Marion L S Carson

How can the Bible inform the pastoral care of people with mental health challenges? This book suggests that many if not most readers of Scripture a adopt a "foundationalist" hermeneutic, which runs the risk of reducing Scripture to a book of instructions and pastoral care to a matter of dispensing advice. For people suffering from mental health challenges in general and depression in particular, however, this approach can be counterproductive, adding to spiritual and mental distress rather than helping to alleviate it. Here, Marion Carson offers an alternative way of reading Scripture for pastoral care that draws on the work of biblical studies as well as pastoral theology. Focusing on Rom 5:1-5, in which suffering and hope are explicitly linked, she argues that a hermeneutic based on character ethics can help Christian communities of faithful, hopeful, and loving people to develop sensitive and nuanced approaches to pastoral care and so to be "agents of hope" to those who are feeling hopeless because of severe depression.

How can the Bible inform the pastoral care of people with mental health challenges? This book suggests that many if not most readers of Scripture a adopt a "foundationalist" hermeneutic, which runs the risk of reducing Scripture to a book of instructions and pastoral care to a matter of dispensing advice. For people suffering from mental health challenges in general and depression in particular, however, this approach can be counterproductive, adding to spiritual and mental distress rather than helping to alleviate it. Here, Marion Carson offers an alternative way of reading Scripture for pastoral care that draws on the work of biblical studies as well as pastoral theology. Focusing on Rom 5:1-5, in which suffering and hope are explicitly linked, she argues that a hermeneutic based on character ethics can help Christian communities of faithful, hopeful, and loving people to develop sensitive and nuanced approaches to pastoral care and so to be "agents of hope" to those who are feeling hopeless because of severe depression.

Confronting Human Trafficking in Our Midst We live in an age marked by injustice and exploitation. Human trafficking thrives in the shadows of our communities. Millions are being exploited by those who see them only as commodities to be bought and sold How can Christians respond? Authoritative and deeply compassionate, Freedom from Exploitation offers an actionable roadmap for believers in pursuit of justice and mercy. Drawing from biblical principles and contemporary examples, it urges the church to transcend complacency and embody Christ's teachings. The insights within these pages will guide Christian communities in taking up the cause for the oppressed, equipping them to make a tangible difference. Marion Carson writes with an urgency that matches the seriousness of the evil that she confronts. She gives us a crucial resource for those committed to fighting exploitation and honoring the inherent dignity of every human being. A provocative exploration, this book is more than a call to action--it's a beacon of hope and a manifesto for all who seek to live out their faith in a world crying out for justice and compassion.

Walk into Freedom is a practical manual for Christians who want to enable people to leave commercial sexual exploitation. The result of decades of experience, it will guide you through the stages of building up a ministry, from initial street outreach to establish ing a charity. Grounded in Biblical teaching throughout, it provides essential training material on teamwork, health, trauma, addiction and recovery, exiting, discipleship and spirituality.

Human trafficking causes untold suffering to millions throughout the world. From a Christian perspective it should go without saying that we ought to work towards the eradication of this evil. The Bible, however, which all Christian traditions recognize as normative for faith and practice, reflects an era in which slavery was regarded as the norm. This raises a question: can it have anything to say to the church about human trafficking, or should it be discarded as irrelevant and anachronistic? Drawing on history and literature to help us bridge the hermeneutical gap between the texts and our own age, this study presents an examination of key biblical material on slavery and prostitution. It suggests that the Bible does have much to say that can inform Christian responses to modern-day slavery in all its forms, including the sex industry into which so many victims of trafficking are sold. ""If you are a Christian and engaged in the issues of human trafficking and prostitution, this is a book you will want to read. Marion Carson, thorough in her theological reflection, exposes attitudes that contribute to the suffering of those enslaved and leads us to see clearly, through the lens of the Bible, the evils of injustice and exploitation. A powerful read that leaves me with much to ponder and do."" --Nancy Murphy, Executive Director, Therapist, Educator, Northwest Family Life Learning & Counseling Center ""Marion Carson combines the skills of a trained biblical scholar with the passion of a social activist engaged in resistance to the injustices of contemporary forms of slavery. She is thus uniquely qualified to write on this crucial yet frequently misunderstood or evaded topic. She does so with skill, honesty, and courage, placing us in her debt and confronting us with the urgent ethical and theological challenges so well articulated in this superb study."" --David Smith, Honorary Lecturer, University of Aberdeen ""This is an excellent book. With clarity Marion Carson successfully integrates a number of foci into a coherent argument. She offers a detailed study of the Scriptures, identifies important issues of biblical hermeneutics, discusses with nuance and cultural sensitivity the practice of prostitution, and uses all of this to expose the current issue of sex trafficking with the purpose of motivating ethical Christian response. Informative, sensitive, and relevant."" --Stuart Blythe, Rector, International Baptist Theological Study Centre Amsterdam Marion L. S. Carson is a freelance theologian and writer who lives in Glasgow, Scotland. She is Secretary of the European Baptist Federation Anti-trafficking Network.

Human trafficking causes untold suffering to millions throughout the world. From a Christian perspective it should go without saying that we ought to work towards the eradication of this evil. The Bible, however, which all Christian traditions recognize as normative for faith and practice, reflects an era in which slavery was regarded as the norm. This raises a question: can it have anything to say to the church about human trafficking, or should it be discarded as irrelevant and anachronistic? Drawing on history and literature to help us bridge the hermeneutical gap between the texts and our own age, this study presents an examination of key biblical material on slavery and prostitution. It suggests that the Bible does have much to say that can inform Christian responses to modern-day slavery in all its forms, including the sex industry into which so many victims of trafficking are sold.