity culture, damages of protecting predators in the church, needing to protect the vulnerable, and justices/law. I read this book within three days; I was intrigued from front to back.
Without spoiling the book, I just want to end with my review that it was healing and refreshing to read. To be honest, it was the first time I have ever heard someone say that patriarchy is a sin!
Would recommend for Chrisitan and non-Christian alike (Non-Christian here!)
Without spoiling the book, I just want to end with my review that it was healing and refreshing to read. To be honest, it was the first time I have ever heard someone say that patriarchy is a sin!
Would recommend for Chrisitan and non-Christian alike (Non-Christian here!)
September 17, 2019
This was a book that I was not sure I wanted to read as I was a probation office, have read many works on spousal abuse, sexoffenders, and treatment options. I do no regret the day I decided to read it. Ruth uses narratives, biblical exegesis, and ends each chapter with: 1) the text asks us, and 2) My Hope.
Ruth structures the chapters such that she introduce a narrative followed by a Biblical passage fitting to the theme of the narraitive. Ruth' covering of different passages exigetical treasures helping us to gaze deeper into each text and movong us to take action in building churches that protect and stand alongside those who have been sexually abused.
This is an excellent book, with a very timely subject, that deserves to be read by members of the Church. I was moved in the reading of this book and believe it should be mandatory reading followed by discussion, and action by Church staff in a transparent way.
Ruth structures the chapters such that she introduce a narrative followed by a Biblical passage fitting to the theme of the narraitive. Ruth' covering of different passages exigetical treasures helping us to gaze deeper into each text and movong us to take action in building churches that protect and stand alongside those who have been sexually abused.
This is an excellent book, with a very timely subject, that deserves to be read by members of the Church. I was moved in the reading of this book and believe it should be mandatory reading followed by discussion, and action by Church staff in a transparent way.
January 30, 2021
A necessary book for all church leaders, and for those who are able and for those who have been impacted by sexual assault, Everhart names and explains things in a healing way. Part memoir, part biblical exegesis, part community storytelling, I could not stop reading. This book impresses upon readers the importance of attentiveness to systems that could allow for abuse. Vigilance is required for the sake of protecting the vulnerable and fostering healing. It is so easy in the midst of a situation where someone is accused of sexual misconduct to want to try and keep that information from spreading. However Everhart shows, with hindsight, keeping those secrets cause so much more pain than if leaders believe victims and openly share information with relevant bodies to hold those in power accountable. A timely book, with figures like Larry Nassar and Harvey Weinstein finally being held accountable; let us do the same for perpetrators who are in the church.
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