+ From Fear to Faith: trauma and hope in Christ’s community --Dr. Joyce Ann Mercer, Ph.D., LCSW
+ Joyce Ann Mercer, Ph.D., LCSW Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA
+ Psalm Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me. 8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures for ever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
+ Migration & Trauma?
+ PLAN FOR THE DAY: TEACHING ABOUT TRAUMA CONNECTIONS TO IMMIGRATION EXPERIENCE THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION
+ Ground rules Honor all experiences Respect and care in how we talk together
+ What does the word ‘trauma’ mean to you? Can you name some examples?
+ τρα û μα = “wound” PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGIC AL SPIRITUAL
+ DANGER TO EXISTENCE OR IDENTITY
+ OVERWHELMS ABILITY TO COPE
+ Types of trauma ___________________________________________
+ DIRECT TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE
+ Invisible Trauma:
+ Secondary Trauma
+ Participation- Induced Trauma: The trauma of participation in another’s suffering
+ Collective Trauma
+ Can you relate to any of these five types of trauma? Direct Invisible Secondary Participation-Induced Collective
+ Neuroscience HOW THE BRAIN AND THE BODY RESPOND TO TRAUMA?
+ Memories and words about the traumatic experience are often fragmented.
+ TRIGGERS
+ Body responds as if the traumatic event is happening now, instead of in the past.
Feelings in the body get separated from the ‘story’ of the actual trauma event. They happen by themselves, triggered by something that causes the body to respond as if traumatized in present time.
+ trauma & MIGRATION
+ WHAT’S TRAUMATIC ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF IMMIGRATION ?
+ TRAUMA SOURCES: PREVIOUS TRAUMA FROM EXPERIENCE IN HOME COUNTRY
+ AND…. NEW TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES ? “CULTURE SHOCK”
+ JUDITH HERMAN CONNECTION EMPOWERMENT
+ CHURCH: EMPOWERMENT AND CONNECTION THROUGH CHRIST
+ PILGRIMAGE Christian life as a journey, a pilgrimage ‘Real’ home is in God Exodus
+ Called into wilderness
+ Discussion: How is immigration like the call to go into the wilderness?
+ WILDERNESS Desolate Barren Dangerous Empty Open Beautiful Invites turn to God & to neighbor Place where get “new names” __________
+ CHURCH PLACE OF COMMITMENT TO SHARED JOURNEY INTO WILDERNESS
+ CONNECTION & EMPOWERMENT
+ JUNG YOUNG LEE: MARGINALITY AS: “IN-BETWEEN” –’EXISTENTIAL NOTHINGNESS “IN-BOTH”—OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A NEW REALITY “IN-BEYOND”—IN BOTH WORLDS BUT NOT BOUND BY EITHER
+ JESUS AS HUMAN/DIVINE ONE
+ For more on this and other topics go to my website
+ Sources: Cruz, Gemma Tulud (2010). An Intercultural Theology of Migration: Pilgrims in the Wilderness. Leiden/Boston: Brill. Lee, Jung Young (1995). Marginality: The Key to Multicultural Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press