Religious and spiRitual dimensions of tRaumatic Violence

Events of the past decade, including the terrorist attacks on September 11, clergy sexual abuse scandals, high-profile violence against women and minority groups, and ongoing combat in many areas of the world have focused attention on the prevalence and impact of traumatic violent events. Simultaneously, people’s frequent “turn to religion” (Schuster et al., 2007) after such events has raised many questions about the place of spirituality and religion in relation to trauma. This chapter will explore (a) our working definition of trauma in the context of interpersonal violence and the impact of interpersonal trauma on psychological well-being; (b) spirituality and religion in the aftermath of trauma, including the place of spiritual and religious resources in trauma recovery and healing; and (c) the relationships between religious contexts and interpersonal violence, including the impact of religious abuse and the role of religious involvement in violence prevention. We will conclude with some recommendations for developing trauma-informed services and communities that reflect knowledge about religion, spirituality, violence, and trauma recovery.