Christianity and domestic abuse

The relationship between Christianity, the church and domestic abuse has been under-examined, especially in the UK. In many churches, domestic abuse continues to be a taboo topic and church communities are often ill-equipped to handle disclosures, indeed, church communities and leaders have been found to sometimes be complicit with perpetrators. Patriarchal church structures and conservative theology have been found to prolong the duration of abusive relationships, while the misuse of scripture to perpetuate ‘spiritual abuse’ can lead to loss of faith in God and mistrust of the church for many survivors. However, this is not the only narrative of domestic abuse and the church; a growing number of churches and Christian denominations are taking an active stand against domestic abuse, developing policies and safeguarding systems, and providing support and advocacy. This chapter will unpack these issues and what can be done to further improve the response.