
#SilenceIsNotSpiritual
Breaking the Silence on Violence Against Women and Girls
We are experiencing a kairos moment—a window of opportunity to bring healing in the world and in the church. The rise of the recent #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements have compelled us to examine our own beliefs and actions concerning the state of women.
Fundamentally, we understand violence against any individual, regardless of their ethnicity, creed or gender, to be a matter of our Christian faith. Genesis 1: 26 declares that all people are made in the image of God, both men and women. Women are equally called and created with the full potential and capacity to steward the world. All abuse disfigures human dignity and distorts the image of God.
Therefore, violence against her is violence against God.
Violence against women is happening at record numbers
Evidence of physical, sexual and psychological harm—ranging from sexual harassment and assault to trafficking and rape as a weapon of war—is on the rise. Globally, 1 out of every 3 women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence and 200 million girls are missing. According to a 2016 Center for Disease Control report, 1 out of every 5 women in the U.S. have experienced rape or attempted rape. Forty-four percent have experienced some other form of sexual violence, including: sexual coercion, unwanted sexual contact and non-contact unwanted sexual experiences. Among women who have experienced rape more than 28 percent report it happened between 11 and 17 years old. Twenty-five to 85 percent of women in the workforce report that they have experienced sexual harassment. Yet, 75 percent of harassment victims experience retaliation when they speak up while 95 percent of reported incidents go unpunished.
For too long the voices of women and girls who suffer violence have been marginalized, ignored or silenced. When women anywhere are harassed or assaulted, we are all violated. When girls anywhere are forced into servitude and slavery, we are all enslaved with them. When women anywhere become weapons of war, we too become weapons.
Violence against her is violence against us.
How Can The Church Take Action
We face an urgent and defining moment in history. As Christian women leaders, we recognize those in the churches who stand with and support survivors of violence. We are thankful for their example of holy and just relationships. Following their and others’ faithful witness, we choose to rise and speak up. We will not retreat from the pain in our midst. Women of all faiths, races, cultures and backgrounds are bravely breaking their silence, yet many in communities of faith do not match their bravery with action. Instead, feeling the problem is too pervasive, they have acquiesced, leaving whole churches and communities paralyzed.
But doing nothing is not acceptable. Silence is not spiritual. And action is not optional.
This moment in history is ours to steward. We are calling churches, particularly those in our stream of the Christian faith—Evangelical churches, to end the silence and stop all participation in violence against women. We call our pastors, our elders, and our parishioners who have been silent to speak up and stand up for all who experience abuse. There is no institution with greater capacity to create protected spaces for healing and restoration for survivors, as well as confession, repentance and rehabilitation for perpetrators.
To this end, we, as women elders and leaders, issue a call of action to end violence against women. Throughout the Christmas season—symbolic of God’s incarnation among the suffering—and culminating on Easter Sunday—symbolic of God’s victory over sin and oppression—we call Evangelical churches into two streams of action:
How Can You Take Action
1. To stand with women who experience violence. A call to solidarity by making space for women to break their silence in our congregations and communities. Recognizing each woman’s inherent dignity, we call on churches to create protected spaces where survivors of violence can offer their stories, as they choose, and where the body can receive these stories with empathy, love and care.
2. To stand up for women who experience violence. A call to advocacy, repenting of our silent ascent to systems, structures, and practices that harm our sisters. We desire to spark action at all levels affecting the lives of women. We call the leaders and influencers within the greater faith community to action. We invite the Body of Christ to adopt a genuine willingness to repent where we have failed and to fight both systemic and individual injustices in our midst.
Called by faith, compelled by love, and committed to the promise that women will live free from the terror of violence, we, the undersigned, invite you to join this historic moment, an awakening of repentance and reconciliation, sparking genuine change in the very place we call our home—the local church.
Read & Sign Statement
Initial Signatories
Note: Signatories with a #MeToo or #ChurchToo next to their name have chosen to indicate that they are survivors of gender-based violence inside the church (#ChurchToo) and/or in society (#MeToo).
