Daughters of Rizpah: Nonviolence and the Transformation of Trauma

Sharon A. Buttry · Daniel L. Buttry

Oct 2020 · Wipf and Stock Publishers

About this eBook

Trauma recovery and healing get a lot of attention these days, but in situations of war and violence trauma is also a social experience set within the larger conflict context. The authors examine an ancient biblical story full of violence and trauma that makes most readers turn the page quickly. The reader is invited instead to sit with the story, listen to the voices of the characters, and feel the full range of their emotions. There is much to be learned through the story that offers insight for trauma healing and reconciliation, and motivation for deep and abiding social change. The biblical story becomes a doorway into a journey of discovery about traumatized people, specifically women, who choose not to remain as victims. Instead, they rise up in transformative nonviolent action. The authors lift up the Rizpah story and contemporary stories of “Daughters of Rizpah” from around the world to inspire hope amid the traumatizing turmoil of the twenty-first century.

About the author

Sharon A. Buttry and Daniel L. Buttry are ordained American Baptist clergy who are retired faith-based global consultants specializing in conflict transformation and social trauma healing. Their trainings have impacted peacemakers in more than fifty countries. They live in Detroit, Michigan, where they are active in community organizing focused on interfaith relationships, environmental justice, and anti-violence issues. Daniel has written nine other books, and Sharon enjoys bringing beauty to urban life through the arts.