Spiritual Violence: Religious Phenomena that Defile the Faith Grounded in Queer feminism, pastoral and practical theology, and cultural studies, this book offers historical context, analytical tools, and embodied practices to help readers confront the harm inflicted in the name of faith-and imagine pathways toward healing and liberation. White Christian Supremacy arrived in the Americas through conquest, colonization, and settler colonialism. From its inception, it has shaped nations and moral imagination through a theology that sanctifies domination and normalizes harm. This work names and examines that legacy and identifies four interrelated religious phenomena that emerge from it: Spiritual Violence, Spiritual Terrorism, Religious Abuse, and Spiritual Trauma. Together, these frameworks expose how religion is weaponized to control bodies, silence dissent, and fracture communities-especially those already pushed to the margins. Centering the lived experiences of marginalized people, with particular attention to LGBTQIA+ communities across the Americas, this book weaves ethnographic case studies, participant observation, and narrative analysis with somatic healing practices and guided reflection. The result is both rigorous theological critique and practical resource-a companion for survival, resistance, repair, and collective transformation. Readers will find: - Historical and theological analysis - Clear language for naming religious harm - Real-world case studies - Somatic and reflective healing exercises - Tools for reclaiming faith, body, and community Title: Spiritual Violence: Religious Phenomena that Defile the Faith Copyright (c) 2026. All rights reserved. Content and design registered by Soulforce. Adapted from Violencia Espiritual y fen�menos religiosos que abusan de la fe Published for Soulforce, Inc. Publisher website: www.soulforce.org ISBN: 978-1-7361267-8-3
Onofrio, Alba: - This book is the result of communal labor, theological struggle, and shared commitments to truth-telling and healing within Christian traditions. I am grateful to all who contributed to the first volume and Spanish edition. the process of ideating content, collecting testimonies, writing, and editing by the team of Karina Vargas, Judith Bautista Fajardo, Aly Benítez, and myself co-created that edition and laid the foundation for this work. This work was sustained by the collective care and leadership of the Soulforce staff, whose generosity made its completion possible. I could not have imagined a more dedicated or committed team. Within that community, I want to name Nadia Arellano, whose lived experience and rigorous engagement with research made the chapter on Spiritual Trauma more robust and grounded in lived reality. The interdisciplinary depth of this book was further strengthened through the thoughtful engagement of Dr. Norma Ramírez Miranda, Dr. Alicia Trotman, and Dr. Sahnya Thom, who offered psychological and clinical perspectives that sharpened its approach to trauma, healing, and pastoral care. Their contributions help ensure that the material is both ethically grounded and practically useful for students, educators, and practitioners. Creative and sustaining support also shaped this project in essential ways. My thanks extend to Bryony Dick, whose artistic vision renders complex ideas accessible and alive, and to Dr. Aly Benítez, whose care, encouragement, and editorial support carried me through every stage of this work. At its core, this book is grounded in the courage of survivors who entrusted us with their stories. Their vulnerability makes it possible to engage Spiritual Violence not as an abstract concept, but as a lived ethical crisis of faith-one that demands faithful, informed response from students, educators, clergy, and communities alike. My deepest gratitude to this community. -Rev Alba Onofrio