Rev. Khristi Adams
Speaker, Minister, Advocate
First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens, Somerset, NJ
Lisa Abdishoo, MD
President and CEO
Becky Allender
Co Founder
The Allender Center
Emily Joy Allison-Hearn #ChurchToo
Artist, Co-Creator of #ChurchToo
St. Ann’s Episcopal Church
Onleilove Chika Alston
Executive Director
Faith in New York
Olive Aneno #MeToo #ChurchToo
Speaker/Advocate for Healthcare and Mental Health
Founder of Love Empower Mentor, LLC
Yeva Avakyan
Head of Gender and Social Inclusion
World Vision US
Cintia Meirelles Azevedo
International Business Leader and Entrepreneur
Communication Specialist, World Relief
Director, Chasing Justice Movement
Lisa-Jo Baker
Author and Speaker
Helen Bako
President
Nigerian Women Against Violence
Janet Luhrs Balajthy
Senior Advisor and Consultant
Donna Barber
Co-Founder
The Voices Project
Suzanne R. Bates, MA, LPC
Associate Dean of Students and Adjunct Faculty
Covenant Theological Seminary
Belinda Bauman #MeToo
Founder, Executive Director
One Million Thumbprints
Lexi Baysinger
Graduate Assistant
Greenville University
Ruth Bell Olssen
Global Activist, writer, speaker
Dr. Beth Birmingham
Senior Director for Leadership and Staff Development
Compassion International
Dr. Rev. Janet Bregar
Dr. Cheryl Bridges Johns
Robert E. Fisher Professor of Spiritual Renewal & Christian Formation
Pentecostal Theologcial Seminary
Rev. Cynthia Brix, PhD (hon)
Co-Founder and Co-Director
Gender Equity and Reconciliation International
Tisha Brooks, PhD
Assistant Professor
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
Amena Brown Owen
Spoken Word Poet and Author
Sol Graffiti
Beth Bruno
Author, Speaker, Founder and Executive Director
A Face to Reframe
Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis
Associate Professor
Pepperdine University
Amy Buckely
Vice President
Life Together International
Rev. Jennifer Butler #MeToo #ChurchToo
CEO
Faith in Public Life
Kara Cadwell
Director of After-School Programming
New City East Lake
Rev. Adele Calhoun
Author, Pastor of Spiritual Formation
High Rock Church Network
Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon
Executive Director
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
Rev. Alexis Nicole Carter #MeToo
Pastor of Discipleship
Metropolitan Baptist Church
Sarah Carter
Artist and Advocate for Local and Global Justice
Willow Creek Community Church
Tiffanie S. Chan
Worship Arts Director
West End Presbyterian Church
Joanna Kretzer Chun
Program Advisor Youth & Child Development
World Relief
Diana Collymore #MeToo
Global Missions Strategy and Programming Manager
Kathryn Compton
National Director Strong Women Strong World
World Vision
Peggy L. Crane
Board Secretary
Love146
Carolyn Custis James
Author, Speaker, Activist
carolyncustisjames.com
Alyce Dailey
Advocate, Speaker, Co-Founder, Keller Williams Gateway
Rev. Angela Denker
Author, Speaker, Pastor
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Cathleen Deppe
Lay Leader, Justice & Mercy Commission
Holy Faith Episcopal Church
Shannon Dingle #MeToo #ChurchToo
Survivor, Writer and Speaker
Judy Douglass
Writer, Speaker, Encourager, Advocate
Director, Women’s Resources, Cru
Office of the President
Jennifer Dukes Lee
Author of The Happiness Dare and Love Idol Speaker
Journalist
Ashley Easter
Writer, Speaker, Victim Advocate
The Courage Conference
Christina Barland Edmondson, Ph.D
Dean of Multi-Cultural Student Development
Calvin College
Ashlee Eiland #MeToo
Pastor
Willow Creek Community Church
Kathy Escobar, M.A. #MeToo
Co-Pastor
The Refuge
Rachel Held Evans
Author
Christiana Fitzpatrick
Director of Global Education
Covenant College
Kathryn Freeman
Director of Public Policy
Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission
Joanna Giddens
Community Life Coordinator
Grace DC – Meridian Hill
Dr. Elizabeth Gerhardt
Professor of Theology and Social Ethics
