Explore the impact of communities and faiths on personality structures, the weaponization of scriptures, and Christian nationalism. Learn about the importance of staying with core feelings and embracing grief for healing. Hear from guest Mark Charles about the legacy of the doctrine of discovery and the intergenerational trauma experienced by marginalized communities. Conclude the series with a call for lament and a focus on love, connection, and hope.
Spiritual trauma can result from the weaponization of religious scriptures, historical traumas like colonization and genocide, and perpetration-induced traumatic stress (PITS).
The Doctrine of Discovery has justified the dehumanization and exploitation of indigenous peoples, perpetuating white superiority and trauma for both indigenous and white communities.
White America has its own trauma rooted in historical injustices, resulting in perpetration-induced traumatic stress (PITS) and a state of shock and denial. Recognizing this trauma allows for meaningful dialogue and healing.
Deep dives
The Impact of Spiritual Trauma
Spiritual trauma can have long-lasting effects on individuals and communities. It can stem from the weaponization of religious scriptures, such as promoting harmful beliefs about gender or race. Historical traumas like colonization and genocide have also played a role in perpetuating spiritual trauma. It's important to acknowledge the psychological consequences of spiritual abuse, which can manifest as perpetration-induced traumatic stress (PITS). This trauma affects not only the victims but also the perpetrators and the broader society. Understanding the trauma can help us address the shock and denial that often accompanies it and create a space for healing and repair.
The Doctrine of Discovery
The Doctrine of Discovery, a series of papal bulls, has been used to justify the dehumanization and exploitation of indigenous peoples. It allowed European nations to claim land that was not ruled by white Christian rulers and enslaved its inhabitants. The doctrine, along with the belief in a promised land, has perpetuated the idea of white superiority and the right to commit genocide. This history has led to the trauma of indigenous communities and has also had a psychological impact on white communities who have been taught these distorted narratives. Recognizing the trauma connected to the Doctrine of Discovery allows us to challenge narratives of manifest destiny and work towards healing and justice.
White America as Traumatized
White America has its own trauma rooted in the perpetration of historical injustices. The trauma is a perpetration-induced traumatic stress (PITS) resulting from the actions and benefits received by white individuals and society. This trauma is complex, multi-generational, and communal. Recognizing this trauma helps us understand why white communities may be in a state of shock and denial when confronted with their own history. Treating white audiences as traumatized allows for more meaningful dialogue and opens the door for healing and reconciliation.
Moving towards Healing and Repair
Acknowledging and addressing spiritual trauma requires a focus on feelings, curiosity, exploration, and repair. Allowing ourselves to feel the pain caused by our actions and being witness to the experiences of others is an important step. Curiosity and exploration help us understand why we acted in harmful ways and the systems that perpetuated that behavior. Repair involves changing our actions, publicly acknowledging our insights, giving power and space to those we've harmed, and actively working on building new systems. Repair means doing the opposite of what caused the harm and nurturing emotional connections rather than perpetuating harm.
Understanding Triggers and Trauma Responses
Triggers are sights, sounds, or smells that take individuals back to the chaos of a traumatic experience. When someone is triggered, they enter fight or flight mode, making it unproductive to argue with them. The best approach when dealing with a severely triggered person is to prioritize safety. After the episode, when the individual has calmed down, it is possible to engage in a conversation about the trigger and the resulting disruptive response, leading to a deeper dialogue.
Dealing with Guilt and Repairing Harm
Guilt is a healthy response to causing harm, but it needs to be addressed in a supportive environment. The church often struggles to handle guilt in a healthy way, either by justifying actions or suppressing guilt. This lack of healthy response creates spaces where perpetrators have no opportunity to address their guilt, impeding their ability to change. Lamenting and acknowledging collective guilt is crucial for healing and repairing systemic wounds. The church needs to embrace a season of lament, not just a fleeting moment, to encounter the transformative power of lament. This can lead to a shift in worldview, fostering systemic change and supporting descendants of those who have been harmed.
The series up until now has focused on individuals who have experienced spiritual trauma, but that has left some questions unanswered: what about those who perpetuate or are complicit in spiritual trauma? What about those of us who may not even know that has been the case? What about systemic spiritual trauma that is part of the fabric of our cultures? In this concluding episode, we address the other side of spiritual trauma and hear from Mark Charles about the legacy of the doctrine of discovery.
Content note: this episode references residential schools.
Correction: This episode references a shooting at a protest and the perpetrator's name in the audio is incorrect. The perpetrator was Kyle Rittenhouse, not Dylann Roof.
Credits
Written and recorded by: Hillary McBride
Guests: William Matthews III, Dr. Roberto Che Espinoza, and K.J. Ramsey
Executive producer: Leslie Roberts
Sound editing: Bradley Danyluk and Micaela Peragallo
Music and scoring: Jon Guerra, adapted from the album Ordinary Ways, strings performed by Valerie Guerra
Logo and art: Courtney Searcy
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