Reintegration and Anamnesis: Theological Tools for Wartime Harms

War is a complex phenomenon, which both results from and produces intersecting forces of power, trauma and reaction. This paper uses the story of Cain and Abel, found in Genesis 4, to open up the exploration of two particular harms which war causes: the silencing of victims and the moral injury of...

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Main Author: Helen Paynter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Eastern European Instute of Theology 2023-12-01
Series:Богословські роздуми: Східноєвропейський журнал богословʼя
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Online Access:http://reflections.eeit-edu.info/article/view/292764
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author Helen Paynter
author_facet Helen Paynter
author_sort Helen Paynter
collection DOAJ
description War is a complex phenomenon, which both results from and produces intersecting forces of power, trauma and reaction. This paper uses the story of Cain and Abel, found in Genesis 4, to open up the exploration of two particular harms which war causes: the silencing of victims and the moral injury of combatants and civilians. Scripture provides tools for helping to heal these harms. In place of silence, the Old Testament offers the outcry, the inarticulate cry of the afflicted which rises to heaven and causes God to come down to investigate and respond. For the soul-wound of moral injury, Scripture offers rituals of confession and lament, and preeminently, re-integration, which is not only the healing of communities but of fractured souls. Both of these are found at the Lord’s Table, where the outcry of the groaning world is held in the wounded heart of the Saviour, and where communities and souls find their healing through the Cross.
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spelling doaj.art-d275be7fd5e7409da9bfd81e73bad27d2023-12-23T16:10:58ZengEastern European Instute of TheologyБогословські роздуми: Східноєвропейський журнал богословʼя2789-15692789-15772023-12-0121210.29357/2789-1577.2023.21.2.1Reintegration and Anamnesis: Theological Tools for Wartime Harms Helen Paynter0Bristol Baptist College War is a complex phenomenon, which both results from and produces intersecting forces of power, trauma and reaction. This paper uses the story of Cain and Abel, found in Genesis 4, to open up the exploration of two particular harms which war causes: the silencing of victims and the moral injury of combatants and civilians. Scripture provides tools for helping to heal these harms. In place of silence, the Old Testament offers the outcry, the inarticulate cry of the afflicted which rises to heaven and causes God to come down to investigate and respond. For the soul-wound of moral injury, Scripture offers rituals of confession and lament, and preeminently, re-integration, which is not only the healing of communities but of fractured souls. Both of these are found at the Lord’s Table, where the outcry of the groaning world is held in the wounded heart of the Saviour, and where communities and souls find their healing through the Cross. http://reflections.eeit-edu.info/article/view/292764warmoral injuryoutcryBibleLord’s SupperChristian tradition
spellingShingle Helen Paynter
Reintegration and Anamnesis: Theological Tools for Wartime Harms
Богословські роздуми: Східноєвропейський журнал богословʼя
war
moral injury
outcry
Bible
Lord’s Supper
Christian tradition
title Reintegration and Anamnesis: Theological Tools for Wartime Harms
title_full Reintegration and Anamnesis: Theological Tools for Wartime Harms
title_fullStr Reintegration and Anamnesis: Theological Tools for Wartime Harms
title_full_unstemmed Reintegration and Anamnesis: Theological Tools for Wartime Harms
title_short Reintegration and Anamnesis: Theological Tools for Wartime Harms
title_sort reintegration and anamnesis theological tools for wartime harms
topic war
moral injury
outcry
Bible
Lord’s Supper
Christian tradition
url http://reflections.eeit-edu.info/article/view/292764
work_keys_str_mv AT helenpaynter reintegrationandanamnesistheologicaltoolsforwartimeharms