Domestic Violence and the Church

*Posted by Winston Hottman

At the 9Marks blog, Jonathan Leeman offers some practical advice for how churches should respond to domestic violence:

How should a church respond to the case of a husband abusing his wife, or man his daughter? Decisively and quickly.

A church should start by helping to remove a woman from a place where she will be harmed. Elders may choose to assist a woman find different accomodations merely if there is a threat of violence. If a woman has actually been assaulted, they should involve the police. Crimes against the body fall within the jurisdiction of the state (Rom. 13:1-7), and Christians can thank God that we live in a time when the state actually takes interest in such matters.

As in other cases of clear and unrepentant sin, abuse can and often should be grounds for excommunication from the church

Check out the rest of his article as well as a sample letter similar to the ones his church sends to abusive husbands here.

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