1. + From Fear to Faith: trauma and hope in Christ’s community --Dr. Joyce Ann Mercer, Ph.D., LCSW

2. + Joyce Ann Mercer, Ph.D., LCSW Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA

3. + Psalm 138 7 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.

5. + Migration & Trauma?

6. + PLAN FOR THE DAY: TEACHING ABOUT TRAUMA CONNECTIONS TO IMMIGRATION EXPERIENCE THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION

7. + Ground rules Honor all experiences Respect and care in how we talk together

8. + What does the word ‘trauma’ mean to you? Can you name some examples?

9. + τρα û μα = “wound” PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGIC AL SPIRITUAL

10. + DANGER TO EXISTENCE OR IDENTITY

11. + OVERWHELMS ABILITY TO COPE

12. + Types of trauma ___________________________________________

13. + DIRECT TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE

14. + Invisible Trauma:

15. + Secondary Trauma

16. + Participation- Induced Trauma: The trauma of participation in another’s suffering

17. + Collective Trauma

18. + Can you relate to any of these five types of trauma? Direct Invisible Secondary Participation-Induced Collective

19. + Neuroscience HOW THE BRAIN AND THE BODY RESPOND TO TRAUMA?

20. + Memories and words about the traumatic experience are often fragmented.

21. + TRIGGERS

22. + Body responds as if the traumatic event is happening now, instead of in the past.

23. 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.

28. + trauma & MIGRATION

29. + WHAT’S TRAUMATIC ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF IMMIGRATION ?

30. + TRAUMA SOURCES: PREVIOUS TRAUMA FROM EXPERIENCE IN HOME COUNTRY

31. + AND…. NEW TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES ? “CULTURE SHOCK”

32. + JUDITH HERMAN CONNECTION EMPOWERMENT

33. + CHURCH: EMPOWERMENT AND CONNECTION THROUGH CHRIST

34. + PILGRIMAGE Christian life as a journey, a pilgrimage ‘Real’ home is in God Exodus

35. + Called into wilderness

36. + Discussion: How is immigration like the call to go into the wilderness?

37. + WILDERNESS Desolate Barren Dangerous Empty Open Beautiful Invites turn to God & to neighbor Place where get “new names” __________

38. + CHURCH PLACE OF COMMITMENT TO SHARED JOURNEY INTO WILDERNESS

39. + CONNECTION & EMPOWERMENT

40. + 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

41. + JESUS AS HUMAN/DIVINE ONE

43. + www.joyceannmercer.com For more on this and other topics go to my website

44. + 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