Publisher's Synopsis
If you have suffered spiritual abuse from a toxic church, toxic organization, or toxic leader, your trust has been broken. You entrusted your life to someone you thought would care for you: someone who initially inspired you to know God, only to reject you in the end. Now you are left wounded and disillusioned, wondering if you can ever trust others, yourself, or possibly even God, again.
Have You Been Hurt by Spiritual Abuse?
Most people don't understand the devastating impact of spiritual abuse. Many suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of experiencing it. If you think your spiritual community might be abusive, or you have just left an abusive congregation, then this book could give you the direction you are looking for. In "Broken Trust," F. Remy Diederich relates his personal experiences of toxic faith and spiritual abuse along with the experiences of other survivors. But this isn't just another tell-all story of abuse; it's a guide that will help you to first identify spiritual abuse, and then offer you a practical plan for recovery. Diederich is convinced that God is the God of resurrection and restoration. He believes you can begin again.
One of the Best Books on Spiritual Abuse
One review wrote: "As a spiritual abuse survivor and blogger, I have now read dozens of books about this topic. Many are academic in nature, or very dense. I am comfortable saying that this book provides the clearest, simplest, most helpful coverage of spiritual abuse and recovery." Stephen A. Smith, libertyforcaptives.com "Broken Trust" builds on the wisdom laid out in previous books on the topic, such as "The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse," by Dave Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen. The book is laid out in five parts: - Part One: Defining Toxic Faith and Spiritual Abuse - Part Two: Practical Steps to Deal with Spiritual Abuse - Part Three: The Road to Recovery - Part Four: I Left My Toxic Church...Now What? - Part Five: How to Rescue Your Church From Spiritual Abuse (advice to leaders) The book draws wisdom from the examples of toxic faith in Paul's letter to the Galatians to show that spiritual abuse is not new to the church. Diederich's words are not religious or preachy but he writes in the typical "down-to-earth" fashion he's shown in his other helpful books. He speaks in a personal tone that will encourage you to understand yourself, your abuser, and the steps you can take to reclaim your relationship with God and, if possible, your relationship with the church or spiritual community.
