Do bullies have free rein in our churches? Who are the bullies? What is scapegoating? Can we practice the mercy and forgiveness demanded by Jesus, while also protecting people from harm?

Jesus tells us to be both harmless and wise (Matt 10:16). I am looking for behaviors that are both spiritually valid and psychologically wise, that do not leave people helpless against the cruelty of church bullies.

Bullying in the Churches, published by Wipf and Stock was written to address these and other questions about the dynamics of power and of bullying in Protestant churches. Causes of bullying are examined, such as competition for status, a herd mentality, and patterns of scapegoating.

The church usually lags behind workplaces and schools in taking the problem of bullying seriously. We cannot ignore the problem any longer, even if bullying is being done by the most active members of the church, or even the Pastor.

The book is aimed at understanding and reflecting, not upon blaming.

Bullying in the Churches can be purchased from Wipfandstock.com at a web-price of $12.80, or from Amazon.com.