Proverbs of ashes

Proverbs of ashes

By Rita Nakashima Brock

Book Description

Two women from vastly different backgrounds discover their spiritual journeys converging around a profound theological question that challenges the very foundation of Christian faith. Rebecca Parker, a young minister in Seattle, faces a moment of reckoning when a battered woman seeks guidance about whether God expects her to endure abuse as Jesus endured the cross. Rita Nakashima Brock carries childhood wounds from racist taunts and the enforced silence of cultural shame that kept her pain festering in isolation.

Their personal experiences with violence and suffering lead them to examine a troubling gap between lived reality and traditional Christian teaching. Through an intimate blend of memoir and theological exploration, they confront the doctrine of atonement and its implications for how we understand salvation, sacrifice, and the sacred.

Drawing from stories of family violence, childhood sexual abuse, racism, homophobia, and war, the authors reveal how certain theological interpretations can inadvertently sanctify violence rather than heal it. Their courageous examination exposes the destructive potential of beliefs that glorify suffering as redemptive.

Yet this work transcends critique to become a journey of recovery and discovery. As Brock and Parker navigate their own healing processes, they uncover communities and alternative visions of Christianity rooted in love rather than violence. Their search illuminates pathways toward authentic spiritual transformation that honors both personal truth and divine compassion.

This compelling fusion of personal narrative and theological inquiry offers readers permission to question inherited beliefs while seeking more life-affirming spiritual understanding.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~7 hours)

📄 Length: 257 pages

What You'll Discover

  • ✓ Create spiritual family harmony
  • ✓ Explore Violence, religious aspects
  • ✓ Explore Christianisme
  • ✓ Explore Christian Theology
  • ✓ Explore Feminist theology
  • ✓ Explore Verzoening
  • ✓ Explore Théologie féministe
  • ✓ Explore RELIGION

Topics Covered

Family violence Violence, religious aspects Christianisme Christian Theology Feminist theology Verzoening Théologie féministe RELIGION Aspect religieux Geweld Religiösa aspekter Våld Religious aspects Violence Feministische theologie Christendom Christianity Soteriology Atonement Kristendom

Related Books You Might Like

Cover of Stories from the street

Stories from the street

David Revd. Dr Nixon

2013 • 202p

In Stories from the Street, Reverend Dr. David Nixon presents a profound theological examination that emerges from direct conversations with individuals who have navigated the harsh realities of homelessness. This compelling work demonstrates how per...
📚

Fireand water

Aloysius Pieris

1996 • 219p

In Fire and Water, Aloysius Pieris presents a profound exploration of how Christian faith can authentically take root in Asian soil. Writing from his unique position as both a Western-trained theologian and a scholar deeply versed in Buddhist philoso...
Cover of womanist pastoral theology against intimate and cultural violence, A

womanist pastoral theology against intimate and cultural violence, A

Stephanie M. Crumpton

2014 • 212p

In the journey toward healing from trauma, Black women face unique challenges that extend far beyond individual experiences of violence. This groundbreaking work explores how intimate violations like childhood sexual abuse, incest, and partner violen...
Cover of Redemptive Change

Redemptive Change

Russell R. Reno

2002 • 267p

In a world where change feels constant yet often hollow, many people struggle to find transformation that truly matters. Russell R. Reno addresses this fundamental human longing in Redemptive Change, offering a profound alternative to contemporary ap...
Cover of Al Qaeda

Al Qaeda

Paul L. Williams

2002 • 213p

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the world confronted a new reality shaped by an organization that operates through shadows and secrecy. Paul L. Williams presents a comprehensive examination of Al Qaeda, moving beyond surface-level analysis to...
Cover of Breaking the conspiracy of silence

Breaking the conspiracy of silence

Donald E. Messer

2004 • 192p

In the face of humanity's most devastating health crisis in seven centuries, Donald E. Messer issues a profound call to Christian communities worldwide. This compelling work confronts the uncomfortable reality that religious institutions have remaine...