The Moment I Became Born-again the Pain Disappeared

The Healing of Devastating War Memories in Born-again Churches in Mbarara District, Southwest Uganda

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2394627
AutoresMarian Tankink (Leiden University Medical Center, autor correspondente)
Ano2007
Volume44
Fascículo2
Páginas203-231
Data de publicação2007-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoTranscultural Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1363-4615 • E-ISSN: 1461-7471
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1363461507077723
PMID17576726
OpenAlexW2080122659
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas19
Referências citadas15

In southwest Uganda, many people who suffer from devastating war experiences become born-again Christians. This article describes the therapeutic functions of the churches and the experiential transformations associated with becoming born-again. The discourse of the born-again churches gives people another orientation toward the future, based on the Bible, that also provides them with a different perception of the past. Whereas people remain silent about their war experiences in everday life, the churches offer their members a public space to express their suffering. In these churches, feelings of trust and solidarity are restored. Many aspects of the churches' activities can also be found in western trauma therapies

Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Health and Conflict Studies · Migration, Health and Trauma