Spirit

is Spiritual Abuse?

Spiritual Abuse has multiple facets and in its more severe forms shares characteristics with child or spousal abuse. It can range from those relatively painless (yet annoyingly obnoxious) emails ordering us to “forward this to everyone in your address book” in order to prove that we are true Christians, to legalistic church practices, to actual physical or sexual violence in the name of Christianity or religion, with many nuances and variations in between. Some types of spiritual abuse have been institutionalized in churches (legalistic denominations or individual churches), religious systems (cults) or religion-based parenting or relationship systems (Ezzo, Pearls). Spiritual abuse is subtle, insidious and destructive. The lies being presented as truth by people with perceived authority attach themselves to our own negative self-talk, to partial truths from Scripture, and to genuine desires to do the right thing and to please God. Spiritual abuse steals believers’ joy in their relationship with Jesus Christ and exchanges it for heavy burdens. The ultimate result of abuse in a Christian context can be a complete rejection of Christ because He has been so heartlessly misrepresented. At the very least it wounds people and makes open, honest fellowship unsafe.

The Watchman Expositor website defines spiritual abuse as: “…the misuse of a position of power, leadership, or influence to further the selfish interests of someone other than the individual who needs help. Sometimes abuse arises out of a doctrinal position. At other times it occurs because of legitimate personal needs of a leader that are being met by illegitimate means. Spiritually abusive religious systems are sometimes described as legalistic, mind controlling, religiously addictive, and authoritarian.”

The authors of The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, state it this way: “It is possible to become so determined to defend a spiritual place of authority, a doctrine or a way...