The #MeToo Reckoning

- 2020 Publishers Weekly Book of the Year - Religion? Publishers Weekly starred review. The #MeToo movement has revealed sexual abuse and assault in every sphere of society, including the church. But victims are routinely ignored by fellow Christians who deny their accounts and fail to bring accountability to the perpetrators. All too often, churches have been complicit in protecting abusers, reinforcing patriarchal power dynamics, and creating cultures of secrecy, shame, and silence. Pastor and survivor Ruth Everhart shines a light on the prevalence of sexual abuse and misconduct within faith communities. She candidly discloses stories of how she and others have experienced assault in church settings, highlighting the damage done to individuals, families, and communities. Everhart offers hope to survivors as she declares that God is present with the violated and stands in solidarity with victims. Scriptural narratives like those of Tamar and Bathsheba carry powerful resonance in today's context, as do the accounts of Jesus' interactions with women. God is at work in the midst of this #MeToo moment to call the church to repentance and deliver us from violence against the vulnerable.

Ruth Everhart is an author, speaker, and pastor who has served Presbyterian (PCUSA) churches for more than twenty years. A graduate of Calvin College and United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Ruth travels widely to speak at churches, conferences and retreats. She has written for publications such as Christian Century, Sojourners, and the Washington Post, and is the author of Chasing the Divine in the Holy Land and the Christianity Today award-winning memoir Ruined. She lives near Washington, DC.