Render Unto God: Economic Vulnerability, Family Violence, and Pastoral Theology

"What marks, principles, and values from our study of Jesus can guide our reflections about the church and its witness in a world of economic injustice? What kinds of principles ought to be part of an ecclesiology in a world where family violence is epidemic?" So asks author James Newton Poling in his exploration of the role of faith and religious practice as a resource for those who are economically vulnerable to domestic violence. In this groundbreaking work, Poling focuses his research on women and children in working-class and poor communities of three cultures, analyzing the forces that define and sustain economic vulnerability and detailing how such vulnerability affects the daily lives of people within these communities. He looks at how the church can function as a source of healing and empowerment for persons who are trapped by domestic violence and economic vulnerability and develops models for prevention of violence and of practical ministry for pastoral care of the victims and perpetrators.