Othered
Finding Belonging with the God Who Pursues the Hurt, Harmed, and Marginalized
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About
God sees, hears, and loves you--even if the church has failed you
God's people are meant to be a blessing to others. Yet in the Scriptures, throughout history, and in our own times we too often see the people of God causing harm.
For anyone who has felt left out or pushed out of the church, Othered is your invitation to find spiritual rest and belonging in a God who loves, pursues, and blesses the outcast and the marginalized. Drawing on her experience growing up as a biracial child in the American South, as well as her work in toxic ministry environments, Jenai Auman reveals a hopeful, healing path forward for the ostracized and oppressed. Her informed and holistic responses to grief, anger, and trauma powerfully demonstrate how God offers shelter and provision in the midst of the wilderness.
"Whether abused, exiled, excommunicated, scapegoated, or marginalized, being 'othered' seeks to erase parts of you and the stories one may possess. Auman's work calls us to remember, pay attention to, include, and see and hear the stories of those who have been overlooked as a sacred part of the story of God."--Dr. Terence Lester, founder of Love Beyond Walls, author of I See You, When We Stand, and All God's Children
"Othered is a tender and honest love letter to those on the margins of Western, white Christianity, a reminder that we are not alone and that our journey matters."--Kaitlin B. Curtice, award-winning author of Native, Living Resistance, and Winter's Gifts
Endorsements
"Whether abused, exiled, excommunicated, scapegoated, or marginalized, being 'othered' seeks to erase parts of you and the stories one may possess. Auman's work in Othered calls us to remember, pay attention to, include, and see and hear the stories of those who have been overlooked as a sacred part of the story of God. We should read Othered and allow it to move us to fight for the belonging of all."
Dr. Terence Lester, founder of Love Beyond Walls, author of I See You, When We Stand, and All God's Children
"If you don't want to know, and rather intimately, the God who sees you, don't read this book. I'm afraid you'll be found."
Dr. Peace Amadi, PsyD, psychology professor & author of Why Do I Feel Like This?
"Jenai's story moved me, to both clench my teeth and unclench my hands, to be angry for her, to be healed alongside her. Jenai takes us through her harrowing story of spiritual abuse, how she re-found the God of the marginalized--the God who has always been for those of us cast aside. If you are, like me, deeply wounded by harmful religion and abuses of power, as you read Othered you'll find yourself holding your breath and then finding it again. I'm thankful for Jenai, who in advocating for herself advocates for us. Her words un-other and will bring you in."
J.S. Park, hospital chaplain and author of As Long As You Need
"Othered is a tender and honest love letter to those on the margins of Western, white Christianity, a reminder that we are not alone and that our journey matters. We need more books that speak truth to power and proclaim stories of advocacy and care for those who are again and again cast as 'others' by the church. This book is for those of us who are 'of multitudes,' looking to belong in a world that practices violence and oppression in the name of God again and again, and Jenai Auman is a caring and gentle guide, leading us through the pain and onto paths of hope and healing. I pray that church leaders will read this book and learn from the stories in it, and that those who are othered by all kinds of institutions will find solidarity and kinship in these pages."
Kaitlin B. Curtice, award-winning author of Native, Living Resistance, and Winter's Gifts
"With clear-eyed wisdom, nuance, and the kind of honesty that only comes after walking through the wilderness, Auman is a welcome friend for the journey of walking through--or walking with someone as they recover from--spiritual harm. I left Othered feeling very much a part of a community of people healing and moving toward bright hope."
Sara Billups, author of Orphaned Believers and Nervous Systems
"Jenai's exquisitely personal book invites us to consider spiritual abuse and religious trauma through a wider lens--one that considers the experiences of those who've been historically marginalized. Her own wrestlings are woven beautifully into a narrative that draws from deep biblical wells but also navigates complex cultural currents, all in service of telling a better, Resurrection story--a story that names each of us as beloved."
Chuck DeGroat, author of When Narcissism Comes to Church and Professor of Pastoral Care and Executive Director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Western Theological Seminary
"Jenai Auman has given those of us who have experienced the pain of othering a tender and honest guide in Othered. She's offered us her heart and story in these pages, and her fiercely compassionate words will give many the permission and space to name, be, and become, as they wander towards healing. This is a needed book today."
Tasha Jun, author of Tell Me the Dream Again
"Jenai Auman's debut pierces the dark places of church abuse, exposing malformed leadership practices to the light. Her prophetic voice extends a wide embrace to bring those othered by the church into a renewed space of belonging. Her invitation: remember you're not alone. . . . your liberation is near."
Rev. Rohadi Nagassar, author of When We Belong
"Both informative and beautifully written, Auman shares vulnerably from her own experience while skillfully naming the power dynamics that exist in the church. Her vivid writing helps readers understand the concepts of religious abuse and trauma in a vivid, tangible experience. Auman's is a much-needed voice, explaining the intersectionality of power structures in white evangelical churches. This is a must read for anyone trying to understand why they've experienced so much pain in a place that's supposed to offer comfort."
Krispin Mayfield, LPC, author of Attached to God
The Author
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Jenai Auman
Jenai Auman is a Filipina American writer and artist. She draws from her years in church leadership as well as her trauma-informed training to write on healing, hope, and the way forward. She is passionate about providing language so readers can find a faith...
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