The Biblical Psychology of Trauma by Professor (Rev) Oluwafemi Esan

Professor (Rev) Oluwafemi Esan is Professor Of Biblical Psychology, Faculty Of Biblical Psychology at El-Roi London University. In this article, he talks about The Biblical Psychology of Trauma, touching such fundamental angles as The Tripartite View Of Trauma, Spiritual and Religious Trauma, The Impact of Trauma on the Unconscious Mind and Biblical Psychodynamic Theory. If this sound interesting to you, the sit back and enjoy the reading.

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Trauma is when we experience very stressful, frightening or distressing events that are difficult to cope with or out of our control. It could be one incident or an ongoing event over a long period. Most of us will experience an event that could be considered traumatic.

Trauma is the lasting emotional response that often results from living through a distressing event. Experiencing a traumatic event can harm a person’s sense of safety, sense of self, and ability to regulate emotions and navigate relationships. Initial reactions to Trauma can include exhaustion, confusion, sadness, anxiety, agitation, numbness, dissociation, confusion, physical arousal, and blunted affect.

Most responses are normal in that they affect most survivors and are socially acceptable, psychologically compelling, and self-limited—acute trauma results from a single incident. Chronic Trauma is repeated and prolonged, such as domestic violence or abuse. Complex Trauma is exposure to varied and multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature. (Ruglass, L.M. and Kendall-Tackett, K., 2014).

The Biblical Psychology approach to Trauma is by acknowledging our pain, seeking refuge in God, embracing forgiveness, nurturing supportive communities, renewing our minds with Scripture, and trusting in God’s sovereignty and redemption; we can overcome the effects of Trauma and emerge more assertive, more resilient, and more spiritually grounded.

Psalm 147:3 He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 119:28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! Bible-based Trauma Healing program helps people explore their heart wounds and heal from the pain of Trauma.

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God sees our prayers, and the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf. Prayer is an integral spiritual practice for trauma healing and recovery. Isaiah 40:29: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Psalm 147:3: “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.” James 5:14-15: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the church elders to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. (Pilch, J.J., 1988).

The Tripartite View Of Trauma

In Christian theology, the tripartite view (trichotomy) holds that humankind is a composite of three distinct components: body, Spirit, and soul. The traditional tripartite view of human nature, or the trichotomy of human persons, refers to distinguishing the soul and Spirit in humans (the body, of course, being the third part).

Trichotomy means three parts. It is the view that man’s nature consists of three parts: body, soul, and Spirit. Trauma is not physically held in the muscles or bones. Instead, the need to protect oneself from perceived threats is stored in the memory and emotional centres of the brain, such as the hippocampus and amygdala.

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Physical pain and tension are not the result of any other medical condition. This can happen anywhere in the body, and for trauma survivors, it is most commonly held in the core of the body, the stomach, abdomen, and lower back, as well as the upper torso, chest, shoulders, and spine.

Their heart rate increases, their palms sweat,and they may feelsick. These are all physical reactions to previous Trauma. The body thinks it is still in danger. If we experience Trauma, our body’s reactions can continue long after the Trauma is over. For example, when we’re in a situation that reminds us of the Trauma. This might affect how we think, feel and behave, especially if recovering from the Trauma has been difficult. There is spiritually induced Trauma. (McCaig, A., 1931).

Spiritual and Religious Trauma.

This form of Trauma is called “spiritual trauma” or “religious trauma” and is often the result of religious abuse. This type of abuse can come from individuals or the community as a whole. A person can experience spiritual Trauma from religious leaders, parents, or spiritual community members.

Some symptoms of religious Trauma include Compulsive perfectionism. Faith crisis or becoming disillusioned with spirituality. Self-hatred, low self-esteem, or compromised self-worth. If trauma survivors believe that their Higher Power failed them or that the traumatic events were punishment for past sins, these beliefs could result in anger toward their Higher Power and disconnection from spirituality or religion.

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Three common causes of spiritual distress are existential concerns, grief and loss, and isolation. Existential concerns. These concerns involve questions of meaning, such as: Why is this happening to me? This internal conflict can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). (Downie, A., 2022).

Moreover, religious Trauma can affect relationships, sexual and gender identity, and self-esteem. Spiritual abuse is an event or series of experiences a person endures from a religious leader or organization.

It can be acutely traumatizing at the time, but it is more often slow, subtle, and insidious. Religious Trauma is the ongoing effect that spiritual abuse can have on a person. Spiritual injury (S.I.), a type of spiritual distress, occurs when there is a breakdown in the relationship between the individual and their higher power.

Patients who experience spiritual injury may have poor health outcomes. Trauma resides in the Unconscious Mind. (Newell, B.R. and Shanks, D.R., 2014).

The Impact of Trauma on the Unconscious Mind

Trauma shapes our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours without realizing it. One of the most impactful ways Trauma can impact your mind is by putting you in a constant state of hypervigilance.

