Trauma and Recovery in Early North African Christianity

Download or read book Trauma and Recovery in Early North African Christianity written by Scott Harrower and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2024-04-22 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Powerful religious elements for living in the aftermath of trauma are embedded within North African Christian hagiographies. The texts of (1) The Passion of Perpetua and Felicity, (2) The Account of Montanus, Lucius, and their Companions, and (3) The Life of Cyprian of Carthage are stories that offered post traumatic pathways to recovery for its historical readership. These recovery-oriented beliefs and behaviors promoted positive religious coping strategies that revolved around a sense of safety, re-establishing community relationships, an integrated sense of self, and a hopeful story beyond trauma. This book vividly demonstrates that hagiographies played a vital therapeutic role in helping early Christian trauma survivors recover and flourish in the aftermath of disastrous persecutions.