Page 38 - Presbyterian Connection

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PRESBYTERIAN
WINTER 2021
presbyterian.ca
Book Review of
Unspeakable
Connection
BOOK REVIEW
By the Rev. Konnie Vissers, Deputy Clerk of the Presbytery of Hamilton
Unspeakable: Preaching and Trauma-Informed Theology Written by Sarah Travis Cascade Books, 2021
Sarah Travis’s new book, Unspeaka- ble: Preaching and Trauma-Informed Theology, offers a fresh nuance in the field of homiletics. At a time when the public state of alert is heightened— with the pandemic still in full swing, the continually unfolding stories of Residential School survivors and vic- tims, and the climate crisis, to name a few—Travis gives thoughtful con- sideration to the realities of trauma and faithful interpretation of scripture for preaching. She holds the tension of context and content in beautiful balance.
From the beginning, Travis identi- fies a key problem—in the face of trauma, “beautiful words” fail (p. 1). As pastors, preachers and peo- ple of faith, what do we say when words fail? Drawing from her own experience of devastating loss, she explores the challenging territory of pastoral care and community sup- port when trauma strikes. This book will equip pastors, elders and Chris- tians who care for others to under- stand the nuances of trauma and avoid the pitfalls of harmful words intended to heal. Though it is specifi- cally written for preachers, all types of pastoral caregivers will benefit from reading this.
The first chapter takes a broad view of trauma. Travis wisely notes, “Trauma is defined by the way an in- dividual responds to an experience, not the nature of the event itself” (p. 15). Drawing upon insights from psychology, traumatology, theology and homiletics, the author brings to- gether the pieces of the puzzle with much research and thoughtfulness, and reminds pastors and preachers that trauma not only affects the body
or mind, but the spirit, an ontological sense of identity (p. 28).
Chapter two begins with the re- minder: “Christ leads to healing, but it is the wounded Christ that leads to healing” (p. 32). The author reminds preachers, who draw upon the texts from scripture, that the Bible is full of trauma. She brings biblical stories to life, advising the reader of context, and cautioning against glory theolo- gies. Additionally, she cautions well- meaning Christians who offer mis- guided comfort in times of crisis and trauma with words like, “It was God’s will” (p. 41). This is where the rubber meets the road for lived theology and preaching. The words we speak are reverberations of our theology. Not only do words matter, but congrega- tions are urged to create safe spaces which may allow for healing and re- covery (p. 53).
Chapter three begs the question, “How do we witness to the power of trauma in both personal and collec- tive contexts while also witnessing to a larger story of grace and mercy that is found in the gospel?” (p. 56). This single question might be the thesis of this book. When preachers name trauma and abuse for what it is in scripture and in the news, as well as sensitively consider and voice the problems of trauma in the pews (with permission), they bear witness si- multaneously to the present reality of trauma and the grander narrative of the Biblical witness. Put succinctly, Travis writes, “We continue to pro- claim resurrection, even if it has had a shadowy side that inhibits us from seeing grace in all its glory” (p. 71). She ends this section with the call for preachers to declare this witness be- yond the pulpit through the embody- ing work of Christ in the world.
The fourth chapter images preach- ing as midwifery, where a preacher delivers a message for the sake of life and growth and flourishing (p. 78). Utilizing theological imagination, Travis reminds us that part of the task
of the preacher is to envision hope in the face of death. It is this imagina- tion that prophets and preachers have relied on for centuries. Imagi- nation opens the mind to change be- fore change can be embodied. Travis challenges preachers to rethink ser- mon endings as well. Trauma creates non-linear narratives, which must be taken into account in preaching. She asks preachers to consider how to account for the messiness of the here-and-now, while simultaneously upholding the mandate for preach- ers to imagine hope for the hopeless, and convey it in a manner that the hopeless can hear. She also reminds us that while trauma disintegrates a
narrative, preaching can be an act of “integration” (p. 90).
Both in chapters four and five, Travis offers sections of sermons by other preachers, as well as her own, which illustrate the points she makes. Through a sermon by Na- dia Booz-Weber, she explains that preaching from the Bible not only offers good news to those who are hurting, but “accompaniment in dark journeys” (Travis, 100). She ends with the practices of Bibliodrama and lament, both of which can be in- corporated into services as ways to embody, witness and testify to both trauma and grace.
Finally, she illustrates a power-
ful and provocative example of a trauma-informed sermon, using one of her own sermon excerpts. It dem- onstrates precisely what she argues for all along—that trauma can (and must) invade our sermons because it invades the world all around us. Trauma gets a word, but not the last word. While acknowledging the bro- kenness of our circumstances, Travis directs our imaginations toward new possibilities, ultimately—hope.
This book will change the way you think about preaching, challenging you to consider your own place in the world, and the way your position affects your hermeneutic of trauma and hope.