Northeastern Seminary
Krista Gilbert
Author and Co-Founder of The Open Door Sisterhood
Chris Gillam
Board of Directors
FirstLight
Rachel Goble
CEO
The Freedom Story
Dr. Stephanie Goins
Director of Program Development and Africa
Love146
Marlena Graves #MeToo
Author, Speaker, Director of Discipleship
Maumee United Methodist Church
Dr. Mimi Haddad
President
CBE International
Kellie Haddock
Musician/Creator
The Thank You Project
Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale
Pastor
Ray of Hope Church
Tracy Hanson
LPGA Tour Professional
Founder, The Tracy Hanson Initiative
Jill Harding
Co-Director
Saint Louis Counseling Collective
Lisa Sharon Harper #MeToo
Author, Speaker and Activist
Founder and President
Freedom Road, LLC
Jen Hatmaker
Author & Public Speaker
Rozella Haydée White #MeToo
Owner, RHW Consulting
Houston City Director, Mission Year
Rebecca Hernandez, PhD
Associate Provost, Local and Global Engagement
Chief Diversity Officer
George Fox University, Newberg Oregon
Michelle Higgins
Director of Faith for Justice
Co-Chair, Saint Louis Action Council
Angie Hong
Creative Director
Willow Creek – Chicago
Kristen Howerton
Author, Rage Against the Minivan
Hellen LaKelly Hunt
President, The Sister Fund
Board Co-Chair – Relationships First
Lynne Hybels
Co-Founder and Advocate for Global Engagement
Willow Creek Community Church
Hyepin Im
President and CEO
Faith and Community Empowerment (formerly KCCD)
Dr. Kimberlee A. Johnson
Founder/Leader
Fellowship of Women Clergy
Leia M. Johnson #MeToo
President
Somebody’s Mama
Tracy Johnson #MeToo #ChurchToo
Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Red Tent Living
Cynthia Johnson Breilh
Director of Advancement
Medical Teams International
Barbara Jones
Missiologist
Mission to The World
Emily Nielsen Jones
Founding Partner and Trustee
Imago Dei Fund
Musimbi Kanyoro
President and CEO
Global Fund for Women
Dina Katanacho
Director
Arab Israeli Bible Society
Nazareth, Israel
Kathy Khang #MeToo
Author
Silvia Regina Jorge Kivitz
Director, Rede Ibab Solidária
White Water Baptist Church, Brazil
Linda Kay Klein
Author
Kristyn Komarnicki
Director of Dialogue and Convening
Director of Oriented to Love
Evangelicals for Social Action / The Sider Center
Alexandra Kuykendall
Author
Co-Founder, The Open Door Sisterhood
Bethany Lane
Director
East Lake Montessori
Helen Lee
Author and Speaker
Dr. Sharoni Denise Little
Scholar, Advocate, Activist
Lisa Loden
Author, Speaker, Reconciliation Practioner
Israel
Rev. Una F. Lucey-Lee
Evangelical Covenant Church
Janet Luhrs Balajthy
Senior Advisor and Consultant
Intervarsity
Rev. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, Ambassador
General Superintendent Emerita
The Wesleyan Church
Mayra Macedo-Nolan #MeToo #ChurchToo
Board Chair, Christian Community Development Association (CCDA)
Pastor of Community Outreach, Lake Avenue Church
Commissioner Christine MacMillan
Associate Secretary General – Public Engagement
World Evangelical Alliance
Diana Mao
President/Co-founder, Nomi Network
Presidential Leadership Scholar
Rev. Dr. Grace May
President
WOW! (Women of Wonder)
D.L. Mayfield
Author and Activist
Melissa McCreery
Executive Vice President
Kilns College
Kim McManus
Mosaic Director
Mosaic Global
Idalette McVicker
Founder and Editor-in-Chief
SheLovesmagazine.com
Cara Meredith
Author and Speaker
Associate, Freedom Road, LLC
Dr. Sandra Morgan, PhD, RN
Director, Vanguard University
Global Center for Women & Justice
Beth Moore
Author and Speaker
Founder of Living Proof Ministires
Shayne Moore #MeToo
Author, Activist
Founder, Redbud Writers Guild
Chikondi Mpokosa
Programme Director, Women and Girls
Opportunity International Global
Shauna Niequist
Author
Kelley Nikondeha
Author & Community Development Practitioner
Communities of Hope (Burundi)
Dr. Esperance Ngondo
Sexual Gender-Based Violence Program Officer
Word Relief Congo
Lindsey Nobles
