Towards a theological definition of Spiritual abuse

‘Spiritual abuse’ is a term fraught with difficulty—how could abuse be spiritual, and how can situations of a spiritual nature be abusive?

But as many victims can attest, Scripture can be used as an instrument of exploitation and manipulation. This carefully considered study offers an urgent examination of the Bible’s condemnation of abusive behaviour. It also calls for church leaders to understand fully the theological basis of identifying and condemning spiritual abuse, and to seek a scriptural foundation that avoids the attitudes and practices that could lead to it.