Trauma theology is a lens through which we can understand theology in light of traumatic experiences. It understands the differences between suffering and trauma, and how one can impact the embodied experience of the other. Trauma theology seeks to construct and reimagine theology in the wake of these experiences.
Trauma can be a challenge to define and understand, as it has a variety of different presentations, but trauma is often associated with power, or powerlessness, and can come about by having experiences which overwhelm the ways in which we cope with, and understand, the world around us. Trauma does not have one specific event or cause that creates a traumatic experience. It may come from one specific event, or a variety of different ones, but no matter what the experience may be, all trauma impacts the way we live our lives and understand our faith.
Experiences of trauma can re-shape how we read the Bible and our understanding of God. Central to trauma theology is the crucified Christ, as in that moment, the experience of human suffering and trauma can be fully understood by God. The cross becomes a symbol of solidarity; an expression of the experiences of trauma, suffering, and abandonment Jesus suffers in the crucifixion. Rather than bypassing the suffering in the human experience, trauma theology highlights how God enters into human pain without rushing to resolve it. From this, survivors of trauma can see God within their trauma, not just as a God who understands them. Faith can now be a way to help understand trauma rather than a way to suppress and ignore it.
What does trauma theology mean for the way we offer support and care to those around us? Trauma theology can re-shape how we understand pastoral support and the way in which we offer pastoral care. By challenging approaches that focus on forgiveness, solutions, or understanding trauma and suffering as redemptive, trauma theology centres the experiences of trauma survivors. It fosters pastoral practice that is rooted in empathy, safety, and presence. By focusing on listening without judgement, validating experiences, and not offering theological explanations that minimise suffering, people who have experienced trauma are less likely to feel silenced. It is important to affirm that the healing process is not linear or quick. Instead, trauma theology holds space for silence, grief, and lament, all whilst aiming to make churches or chaplaincies sanctuaries for those bearing the weight of their experiences.
By taking a person-centred approach to pastoral care, theological reflections on trauma shift away from simplicity and issue-resolving motivations. Instead, it is important to listen, allowing time to process trauma and traumatic events, and allow for uncertainty. Faith must have space to be reimagined, and to reimagine God. For those offering pastoral support, this may also shape the way you conduct faith practices like prayer. Offering a diverse range of embodied practices, such as breath prayers, may allow those you are supporting to feel more present within your space and within their faith. It is important to introduce different approaches at the pace of the people you work with by diversifying your understanding and approach to faith and faith expressions. Through encouraging safe, embodied, and restorative approaches practices, those you are supporting may feel they have a safer and more supportive environment to express themselves within.
As a relatively new field, trauma theology is an ever-growing area of understanding. Trauma theology continues to grow in an intersectional way, considering personal experiences, global contexts, and psychological approaches to trauma. As awareness of trauma grows, trauma theology is in a position where it can speak meaningfully to a wide range of issues, from climate grief to war; from racial injustice to forced displacement. Diverse voices and experiences continue to allow trauma theology to develop, and create a greater understanding of trauma from communities whose trauma has been overlooked or spiritualised. Trauma theology hopes to move beyond a niche area of study, and become a foundational aspect of how we do theology.
Further Reading
‘Bible Through the Lens of Trauma’ by Elizabeth Boase and Christopher G. Frechette (2016).
‘Bearing Witness: Intersectional Perspectives on Trauma Theology’ by Karen O’Donnell and Katie Cross (2022).
‘Tragedies and Christian Congregations: The Practical Theology of Trauma’ by Megan Warner, Christopher Southgate, Carla Grosch-Miller, and Hilary Ison (2019).