Reviewed Book: Poling, James N. (James Newton). The Abuse of Power: A Theological Problem. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991

Marcon, Evelyn M.

English

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The Abuse of Power: A Theological Problem

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 20Issue 2 In Praise of Valiant Women Article 2311-1-1994The Abuse of Power: A Theological ProblemEvelyn M. MarconFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationMarcon, Evelyn M. (1994) "The Abuse of Power: A Theological Problem," Consensus: Vol. 20 : Iss. 2 , Article 23.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol20/iss2/23174 ConsensusChurch between 1957- 1990, in which case the reader outside this traditionmay be bored with unnecessary particulars.The section on the Cultural Construction of Gender Relations (160pages) deals with male power and position, the body, language, and dress(complete with the only [20] pictures in the book) which extends over thelast 800 years! The next section deals with Social Institutions and GenderRelations. The public life of the husband and the private life of the wifewithin the family are challenged. Biblical justice is seen where both parentsshare home and childrearing responsibilities. Current expectations of a wifeand mother being a financial provider and the one with the major domesticresponsibilities is clearly identified as unequal and unjust. Women’s pay asbeing less than men’s pay is documented, and the case is reinforced withsound sociological theory.The book offers much that has been written in sociology, psychology,family studies, women’s studies, theology and development studies over thepast ten years. For readers who already have an understanding of feminism,this book will be wanting. However, if such exposure has not been theexperience of the reader, we have a good resource of contemporary feminisml^etween the covers of one book. More than this, we have a Christianconsciousness throughout the book that integrates the concerns of thesemore secular concerns. These Reformed writers urge us to think and act ina holistic manner on these very deep-rooted social and economic problemisin our global community. They see hope in reconciliation.John F. PetersWilfrid Laurier UniversityWaterloo, OntarioThe Abuse of Power: A Theological ProblemJames Newton PolingNashville: Abingdon Press224 pp.Poling courageously provides a healing space for the “silent voices” ofvictims and survivors and for the stories of those “few men trying to recoverfrom the addiction to power”.The strength of the book is the use of personal testimonies of victims,survivors, perpetrators and the author’s own personal story. The case stud-ies honour the experiences of pain, tension and ambivalence. The authorat the same time challenges the reader to examine her or his own beliefs,values and myths about the use of power as expressed in relationships foundin societal and church communities. His use of living human testimoniesprovides the backdrop for theological reflection on the central issue—theabuse of power.Book Reviews 175Locating power and the al^use of power within the context of relaticm-ship, the author explores the different types of power in relation to otherpersons and critically names the abusive form of unilateral power, socialpower inequalities and patriarchy. In doing so Poling stretches the conceptof power from the narrow perspective of possession and systemically iden-tifies the evil ideologies, the structures of dominance and control, and theall pervasive patterns of evil interactions. Old images of self, others andGod are allowed to crumble. New images are acknowledged with author-ity and truth and are embedded in the resilient hope that Poling found inhis interaction with victims and survivors. His book accomplishes what hepromises— “voices of victims and survivors must be given priority”. Thedenial of the perpetrator must be challenged so that a transformative re-construction of old images of self, other and God may emerge.It is Poling’s own personal story as a Ghristian psychotherapist workingwith incestuous families that reveals the isomophoric process that furtherchallenges us to reflect on our own history of socialization and pastoralresponse psychosystemically. How prepared are we to deal with our ownaffective responses to those stories that highlight (1) the dangerous anddisturbing attitudes and behaviours categorically symbolized in the actionsof the perpetrator, (2) the ethical responsibility to work on all levels so-cially and legally, (3) the complexity of establishing an accountability thatis adequate in churches and in society, (4) the denial and rationalization ofthe individual perpetrator and collective bodies of society, (5) the cognitivedistortions which culturally encourage violence as a legitimate form of inter-personal l)ehaviour, (6) the lack of social control over men who choose to bei violent in the home, and (7) the stubborn inequality of women and childrenI in relation to men? There is not a stone left uncovered. This reader foundjthat as she read key metaphors that have shaped and defined the relationalpatterns of her life (socially and culturally, politically and economically,theologically and spiritually) her metaphors became more identifiable. Anew metaphor began to surface providing the parameters for a revised nar-rative al]»out the use of power that is just, regardless of gender, race, cultureor faith.Poling’s book is informative and formative! His qualitative researcheml^races the relational stories of the victim and survivor and the perpe-trator; the relational stories of churches and societies; and the relationalstories of God arid people. His work provides us with a strong resource—apractical theology for the examination of power and the abuse of power.Evelyn Marcon' Interfaith Pastoral Gounselling Centre,: Kitchener, Ontario

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