The #Metoo Reckoning: Facing the Church's Complicity in Sexual Abuse and Misconduct
- 2020 Publishers Weekly Book of the Year - Religion
★ Publishers Weekly starred review. The #MeToo movement has revealed sexual abuse and assault in every sphere of society, including the church. But victims are routinely ignored by fellow Christians who deny their accounts and fail to bring accountability to the perpetrators. All too often, churches have been complicit in protecting abusers, reinforcing patriarchal power dynamics, and creating cultures of secrecy, shame, and silence. Pastor and survivor Ruth Everhart shines a light on the prevalence of sexual abuse and misconduct within faith communities. She candidly discloses stories of how she and others have experienced assault in church settings, highlighting the damage done to individuals, families, and communities. Everhart offers hope to survivors as she declares that God is present with the violated and stands in solidarity with victims. Scriptural narratives like those of Tamar and Bathsheba carry powerful resonance in today's context, as do the accounts of Jesus' interactions with women. God is at work in the midst of this #MeToo moment to call the church to repentance and deliver us from violence against the vulnerable.
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"This is a book for survivors, for churches who have failed victims, for those who seek to mourn with those who mourn, and for those who love justice and endeavor to bring healing and renewal. By weaving together biblical narratives and contemporary stories with her own painful past, Ruth Everhart unflinchingly confronts the culture of silence, shame, and denial that too often characterizes a Christian response to abuse. This is a book of reckoning."
Kristin Kobes Du Mez, professor of history and gender studies at Calvin College and author of A New Gospel for Women
"Individual bodies can't heal until they receive a diagnosis. Likewise, the body of Christ can't heal until it learns what is making it sick. With bold storytelling and deep engagement with the biblical text, Ruth Everhart diagnoses the unchecked power, patriarchy, and shallow forms of forgiveness that plague many Christian communities grappling with abuse. She also points to the cure: a better, more biblical practice of justice for victims. May this book ensure that more victims' cries for justice are finally heard."
Katelyn Beaty, author of A Woman's Place: A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home, and the World
"In The #MeToo Reckoning, Ruth Everhart creatively interweaves real-life stories of how Protestant churches have been complicit in the sexual abuse of women with counterpart stories from Scripture. In telling the stories--both the real-life stories and the biblical ones--Everhart does not flinch from pointing out how those who held the reins of power used silence, evasion, threats, and denial to protect abusers. In each case, she goes beyond denunciation, however, to point out how they could and should have acted differently. The result is a gripping, prophetic call to churches to halt the cover-ups of sexual abuse of women and secure justice for the victims. An eloquent, spiritually deep wake-up call. This book had to be written!"
Nicholas Wolterstorff, Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology, Yale University
"The church must pay attention to the #MeToo movement. Among us are victims of sexual abuse who have been marginalized and perpetrators who have received easy grace. Through case studies and a careful look at Scripture, Ruth Everhart helps us understand the religious and cultural dynamics that foster sexual violence against women and children. I highly recommend The #MeToo Reckoning as a resource for congregations committed to preventing and confronting sexual violence."
Nancy Werking Poling, editor of Victim to Survivor: Women Recovering from Clergy Sexual Abuse