Author, Consultant
Nichole Nordeman
Recording Artist, Songwriter, Author
Diana Oestreich #MeToo
Key Relationships Officer
Preemptive Love Coalition
Doretha O’Quinn
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Vanguard University
Hannah Paasch #MeToo #ChurchToo
Artist, Co-Creator of #ChurchToo
Suzii Paynter
Executive Coordinator
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Min. Lyvonne “Proverbs” Picou #MeToo #ChurchToo
Founder and CEO
Beautiful Scars
Teresa Pasquale Mateus #MeToo #ChurchToo
Executive Director and Co-Founder
The Mystic Soul Project
Joy E.A. Qualls
Associate Professor and Chair Dept of Communication Studies
Biola University
Sara Reamy
Assistant Director
Portland Seminary
Vickie Reddy
Executive Producer
The Justice Conference
Dr. Amy Reynolds
Associate Professor of Sociology
Wheaton College
Rev. Sandie Richards
Pastor
First United Methodist Church of San Fernando
Mazare’ Rogers
Community Life Coordinator
Grace Presbyterian Church, Washington DC
Julie Roys
Author and Radio Host
Rev. Jeanette Salguero
Senior Vice President
National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Eeva Sallinen-Simard
Chief of Staff
World Relief
Rev. Alexia Salvatierra Madrina
Faith-Rooted Organizing UnNetwork
Donna Schuller
Co-Founder
The Strategist Company, LLC
Dr. Shonnie Scott
CBE International
Micky ScottBey Jones
Racial Justice Institute Fellow
Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA)
Marina Silva
Human Rights and Environmental Activist
President, Rede Sustentabilidade Party, Brazil
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson
Author, Speaker, Advocate
LeLe Skinner
Campus Minister
Christina Smerick #MeToo
Chair, Bastian School of Theology, Philosophy and Ministry
Dean of Instruction
Greenville University
Dr. Andrea Smith
North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies
Charity Smith
Ministry Staff
Northside Church of Richmond
Joy Beth Smith #MeToo
Author, Speaker
Christianity Today
Melanie Smith
Associate Pastor
Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church
Lisa St. Pierre
Executive Assistant
New City Fellowship, St. Louis
Rev. Margot Starbuck
Author, Speaker, Advocate
Meighan Stone #MeToo
Advocate, speaker and Executive Chairwoman, Pencils of Promise
Faith and Politics Institute
Propel Women
Rev. Andrea Summers
Director, Sacred Alliance
Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University
Rev. Laura Sumner Truax
Senior Pastor
LaSalle Street Church
Rev Dr. Carla Sunberg
General Superintendent
Church of the Nazarene
Rev. Oghene’tega V. Swann
Pastor and Teaching Elder
Refreshing Springs Ministry, PCUSA
Jacinta Tegman
President
World Concern
Nikki Toyama-Szeto
Executive Director
Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA)
Ekemini Uwan #MeToo #ChurchToo
Public Theologian
Truth’s Table LLC
Rev. Sandra Maria Van Opstal
Executive Pastor, Grace and Peace Church (CRCNA)
Author, The Next Worship
AnaYelsi Velasco-Sanchez
Organizing and Programs Director
The Reformation Project
Ann Voskamp
Author, Speaker
Co-Founder, We Welcome Refugees
Amber Walker
Administrator
Urban K-Life
Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith
Senior Associate, Pan African and Orthodox Church Engagement
Bread for the World
Michelle Warren
Advocacy & Strategic Engagement Director
Christian Community Development Association (CCDA)
Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt
Assistant Professor of Art History
Covenant College
Nish Weiseth #MeToo
Author and Activist
Rev. Gloria E. White-Hammond, MD #MeToo
Co-Pastor
Bethel A.M.E. Church
Sarah Withrow King
Deputy Director
Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA)
Pastor Brenda Wong
Specialist in Spiritual Formation and Prayer
Jenny Yang
Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy
World Relief
Kimberly Mcowen Yim
Author and Executive DIrector, The SOCO Institute
