Defusing a time bomb
Communicating God's Love
Object:
(Information for this article is drawn with permission from the ToolBox of the Presbytery Pastoral Care Network, www.pastoralcarenetwork.org .)
I am increasingly concerned that we are creating a time bomb in our society that we ignore at our own peril. We have sent thousands of young men and women into the caldron of war in the Middle East. It is hard for most of us to imagine the traumas that they have experienced and its effect on their personhood. We casually refer to it as PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, but it is the type of psychic shock that can erupt without warning or it can eat away at someone's soul until it robs them of their potential.
While it is a problem for our whole society, I think it is a concern that our churches are in a special position to address. We have some significant resources in our faith that can assist us in being supportive to returned soldiers. As you consider how to respond, particularly to people who have been traumatized by their experiences, it will deepen your own appreciation of faith.
A website, www.hand2handcontact.org offers ten things you should know about returning veterans. You can go to their website for the complete list but let me mention the top three.
First, returned veterans are exhausted when they get home -- physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. They often do not have the energy or focus to talk for long periods of time. It will take some time for them to adjust so follow their lead.
Second, there is nothing black-and-white about what has happened to them. Almost always, there are good things that come from a deployment experience. Likewise, there are some pretty difficult things that they face once they return home. Do not make any assumptions about their experiences.
Perhaps most importantly, they are not the same people they were before they deployed. Do not assume that is a bad thing. The Service Member may come home more confident, with better problem-solving skills. He may return with a deeper sense of gratitude for the comforts that he used to take for granted or she may have found a greater sense of purpose and direction than she ever had before. Yes, there may be many unseen wounds of the soul and spirit, but there are tremendous resources to help heal those wounds, both for the Service Member and the Service Member's family.
I'm not suggesting some quick program that will make things all right. However, congregations and clergy can work at providing a welcoming presence with an open heart and an open mind. They also can provide space for the returned veterans to find their place. We live in an impatient society who does not mind making an effort to help people in need as long as it can be done quickly and then we move on to our own agendas. Perhaps we need to explore again the meaning of sanctuary and explore how we might offer that for ourselves as well as others.
Historically sanctuary is a place or setting to which you can withdraw and feel safe to rest and be restored. As Israel set up their society in their promised land, they established cities of refuge to which people could flee (Numbers 35:9-34). Originally, this dealt with the problem of "blood revenge" but the concept of sanctuary has taken on many forms throughout history. As Numbers mentioned, it can be a place to which the alien within your land can flee. This aspect was developed by a number of churches with respect to Hispanic immigrants within our borders. Inherent in the concept of sanctuary is a place where one can withdraw from the threatening aspects of the world and connect with the healing presence of God.
Consider how churches might expand the concept of sanctuary to provide a safe place that a veteran might retire to when they are feeling overwhelmed by either their emotions or the behavior of those around them. Our denominations could draw upon the resources available to prepare appropriate scriptures, recorded music, and strong symbols that could be placed in an "unlocked" sanctuary. It might also help to invite other members of our congregations to visit the sanctuary from time to time to enter into prayer on behalf of the veteran.
The plan would be for all returned soldiers to know that at any hour of the day or night, they could go there for refuge. Available to them would be resources that might help them focus on the strengths inherent in their faith. Even when they were not there, they would know that others are praying for them.
Kathy Platoni, a Clinical Psychologist who has worked in this field, has identified some signs to look for that might indicate difficulty for a soldier transitioning back into society.
1. Vivid flashbacks and recurrences of images from the war that are painful, intrusive, repetitive, and undesired
2. Nightmares that are disturbing in nature, often with associated sleep disturbances (i.e.; insomnia, nighttime awakenings)
3. Social isolation, alienation, and withdrawal
4. Remaining detached or emotionally distant from others, even in their presence
5. Difficulty or inability to experience or express emotions appropriately (for instance, crying when sad or grieving)
6. Remaining on "high alert" status (hyper vigilance) and scanning the surrounding environment continuously
7. Obvious startle responses to loud noises, being approached or touched by others
8. Excessive boredom with the commonplace and ordinary aspects of life on the home front, thrill-seeking and looking for the "adrenalin rush," while posing unnecessary risks to self and family members
9. Finding little worth, meaning, or purpose to life on the home front and longing to be back in the war zone to find it
10. Preoccupation with bitter and angry feelings directed toward a society or government for maltreatment, exploitation, and failure to keep promises, as has been the case with veterans of previous wars
11. Feeling confused, angry, or cynical about one's fate in life; pessimism and hopelessness about one's future and any possibility of altering what lies ahead.
