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Trauma and Lived Religion pp 129–151Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Trauma in Relationship—Healing by Religion: Restoring Dignity and Meaning After Traumatic Experiences

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Abstract

Trauma in relationship, often experienced as micro-trauma, may affect spirituality as spirituality is lived as and in a relationship to God. If a relationship is traumatizing it effects all dimensions of the human being and dispossesses him/her of his/her dignity. In trauma, identity is breaking and the offender denies the existence of his victim. Against this inner breakdown, the basic acceptance can provide healing forces. In pastoral care God’s promise “it is good that you exist” can be experienced concretely. In a traumatic relationship, individuality is destroyed. Against the malignant verdict of the offender, pastoral care can provide the experience of the “it is good how you are”. The loss of relationships by infidelity can heal in a faithful relationship, which provides the covenant that the first two promises will be true forever. This triple promise confirms a person’s dignity; it is a promise, which is finally and in an unbroken fidelity given by God himself.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Moral Theology and Christian Ethics, School of Catholic Theology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Mariéle Wulf

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  1. Mariéle Wulf
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Correspondence to Mariéle Wulf .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Religion and Theology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    R. Ruard Ganzevoort

  2. Faculty of Religion and Theology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Srdjan Sremac

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Wulf, M. (2019). Trauma in Relationship—Healing by Religion: Restoring Dignity and Meaning After Traumatic Experiences. In: Ganzevoort, R., Sremac, S. (eds) Trauma and Lived Religion . Palgrave Studies in Lived Religion and Societal Challenges. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91872-3_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91872-3_7

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-91871-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-91872-3

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