OpenTheo

Thinking Biblically About Abuse, with Jim Newheiser

Life and Books and Everything — Clearly Reformed

Thinking Biblically About Abuse, with Jim Newheiser

August 24, 2021
Life and Books and Everything
Life and Books and EverythingClearly Reformed

In this episode, Kevin is joined by Dr. James Newheiser, theDirector of the Christian Counseling Program and Associate Professor ofChristian Counseling and Pastoral Theology at RTS Charlotte. Attitudes towardabuse, both inside and outside the church, have changed dramatically withinrecent generations. How can pastors deal with this issue Biblically in theircongregations? 

Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of WhatGod Has to Say About Our Bodies, by Sam Allberry. 

In What God Has to Say about Our Bodies, Sam Allberry explains that all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made and should regard our physicality as a gift. He offers biblical guidance for living, including understanding gender, sexuality, and identity; dealing with aging, illness, and death; and considering the physical future hope that we have in Christ. 

For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE.

Timestamps: 

What God Has to Say About Our Bodies [0:00 – 1:27] 

Dr. James R. Newheiser, Jr. [1:27 – 7:01] 

Talking About Abuse [7:01 – 12:31] 

Defining Abuse [12:31 – 16:00] 

Matthew 18 or Romans 13? [16:00 – 24:52] 

Maxims That Try to Help but Cause More Hurt [24:52 – 27:03] 

“Always believe the victim.” [27:03 – 32:14] 

“If you feel abused, then you were abused.” [32:14 – 36:36] 

“It’s never the victim’s fault.” [36:36 – 44:12] 

Marital Separation [44:12 – 48:13] 

Authority: Good and Bad [48:13 – 54:56] 

 

Books and Everything: 

What God Has to Say About Our Bodies, by Sam Allberry  

When Words Matter Most: Speaking Truth with Grace to Those You Love, by Cheryl Marshall and Caroline Newheiser  

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditCopy Link

Transcript

More on OpenTheo

How Do We Advocate for Christian Policy Without Making the Government Interfere in Every Area of Life?
How Do We Advocate for Christian Policy Without Making the Government Interfere in Every Area of Life?
#STRask
November 20, 2025
Questions about how to advocate for Christian policy without making the government interfere in every area of life, and the differences between the mo
When I Can’t Stop Thinking About Something, Is That God Speaking?
When I Can’t Stop Thinking About Something, Is That God Speaking?
#STRask
December 1, 2025
Questions about whether having a recurring thought is an indication God is speaking to you, what to say to someone who says they sinned because “God t
Lora Ries: Border Security and Immigration Policy
Lora Ries: Border Security and Immigration Policy
Knight & Rose Show
December 7, 2025
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose welcome Lora Ries to discuss border security and immigration policy. They explore Biden's policy changes, like ending R
What About Those Who Never Heard the Name of Jesus?
What About Those Who Never Heard the Name of Jesus?
#STRask
December 22, 2025
Questions about what will happen to those who never heard of Jesus or were brought up in a different faith, whether there’s biblical warrant to think
Shouldn’t I Be Praying for My Soul Rather Than for Material Things?
Shouldn’t I Be Praying for My Soul Rather Than for Material Things?
#STRask
February 2, 2026
Questions about whether we should be praying for our souls rather than for material things, why we need to pray about decisions, whether the devil can
How Can We Know Who Is Teaching the Same Gospel Paul Taught?
How Can We Know Who Is Teaching the Same Gospel Paul Taught?
#STRask
February 16, 2026
Questions about how we can know who is teaching the same gospel Paul taught, and whether or not Jeremiah 1:5 supports the idea that we pre-existed in
The Making of the American Mind with Matthew Spalding
The Making of the American Mind with Matthew Spalding
Life and Books and Everything
February 2, 2026
The United States is unique in how much attention it pays to its founding, its founders, and its founding documents. Arguably, the most famous and mos
How Could One Person Trust Another Person on the Topic of God?
How Could One Person Trust Another Person on the Topic of God?
#STRask
March 5, 2026
Questions about how one person could trust another person on the topic of God, how STR obtained information about God that others haven’t obtained, an
Life and Ministry in Charlotte and in the SBC with Clint Pressley
Life and Ministry in Charlotte and in the SBC with Clint Pressley
Life and Books and Everything
December 15, 2025
In a rare cultural anomaly that may never be repeated in our lifetimes, the current SBC President and current PCA Moderator live in the same neighborh
Who Wrote the Gospels? Michael Licona vs. Bart Ehrman - Part 2
Who Wrote the Gospels? Michael Licona vs. Bart Ehrman - Part 2
Risen Jesus
March 18, 2026
Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John write the gospels that bear their names? The texts themselves do not name them as the authors and were published and
What Is Wrong with Wokeness? With Neil Shenvi
What Is Wrong with Wokeness? With Neil Shenvi
Life and Books and Everything
January 19, 2026
In this timely interview, Kevin talks to Neil Shenvi about his new book (co-authored with Pat Sawyer), entitled “Post Woke: Asserting a Biblical Visio
Why Do We Say Someone Was Saved on a Particular Date If It Was Part of an Eternal Plan?
Why Do We Say Someone Was Saved on a Particular Date If It Was Part of an Eternal Plan?
#STRask
November 24, 2025
Questions about why we say someone was saved on a particular date if it was part of an eternal plan, the Roman Catholic view of the gospel vs. the Bib
The Best of Times and the Worst of Times with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
The Best of Times and the Worst of Times with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Life and Books and Everything
March 10, 2026
If you don’t like freewheeling conversation, laughter, and banter among friends, then this may not be the episode for you. But if you are interested i
Does God Really Need a “Pound of Flesh” to Forgive Sins?
Does God Really Need a “Pound of Flesh” to Forgive Sins?
#STRask
January 12, 2026
Questions about how to answer the challenge that God doesn’t need a “pound of flesh” to forgive sins but can simply forgive, and whether the claim in
Why Would Any Rational Person Have to Use Any Religious Book?
Why Would Any Rational Person Have to Use Any Religious Book?
#STRask
December 8, 2025
Questions about why any rational person would have to use any religious book, whether apologetics would be redundant if there were actually a good, un