Congregations who seek to be welcoming need to avoid acting as if they are hovering over a returned soldier waiting for signs of abnormality while being aware of possible behaviors that might indicate the returned soldier is having problems. Almost as important as anything is to convey to such soldiers that although you could not possibly understand what they have been through, you are available and a supportive presence.
When you check the symptoms that traumatize some returning veterans, you will note that they can be overcome with guilt, feelings of isolation, and a sense of purposelessness in life. Many churches have a liturgy that is variously called a Service of Wholeness or a Healing Service. In those services, we are invited to bring our concerns, brokenness, and despair to God in the context of a praying community. We are reminded by our liturgy that God is present and more powerful than that which threatens us. The service often includes having elders or deacons lay their hands on individuals and/or anointing them with oil in order to convey the power of Christ's healing touch.
This can be a powerful service for returned veterans. In an immediate and personal way, they are reminded that they are not alone, that there is one who hears the depth of their pain, can cleanse them of their guilt, and has a purpose for them that incorporates but far exceeds their past experiences of war. In addition, there is a congregation seeking to give expression to that healing love by their presence and prayers. It might even be strengthened if a number of congregations came together to offer such a service on behalf of the larger community.
These are our children, who have been asked to make great sacrifices, and they deserve our love and support.
Stephen McCutchan is a retired Presbyterian minister living in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is author of three books on the lectionary (CSS Publishing) one on the psalms (Smyth & Helwys) and one on Matthew (Author House). He also blogs regularly on the Care of Clergy, www.smccutchan.com/blog.
I am increasingly concerned that we are creating a time bomb in our society that we ignore at our own peril. We have sent thousands of young men and women into the caldron of war in the Middle East. It is hard for most of us to imagine the traumas that they have experienced and its effect on their personhood. We casually refer to it as PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, but it is the type of psychic shock that can erupt without warning or it can eat away at someone's soul until it robs them of their potential.
While it is a problem for our whole society, I think it is a concern that our churches are in a special position to address. We have some significant resources in our faith that can assist us in being supportive to returned soldiers. As you consider how to respond, particularly to people who have been traumatized by their experiences, it will deepen your own appreciation of faith.
A website, www.hand2handcontact.org offers ten things you should know about returning veterans. You can go to their website for the complete list but let me mention the top three.
First, returned veterans are exhausted when they get home -- physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. They often do not have the energy or focus to talk for long periods of time. It will take some time for them to adjust so follow their lead.
Second, there is nothing black-and-white about what has happened to them. Almost always, there are good things that come from a deployment experience. Likewise, there are some pretty difficult things that they face once they return home. Do not make any assumptions about their experiences.
Perhaps most importantly, they are not the same people they were before they deployed. Do not assume that is a bad thing. The Service Member may come home more confident, with better problem-solving skills. He may return with a deeper sense of gratitude for the comforts that he used to take for granted or she may have found a greater sense of purpose and direction than she ever had before. Yes, there may be many unseen wounds of the soul and spirit, but there are tremendous resources to help heal those wounds, both for the Service Member and the Service Member's family.
I'm not suggesting some quick program that will make things all right. However, congregations and clergy can work at providing a welcoming presence with an open heart and an open mind. They also can provide space for the returned veterans to find their place. We live in an impatient society who does not mind making an effort to help people in need as long as it can be done quickly and then we move on to our own agendas. Perhaps we need to explore again the meaning of sanctuary and explore how we might offer that for ourselves as well as others.
