Safeguarding as mission: Learning from encounters with Jesus
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The Leadership Trap
[Subscriber Only Content]
Bleeding for Jesus
Bleeding for Jesus
Author Andrew Graystone
Publisher DLT £12.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781913657123
To say this book is ‘disturbing’ is a gross understatement. It is a devastating analysis of the abuse by the late John Smyth, barrister and evangelist, who mercilessly caned the young men he was supposedly mentoring. He totally distorted the Christian gospel to persuade them that they needed to atone for sin through immense physical pain. His many victims were drawn from conservative evangelical ‘camps’ that attracted boys and young men from elite public schools, representing a traditional brand of ‘muscular’ Christianity. If Smyth’s crimes were horrific, so was the establishment cover-up. Graystone, a campaigning journalist, convincingly demonstrates that many senior Church of England clergymen knew all the details of Smyth’s illegal behaviour by 1982. They encouraged him to relocate to southern Africa, where the abuse continued. Further evidence emerged around 2013, but the Anglican establishment procrastinated again, and Smyth’s many victims have been largely ignored. Although this is a difficult book to read, it is theologically wise and represents an invaluable resource for safeguarding training.
Reviewed by MALCOLM DAWSON
Safeguarding
To Heal and Not to Hurt
To Heal and Not to Hurt
Authors Rosie Harper & Alan Wilson
Publisher DLT £12.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9780232533941
Subtitled, ‘A fresh approach to safeguarding in Church’, this is a timely analysis which the Bishop of Buckingham and his chaplain intend as ‘an attempt to understand why good church people end up doing bad things.’ They recognise that all abuse emanates from controlling behaviour and the misuse of power. 15 short stories – fictional, but drawing on real situations – show that the Church’s response (or lack of it) may be as hurtful as the original events. ‘Abused in the place they loved by the people they trusted’ means the Church has responsibilities that should not be evaded. Other chapters refer to various aspects of the stories to draw out more general principles, with a strong case made for a mandatory reporting regime so that the abused do not have to face the agony of whether to report or not, coupled with independent inquiry procedures that are truly independent. While recognising that progress has been made in recent years, the authors identify four areas in need of radical reform: Accompaniment; Restoration and Redress; Whistle blowing and Clergy Discipline. This stimulating book shines useful lights in dark places and will enable readers to be alert to situations that could be, or could become, abusive.
JOHN KNOWLES
Pastoral, Safeguarding
Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse
Escaping the Maze
of Spiritual Abuse
Authors Lisa Oakley & Justin Humphreys
Publisher SPCK £10.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9780281081318
Spiritual abuse, whilst not always being named as such, has been around in the church for generations. As the authors say, it can be bottom up, side-by-side or top down, and it is essential that it is recognised and named for what it is. In this compelling and accessible book the authors do exactly that. Without any hint of sensationalism and with real life, fully- anonymised examples the authors address key questions of the what, how and why of spiritual abuse. However, this is more than a retrospective overview; significant chapters explore the way forward in terms of the creation of safer cultures, and responding well to disclosures – again in a practical and easily accessible way. Research based, thorough and refreshingly light on jargon, I found this an easy read – not in terms of its subject matter – but because it broadened my horizons and deepened my understanding of this important aspect of the church’s ministry.
CHRIS BRACEGIRDLE
Ministry, Safeguarding
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