Churches urged to address violence

CAPE COD, Ma. — A task force of the World Evangelical Fellowship’s Commission on Women’s Concerns has released a theological statement encouraging evangelical churches to address domestic violence.

The statement, titled “Toward a Biblical Theology of Relationships: Preventing Abuse Against Women,” outlines biblical support for countering domestic violence and offers suggestions for how churches can relate to victims and perpetrators.

“The hard facts compel us to acknowledge that sinful practices are being ignored, tolerated, sometimes even perpetuated in the church as well as society at large,” the statement reads. “Women worldwide continue to report that domestic violence is a major problem.”

The eight-page document reports that there are more than 100 biblical passages addressing battering, violence, rape, intimidation and related topics.