Historically sanctuary is a place or setting to which you can withdraw and feel safe to rest and be restored. As Israel set up their society in their promised land, they established cities of refuge to which people could flee (Numbers 35:9-34). Originally, this dealt with the problem of "blood revenge" but the concept of sanctuary has taken on many forms throughout history. As Numbers mentioned, it can be a place to which the alien within your land can flee. This aspect was developed by a number of churches with respect to Hispanic immigrants within our borders. Inherent in the concept of sanctuary is a place where one can withdraw from the threatening aspects of the world and connect with the healing presence of God.
Consider how churches might expand the concept of sanctuary to provide a safe place that a veteran might retire to when they are feeling overwhelmed by either their emotions or the behavior of those around them. Our denominations could draw upon the resources available to prepare appropriate scriptures, recorded music, and strong symbols that could be placed in an "unlocked" sanctuary. It might also help to invite other members of our congregations to visit the sanctuary from time to time to enter into prayer on behalf of the veteran.
The plan would be for all returned soldiers to know that at any hour of the day or night, they could go there for refuge. Available to them would be resources that might help them focus on the strengths inherent in their faith. Even when they were not there, they would know that others are praying for them.
Kathy Platoni, a Clinical Psychologist who has worked in this field, has identified some signs to look for that might indicate difficulty for a soldier transitioning back into society.
1. Vivid flashbacks and recurrences of images from the war that are painful, intrusive, repetitive, and undesired
2. Nightmares that are disturbing in nature, often with associated sleep disturbances (i.e.; insomnia, nighttime awakenings)
3. Social isolation, alienation, and withdrawal
4. Remaining detached or emotionally distant from others, even in their presence
5. Difficulty or inability to experience or express emotions appropriately (for instance, crying when sad or grieving)
6. Remaining on "high alert" status (hyper vigilance) and scanning the surrounding environment continuously
7. Obvious startle responses to loud noises, being approached or touched by others
8. Excessive boredom with the commonplace and ordinary aspects of life on the home front, thrill-seeking and looking for the "adrenalin rush," while posing unnecessary risks to self and family members
9. Finding little worth, meaning, or purpose to life on the home front and longing to be back in the war zone to find it
10. Preoccupation with bitter and angry feelings directed toward a society or government for maltreatment, exploitation, and failure to keep promises, as has been the case with veterans of previous wars
11. Feeling confused, angry, or cynical about one's fate in life; pessimism and hopelessness about one's future and any possibility of altering what lies ahead.
Congregations who seek to be welcoming need to avoid acting as if they are hovering over a returned soldier waiting for signs of abnormality while being aware of possible behaviors that might indicate the returned soldier is having problems. Almost as important as anything is to convey to such soldiers that although you could not possibly understand what they have been through, you are available and a supportive presence.
When you check the symptoms that traumatize some returning veterans, you will note that they can be overcome with guilt, feelings of isolation, and a sense of purposelessness in life. Many churches have a liturgy that is variously called a Service of Wholeness or a Healing Service. In those services, we are invited to bring our concerns, brokenness, and despair to God in the context of a praying community. We are reminded by our liturgy that God is present and more powerful than that which threatens us. The service often includes having elders or deacons lay their hands on individuals and/or anointing them with oil in order to convey the power of Christ's healing touch.
This can be a powerful service for returned veterans. In an immediate and personal way, they are reminded that they are not alone, that there is one who hears the depth of their pain, can cleanse them of their guilt, and has a purpose for them that incorporates but far exceeds their past experiences of war. In addition, there is a congregation seeking to give expression to that healing love by their presence and prayers. It might even be strengthened if a number of congregations came together to offer such a service on behalf of the larger community.
These are our children, who have been asked to make great sacrifices, and they deserve our love and support.
Stephen McCutchan is a retired Presbyterian minister living in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is author of three books on the lectionary (CSS Publishing) one on the psalms (Smyth & Helwys) and one on Matthew (Author House). He also blogs regularly on the Care of Clergy, www.smccutchan.com/blog.
