Surviving God

"""A monumental gift to the church and to survivors alike. With profound insight and theological precision, Kim and Shaw reexamine the Scriptures from the point of view of the God who survives, survivors in the Scriptures, and Jesus--the survivor of sexual violence. Surviving God is both indictment and healing balm for the church in an age of reckoning."" --Lisa Sharon Harper, critically acclaimed author of The Very Good Gospel and Fortune ""An essential book for everyone who cares about the suffering of the innocent and the moral worthiness of this religion called Christianity."" --David P. Gushee, author of Changing Our Mind, After Evangelicalism, and Defending Democracy from Its Christian Enemies ""For anyone longing for an understanding of God beyond the toxic and abusive theologies of the patriarchy--this book is for you!"" --Rev. Dr. Rebecca Todd Peters, professor of religious studies and founding director of the Poverty and Social Justice Program at Elon University, and author of Trust Women ""Theology done through the eyes and voices of survivors of sexual violence and abuse is something that every community that calls itself Christian needs."" --Mary Foskett, chair, Department for the Study of Religions, Wake Forest University ""Surviving God exposes the toxic theology that dominates much of evangelical Christianity, but more importantly, it exchanges those distortions for images of God that offer hope and comfort. Grace and Susan's engagement with Scripture, the church, and the experiences of sexual survivors is as unflinching as it is healing."" --Jennifer Garcia Bashaw, associate professor of New Testament and Christian ministry, Campbell University ""How can we transform rape culture? By reimagining our society's all-powerful, authoritarian, male God. Centering the voices of sexual abuse survivors, Surviving God shows us a path through the dark thicket of a violent God, toward the sunlight of a God who yearns for justice and joy."" --Christa Brown, author of This Little Light ""This timely, powerful book radically centers the experiences of sexual abuse survivors. It addresses with sensitivity the tensions of negotiating a faith tradition that has compounded abuse, yet also simultaneously offers visions of a more just community. The authors do not let God off the hook, but acknowledge that God, too, can be understood as a co-survivor of, and escapee from, toxic theologies."" --Susannah Cornwall, author of Constructive Theology and Gender Variance and Un/Familiar Theology ""A much-needed message of assurance and comfort for survivors of sexual abuse and those who support them. As survivors themselves, Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Susan M. Shaw made the hard journey of deconstructing their learned theology and reimagining God as one who suffers with us, liberates us for the work of justice, and calls us to create beloved communities that are safe, welcoming, liberatory, and transformative."" --Rev. Dr. Pamela R. Durso, president, Central Seminary, Shawnee, Kansas ""Kim and Shaw courageously address the difficult reality of sexual assault and violence in both society and church. The authors' multilayer approach includes their dialogue with each other, as well as stories from other survivors of sexual abuse. Even in a world of suffering and injustice, this book provides a helpful method of critique and reimagination that presents pathways to new understandings and practices, with the potential for new hope and joy."" --Edwin David Aponte, dean of the Theological School and professor of religion and culture at Drew University"