You Tube Theology

A new group study series written by Rev. Dr. Helen Paynter to use alongside her book 'The Bible Doesn't Tell Me So: Why you don’t have to submit to domestic abuse and coercive control'.

The book is addressed primarily to women experiencing domestic abuse, and secondarily to those who seek to support them, including pastoral leaders, friends and support organisations. The study videos have been developed with this broader audience in mind, to help equip churches to resist and confront abuse in their midst.

Both the book and the videos debunk the myths – perpetuated by some abusers and, unwittingly, by many churches – which prevent women from getting out of harm’s way. They show that the Bible does not belong to the abuser but is a text of liberation. Written with careful attention to pastoral issues, it closely examines and clearly explains the relevant scriptural texts.

The study videos 'The Bible Doesn’t Tell Us So: Equipping the church to resist domestic abuse and coercive control' offer a six-week course aimed at church small groups, to enable them to engage with the material in an interactive way.

The series is hosted by the book’s author Helen Paynter. Each video contains enough material for one small group meeting. After a short introduction to set the scene, there are two blocks of input, with contributions from invited guests, and witness testimonies. After each input block, plenty of time is allowed for the group to talk and pray together. The video finishes with some short concluding remarks.

A short study guide is available to support the videos, but it is intended that they will be used alongside the published book.

You can access the study guide and the videos on the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence website: https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/study-videos/