International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation Volume 3 2022 88
BOOK REVIEW:
Damgaard, N. (Ed.). (2021). Wounded Faith. 249 pages. ISBN-10:0931337119 ISBN-
13:978- 0931337116 (Paperback) $14.99, (Kindle) $9.99.
Reviewed by Karen Roudkovski, M.Div., Ph.D., LPC-S
In Wounded Faith, thirteen authors combine decades
of experience with spiritual abuse to provide a wide-
ranging volume that showcases the areas to consider
when trying to understand and heal from spiritual
abuse. The authors provide expertise from their years
working with victims of spiritual abuse, and, in most
cases, the authors are survivors of spiritual abuse. The
unique perspective of being both survivor and advocate
is evident throughout the book.
The book begins with a brief exploration of safety
within churches. Many churches and parachurch
organizations are discussing how to protect members,
leading many churches and parachurch organizations
to establish written reporting protocols in their
handbooks or manuals and initiate required training
for their leaders on abuse and mandatory reporting.
However, the question of what qualities make a church
or parachurch organization more prone to abusive
behaviors remains. Maureen Griffo enumerates several
issues that may impact the likelihood of abuse, such as
a lack of ministerial training or accountability. These
areas are important to consider when examining how
churches and religious organizations can be safe places
for their members.
Research indicates that spiritual abuse impacts the
survivor’s inter- and intrapersonal aspects. The current
book explores unique topics related to both aspects.
The authors explore the damage of spiritual abuse
on spirituality, marriage, parenting, women’s issues,
identity, and creativity. The examination of women’s
issues is unique to this book as compared to books
on similar topics. Judy Pardon states that women may
“suffer in greater numbers and in unique ways” (p. 55).
Pardon’s viewpoint is valuable when exploring topics
for future research on women’s issues and spiritual
abuse.
The book provides much-needed information about
the potential impact of spiritual abuse on the family.
Patrick and Heidi Knapp discuss the marital damage
that may occur and offer guidelines for marital repair.
Ken Garrett emphasizes that a couple’s privacy may
be compromised additionally, the high demand
for a couple’s time takes away from the marriage.
Upon exiting a high control group, the family may
be destabilized, and restructuring a family system is
challenging. Garrett notes that parents may experience
“crushing guilt” for exposing their children to these
groups and for the number of resources spent on the
church rather than the family (p. 23). Ray Connolly
reports that a parent/child bond rupture may occur in
high control groups, and parents are relegated to “at
most, middle management authority” (p. 100).
Eric Sweitzer observes that spiritual abuse results in a
loss of one’s unique, personal identity and encourages
the reader to consider re-establishing their identity
from a spiritual perspective. Sweitzer takes a Christian
perspective, recommending that survivors recognize
their true identity as a gift from a loving Creator. I was
particularly intrigued by the exploration of the impact of
spiritual abuse on creativity and how healing may occur
by re-engaging with one’s creative self. Continuing the
conversation regarding the impact of spiritual abuse on
an individual’s identity, Diana Pletts aptly observes that
forms of creative self-expression, such as art, empower
an individual who has experienced suppression of
expression because they allow a survivor to begin the
process of re-engaging with their identity through
creativity.
In addition to exploring the impact of spiritual abuse,
the authors examine various issues relating to recovery.
At the core, spiritual abusers exploit the trust of their
victims, leaving the survivors in need of the support of
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ISSN: 2710-4028 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54208/0003 89
a community, yet doubting whether they will be able
to trust other people again. Drawing from his extensive
research and mental health expertise in cult recovery
and spiritual abuse, Michael Langone provides the
reader with guidelines for examining an individual’s
trustworthiness and assertively setting limits. For a
survivor of spiritual abuse, beginning to trust again
while setting healthy limits is a key area for recovery
and reconnecting with trustworthy individuals to
establish a community outside of a high control group.
Patrick Knapp describes the stages of recovery. One
important aspect of recovery that Knapp explores is
self-differentiation and what that may look like at the
various stages of recovery.
Important spiritual issues are covered in the book as
well. The authors tackle some significant theological
issues, such as forgiveness, the survivor’s view of
the image of God, and reconnecting to God. Garrett
offers insight for those who have experienced healthy
churches so they may better understand what the
experience of returning to church is like for a survivor
of spiritual abuse. Churches wishing to provide a safe
space for survivors would benefit from reading this
chapter to better understand survivors’ experiences.
Doug and Wendy Duncan share their experiences
returning to church after being involved in a
spiritually abusive group. I believe their journey may
be encouraging to a survivor who wants to re-engage
in a spiritual community but is uncertain of where to
begin. Through both professional insight and personal
experience, Wendy Duncan explores the impact of
spiritual abuse on the image of God and how to heal
one’s image of God. She rightly observes that there is
no one distinct path to healing, but each survivor’s
journey will look different. Her husband, Doug, also
a mental health professional, carefully examines issues
related to forgiveness through the lens of his story.
Multiple authors provide Biblical insight regarding
spiritual abuse by examining specific passages of
Scripture. One issue at the core of spiritual abuse
in churches is twisting and misusing Scripture to
manipulate and control victims. Neil Damgaard
explains how this misuse of Scripture may occur
and offers the reader a clear, succinct overview of an
appropriate methodology for Scriptural interpretation
and application. Harold Bussell explores the issue of
power and authority and provides Biblical guidelines
for healthy accountability. In one of the book’s final
chapters, Garrett compares the wounds of spiritual
abuse to the pain and search for justice seen in the
imprecatory Psalm 137.
Coming full circle, the book ends with a similar topic
as it began. The book begins by exploring issues
that increase the likelihood of abuse and ends with
suggestions for making the reader’s church spiritually
safe. From his ministry experience as the pastor of
a church that provides a haven for survivors, Neil
Damgaard provides a list of practical suggestions for
churches that wish to offer a welcoming, safe place for
survivors seeking a spiritual community.
Wounded Faith is an important work on the topic of
spiritual abuse. I wholeheartedly recommend this book
for survivors, family members of survivors, pastors,
mental health professionals, and church members
seeking to learn more about the topic. While the book
focuses primarily on a Christian audience, I believe
anyone working with individuals recovering from
spiritual abuse within a Christian faith setting would
find the book helpful due to the distinct topics covered
in the book that make it unique from other works on
the topic. I also recommend the book for researchers
on the topic of spiritual abuse. Through their years
of experience, the authors have observed some areas
lacking academic research that would be important
areas for investigation in future studies.