God is not abusive - A song of lament and consolation for Holy Week
Fr Robert Thompson, who leads the Open Table West Hampstead community
LAST YEAR, on Maundy Thursday, Fr Robert Thompson, the priest who leads our Open Table community in West Hampstead, north London, received news of a Clergy Disciplinary Measure following his advocacy for a young woman in her claim of homophobic abuse in another parish.
The complaint was dropped in June 2021. Here he reflects on the impact of that experience, and how the young woman’s story is not an isolated case:
Just this week I have had three conversations with different people about the abuse that they have also experienced in different church contexts. These have impressed upon me how the church so dreadfully slow is to change and to take the voice of victims seriously.
“About 50% of my direct pastoral work comes from Open Table. I have been really very deeply shocked about how many people have had such dreadfully hurtful experiences.”
This coming Holy Week, as we begin our final footsteps with Christ right the way to Golgotha, the place of crucifixion, it is my ardent prayer that, as we attempt to stay with this individual victim of systemic political and religious abuse, we remember all who suffer similarly in our own church and society even today.
I offer for those who are in the midst of the pain and suffering of abuse this moving Common Hymnal worship song, which reminds us that, although the church can be, and is, abusive, and though all of us can be abusive of others often, God is not abusive.
Rather God stretches out the divine arms of mercy, justice and peace on the cross, and holds those wounded hands out in his risen body to forgive us, Christ’s pitiful but precious disciples.
May we all die and rise with Christ.
God is not abusive
Takes no pleasure in our shame
He finds a place inside our pain
Hallelujah
Come now everybody
Lay down every stone
He will not condemn you
There’s freedom at his throne
When hurt grows me to silence
Bearing guilt from others’ sins
Lord, lift my voice to cry out
Spirit catch the tears that fall
Jesus sees my trauma
Holds my broken pieces
And draws me to his kindness
Hallelujah
Come now everybody
Lay down every stone
He will not condemn you
There’s freedom at his throne
So come
Do not be afraid
These burdens no longer need to keep you silent
Oh come
Do not be afraid
There’s refuge from all the hurts and pains that haunt you (repeat)
God is not abusive
Takes no pleasure in our shame
He finds a place inside our pain
Hallelujah
God is not abusive
Written by Brittney Spencer (BMI), Ben Hardesty (BMI), Isaac Gill (ASCAP), Latifah Alattas (SESAC)
© 2018 Common Hymnal Digital (BMI), BSpencer Publishing (BMI), Benjo Darro Music Company (BMI), Common Hymnal Publishing (ASCAP), Isaac Gill Music (ASCAP), Common Hymnal Online (SESAC), Moda Spira Publishing (SESAC) (admin by IntegratedRights.com). CCLI 7130009.
