Synopses & Reviews
Rambo draws on contemporary studies in trauma to rethink a central claim of the Christian faith: that new life arises from death. Reexamining the narrative of the death and resurrection of Jesus from the middle day-liturgically named as Holy Saturday-she seeks a theology that addresses the experience of living in the aftermath of trauma. Through a reinterpretation of "remaining" in the Johannine Gospel, she proposes a new theology of the Spirit that challenges traditional conceptions of redemption. Offered, in its place, is a vision of the Spirit's witness from within the depths of human suffering to the persistence of divine love.
Synopsis
Rambo draws on contemporary studies in trauma and relates them to the death and resurrection of Jesus to develop a theology that addresses trauma and its aftermath. Traumatic experiences can permanently alter lives, forcing victims to "remain" in perpetual turmoil, often feeling as if the person they were before is dead. Redemption can come through Jesus' death and resurrection. Images of the Spirit from the Gospel of John suggest ways of understanding life in the midst of the trauma of "remaining." This theology of the Spirit helps us understand and deal with trauma as a form of death in the midst of life.
About the Author
Shelly L. Rambo is Assistant Professor of Theology at Boston University School of Theology.