It’s not uncommon for people to suppress Trauma, primarily if it occurred during childhood. But, even if you’re not consciously thinking about it, your mind and body never really forget. Any traumatic memory is automatically stored in your implicit, unconscious memory.

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A protein called glutamate sears synapses together in any unique or traumatic experience. This is how fear conditioning is hardwired. The impact of Trauma on the brain can significantly impact our ability to learn, form memories, and regulate emotions. It can affect our ability to be calm, learn, think, reflect, and respond flexibly and in a planned way.

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Psychodynamic therapy focuses on unconscious processes manifesting in the client’s present behaviour. The goals of psychodynamic therapy are the client’s self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behaviour.

Psychodynamic theories focus on the psychological drives and forces within individuals that explain human behaviour and personality. The theories originate from Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, which focused on the unconscious mind as the source of psychological distress and dysfunction.

It primarily focuses on an individual’s unconscious psychological processes, which are thought to underpin dysfunctional thinking and behaviour patterns. (Wrenn, L.J., 2003).

Biblical Psychodynamic Theory.

Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory proposes that our inner drives, deep motives, and unconscious needs are rooted in our childhood experiences. Scripture describes this as the flesh or worldly nature. (Galatians 5:17) (1 John 2:16) Not everyone has been born again with a new spirit.

There is no biblical evidence that therapy is against the law of Jesus Christ. There is enough evidence to support fellowship, even in the form of therapy. There are many different types of therapy, such as coaching, Christian counselling, and family therapy.

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However, inner forces within our consciousness also similarly reflect the nature of sin, which is elusive, often alluring, and magnetic in a way that we must constantly resist its temptations. Psychology’s psychodynamic approach comes closest to an agreement with Biblical principles, theorizing we are motivated by unconscious forces within the mind, which we possess little control over.

Paul the apostle cried O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind, I serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin.

In that case, the cry in this verse is an admission of his complete inability to do what is right no matter how hard he tries. He sees that he is indeed a slave to his sinfulness with no hope of escape. (Bash, A., 2001).

In these verses, Paul tells us that even if we want to do what we know is good, the sin inside of us can cause us to do those things we don’t want to. Making mistakes is an inevitable part of being human because we all have a sinful nature. However, I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God. What does it mean to be crucified with Christ? It means that I no longer live according to the sinful lusts and desires of my flesh – I no longer commit what I know to be sin willfully and consciously.

Sin in my flesh has been nailed to the cross by faith. Nobody can be justified in God’s eyes by the works of the law but only by faith in Christ. To believe in Christ is to be crucified with Him and to have Him replace your sinful self in you. Paul now lives by faith in the Son of God. (Klostreich, E., 2008)

The Biblical Psychodynamic Therapy.

Moreover, Jesus gave himself for Paul’s sin because He loved him. Jesus died in Paul’s place. Once dead, someone is dead to everything, including the law. So Paul, through Christ, died to the law. That freed him to truly “live to God.” As he will say in the following verse, he died with Christ and now lives by faith in Christ.

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True freedom from Trauma is in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:11). (Ellens, J.H., 2008).

In conclusion, The Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in believers (verse 11a). The power of God’s Spirit is such that even the inevitable deaths of our bodies cannot deny the life of God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit will give life to our bodies like God’s Spirit did to Christ’s body.

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:11.The beauty of the biblical psychology approach to Trauma is that we are no longer slaves to the unconscious mind buried with traumatic experiences. Embracing the biblical Psychodynamic therapy is the permanent cure for Trauma.

Reference List

Ruglass, L.M. and Kendall-Tackett, K., 2014. Psychology of Trauma 101. Springer Publishing Company.

Hill, J.S., Lau, M.Y. and Wing Sue, D., 2010. Integrating trauma psychology and cultural psychology: Indigenous perspectives on theory, research, and practice. Traumatology, 16(4), pp.39-47.

Figley, C.R., Ellis, A.E., Reuther, B.T. and Gold, S.N., 2017. The study of Trauma: A historical overview.

Pilch, J.J., 1988. Understanding Biblical healing: Selecting the appropriate model. Biblical Theology Bulletin, 18(2), pp.60-66.

McCaig, A., 1931. Thoughts on the Tripartite Theory of Human Nature. The Evangelical.

Downie, A., 2022. Christian shame and religious Trauma. Religions, 13(10), p.925.

Newell, B.R. and Shanks, D.R., 2014. Unconscious influences on decision making: A critical review. Behavioural and brain sciences, 37(1), pp.1-19.

Wrenn, L.J., 2003. Trauma: Conscious and unconscious meaning. Clinical Social Work Journal, 31, pp.123-137.

Bash, A., 2001. A Psychodynamic Approach to the Interpretation of 2 Corinthians 10–13. Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 24(1), pp.51-67.

Klostreich, E., 2008. The theory of Christian psychology. Xlibris Corporation.

Ellens, J.H., 2008. Biblical Miracles and Psychological Process: Jesus as Psychotherapist. Idem, Miracles: God, Science, and Psychology in the Paranormal, pp.1-14.

Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Mastery.