Did He Hit Her? A Compassionate Christian Response to Abusive Relationships
By John Zehring
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About this ebook
Did He Hit Her tells the story of a woman who became entangled in an abusive relationship later in life with a man whose jealous and controlling behavior drained her of her vitality, happiness, and health. Did he hit her? No, not physically, but he hit her with a two-by-four of emotional abuse. Would physical violence have been more abusive than his narcissistic pathological need to control which thrust its jealous hand into her soul and cupped it over her heart, smothered it, denied it breathing space and crushed its joy until it just could not beat another beat? He knew her vulnerability and her need and he exploited it. Emotional abuse is domestic violence.
Around the world, at least one in four women has been or will be physically or sexually abused during her lifetime. Far more will be emotionally abused. Domestic abuse does not care about how much education you have, how well raised you were, how much money you've got, how successful you've been, what kind of person you are, where you live or where you go to church.
The eBook suggests resources where women may find help. The faith crisis and spiritual challenges which can result from abuse are addressed in a compassionate Christian affirmation. Sometimes the Bible is taken out of context and misused to justify abuse or rationalize the inequality of women. The book also encourages women in an abusive relationship to affirm their rights as human beings.
If you know people who find themselves in abusive relationships, please refer this eBook to them. It is offered without cost so that it may be easily accessible to all who need it.
John Zehring
John Zehring has served United Church of Christ congregations as Senior Pastor in Massachusetts (Andover), Rhode Island (Kingston), and Maine (Augusta) and as an Interim Pastor in Massachusetts (Arlington, Harvard). Prior to parish ministry, he served in higher education, primarily in development and institutional advancement. He worked as a dean of students, director of career planning and placement, adjunct professor of public speaking and as a vice president at a seminary and at a college. He is the author of more than sixty books and is a regular writer for The Christian Citizen, an American Baptist social justice publication. He has taught Public Speaking, Creative Writing, Educational Psychology and Church Administration. John was the founding editor of the publication Seminary Development News, a publication for seminary presidents, vice presidents and trustees (published by the Association of Theological Schools, funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment). He graduated from Eastern University and holds graduate degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Rider University, and the Earlham School of Religion. He is listed in Marquis' WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA and is a recipient of their Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. John and his wife Donna live in two places, in central Massachusetts and by the sea in Maine.
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Did He Hit Her? A Compassionate Christian Response to Abusive Relationships - John Zehring
Did He Hit Her?
A Compassionate Christian Response to
Abusive Relationships
John Zehring
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2014 John Zehring
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
Thank you for downloading this eBook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.
Introduction
Did He Hit Her tells the story of a woman who became entangled in an abusive relationship later in life with a man whose jealous and controlling behavior drained her of her vitality, happiness, and health. Did he hit her? No, not physically, but he hit her with a two-by-four of emotional abuse. Would physical violence have been more abusive than his narcissistic pathological need to control which thrust its jealous hand into her soul and cupped it over her heart, smothered it, denied it breathing space and crushed its joy until it just could not beat another beat? He knew her vulnerability and her need and he exploited it. Emotional abuse is domestic violence.
Around the world, at least one in four women has been or will be physically or sexually abused during her lifetime. Far more will be emotionally abused. Domestic abuse does not care about how