Page 178 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5

Trauma Recovery Training at a Seminary? Introducing Global Trauma Recovery Institute

What does it mean to be created in the image of nues; whenever a human being refuses to heed
one who has voice? It means that you and I as the voice of God, the result is hiding, lies, secre-
the created ones have also been given voice. We cy and silence – in one’s self and in the lives of
must understand what our voices were meant others. If you study the atrocities in this world
to be if we are to comprehend their distortions, such as child sexual abuse, rape, domestic vio-
their loss. The concept of voice is defined for us lence, human trafficking, child soldiers, ethnic
in the Scriptures: “God, after he spoke long ago cleansing, genital mutilation and torture – you
to the fathers in the prophets in many portions will see again and again, the silencing and dis-
and in many ways, in these last days has spoken tortion of the voice of God and of person.
to us in his Son…[who is] the exact representa- A careful study of the Gospels and their appli-
tion of his nature” (Heb. 1: 1-3). cation in the rest of the New Testament shows
The second person of the Godhead is the Word. us what voice is to be in this fallen world. We
He is God giving voice to him self in the flesh. see Christ full of grace and truth. We hear him
“No man has seen God at any time; the only causing people to wonder at the gracious words
begotten God…he has explained him” (John 1: proceeding from his mouth and then he turns
18). Voice is that which articulates personhood around and calls religious leaders a brood of vi-
or personality or character. It is the exact repre- pers. We see voice, in the broadest use of the
sentation of the person. There is integrity bet- term, being the consistent expression in the life
ween the person and the expression of the per- of Christ of the character of God. The expressi-
son. Voice explains the person to others in terms on of the self in this world by someone created
that can be understood. Voice is the expression in the image of God is also to be a consistent ma-
of the self. Voice is not simply about words. The nifestation of the character of God. Wherever
Scriptures say that God spoke in many portions that does not occur, voice is distorted or abused
and many ways. Voice then, is all expressions of or destructive. When we look at the suggested
the self. In the same way that creation was an uses of voice in much of the secular literature
expression of God’s voice, i.e. the person, cha- we see that its primary use is for “the me”. I use
racter of God, so human voice can be expressed voice to say what I think, to get what I want.
in such things as words, choices, actions, art, While that is a legitimate use of voice, I belie-
music, movement or silence. The muteness of a ve a study of the person of Christ demonstrates
trauma survivor is actually an expression of the that it is a very small use of voice and that when
self. Their silence says to the world: “I am not voice is used in this world as God intended its
fully here. I am not seen.” use is far more beautiful, creative, rich, truth-
You and I are created in the image of God who ful, bold, holy and loving. For me as a clinician,
is eternally speaking. God speaks; we speak. that means, in part, that awakening voice in the
God’s word makes him accessible; our word life of a chronically abused woman is not a suf-
makes us accessible. God’s Word, written and ficient end. Following its awakening must come
flesh, explains His self to us; our word explains the question of how to use that which has been
our self to others. Anything that distorts the found so that it manifests the character of the
voice of God results in destruction to world and Word written and made flesh.
person. Anything that silences or crushes voice
in us destroys the image of God in us. Speaking RELATIONSHIP
out of his suffering, the psalmist says, “I am shut A second concept that is not only central to
up and I cannot come forth” (Psa. 88:8). most of life but also the work of therapy is that
The Fall brought about the destruction of voice. of relationship. Like voice, it is present from the
The voice, the word of God was distorted and beginning – “Let us make man in our image, in
that distortion was believed. Humanity was our likeness (Genesis 1:26). Relationship, like
shattered and part of that shattering is apparent voice, is part of who God is and therefore part
in voice. A failure to listen to the voice of God of those made in His image. There are many
resulted in hiding, lies, secrecy and silence, all aspects to explore – the relationship within the
often components of trauma. And so it conti- Trinity, God’s relationship to His people and the

178