ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a call for churches to resist tokenism and to address abuse in Christian communities seriously and concertedly. From there, it focuses on a practical toolkit, developed for church settings in Aotearoa New Zealand for guiding communities through processes of both healing from past harm, and preventing further harm going forward. There is a summary of key content, including Bible studies from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament and theological concepts (atonement, forgiveness, and sacrifice), stressing that the presence of texts and concepts that have caused harm can be retooled to open candid discussions that turn things around. The authors recommend strategies that are trauma-informed and survivor-centred.
