Broken Bodies: The Eucharist, Mary and the Body in Trauma Theology (SCM Research) - Softcover

O'Donnell, Karen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0334058376 ISBN 13: 9780334058373

Publisher: SCM Press, 2019

Synopsis

The Body of Christ is a traumatised body because it is constituted of traumatised bodies. This monograph explores the nature of that trauma and examines the implications of identifying the trauma of this body.

Constructing new ways of thinking about the narratives at the heart of the Christian faith, 'Broken Bodies' offers a fresh perspective on Christian theology, in particular the Eucharist, and presents a call to love the body in all its guises.

It offers new pathways for considering what it means to 'be Christian' and explores the impact that the experience of trauma has on Christian doctrine.

This edition is new in paperback.

About this title

About the Author

Dr Karen O'Donnell is Coordinator for the Centre for Contemporary Spirituality and Programme Leader for the MA in Christian Spirituality at Sarum College.

Review

"This extraordinarily powerful book does not retreat from the blood, loss and deathliness sewn into Christian theologies across the ages. Nonetheless, it also insists on their transformative potential and capacity to bring new light to experiences of trauma and its aftermath today. O'Donnell's is a bold new voice in constructive theology." -- Susannah Cornwall, Exeter University, UK

"... follows the good feminist practice of starting from one's own experience, and using that experience as one of the measures for all matters under consideration - in this case, the Annunciation and Incarnation, the Eucharist, and the Trinity. But that does not mean that the book is light on scholarship. On the contrary, it is in part an exercise in ressourcement, drawing on the work of early Christian authors in order to understand the somatic character of Church life and Christian doctrine. The book is also deeply compassionate, and thus has a pastoral orientation. And as a Mariologist, I shall certainly use it as a text for discussion with students." -- Sarah Jane Boss

At once both scholarly and heartfelt, this book makes innovative use of traditions of the Eucharist and of the Virgin Mary in ways that shed important light on the developing theology of trauma. Karen O'Donnell's book bears helpfully on doctrinal, liturgical and also pastoral issues. Warmly recommended. -- Christopher Southgate

'This is an astonishing book: read it and be changed.' -- James Woodward, Principal of Sarum College

Edition details

• Publisher: SCM Press
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 0334058376
• ISBN 13: 9780334058373
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 256