Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Monday Read: Power Imbalances and Abuse Dynamics in Christian Conciliation
17 Plays2 years ago
In today’s episode, we hear from Daniel Teater and his article “Power Imbalances and Abuse Dynamics in Christian Conciliation," which was featured as part of the religious arbitration conference hosted by Canopy Forum in June of 2022.
In his article, Teater argues that while Christian conciliation is “a valuable tool in everyday conflict situations,” it is not an appropriate method of conciliation when there is a power imbalance between parties. Instead, conciliation can only work when the relational dynamic is mutual and all parties assume joint responsibility in the conflict.
“I recommend conciliators educate themselves on the basics of power dynamics,” writes Teater, “develop an understanding of the implications of power imbalances for parties, and construct a wise trauma-informed strategy to account for such dynamics in their conciliation methods.”
All this and more on today’s episode of Interactions.
Read the original article on Canopy Forum.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Interactions Podcast
00:00:05
Speaker
Hello and welcome to another episode of Interactions, a podcast about law and religion and how they interact in the world around us.
00:00:15
Speaker
In today's episode, we hear from Daniel Teeter and his article, Power Imbalances and Abuse Dynamics in Christian Consiliation. His article was featured as part of the Religious Arbitration Conference hosted by Canopy Forum in June of 2022.
Christian Conciliation and Power Imbalances
00:00:37
Speaker
In his article, Teeter argues that while Christian conciliation is a valuable tool in everyday conflict situations, it is not an appropriate method of conciliation when there is a power imbalance between parties. Instead, conciliation can only work when the relational dynamic is mutual and all parties assume joint responsibility in the conflict.
00:01:05
Speaker
Christian conciliation, as my fellow panelists Ken and Candy Bryan have already shared, is a wonderful and effective tool that assumes a dynamic of mutuality, equality, neutrality, and joint responsibility to help resolve conflicts in a biblical way.
00:01:23
Speaker
Yet, much like other models in alternative dispute resolution, when there is a significant power imbalance, a good tool that effectively addresses mutual conflict can actually become an instrument of potential harm. Therefore, I argue that it's unwise to use standard conciliation methods when there are significant power imbalances due to abuse.
Understanding Power Dynamics and Trauma-Informed Strategies
00:01:45
Speaker
I recommend conciliators educate themselves on the basics of power dynamics, writes Teter. Develop an understanding of the implications of power imbalances for parties and construct a wise trauma-informed strategy to account for such dynamics in their conciliation methods. All this and more on today's episode of Interactions. I'm Janet Metzger.
00:02:22
Speaker
In Christian conciliation, the goal is not simply to resolve substantive issues, but to apply biblical principles to help people reconcile through the message and practices of the life of Jesus. At its best, Christian conciliation advocates not merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of true peace between parties.
00:02:47
Speaker
Such peace is achieved through intimate sharing, confession, and forgiveness. Although Christian conciliation is a valuable tool in everyday conflict situations, I inadvertently stumbled into a limitation in 2013. The limitation was that it assumes a relational dynamic of mutuality, equality, neutrality, and joint responsibility.
00:03:15
Speaker
Yet when significant power imbalances exist between parties, a good tool that effectively addresses mutual conflict can suddenly become an instrument of potential harm. Take, for example, a surgeon bringing a kitchen knife to the operating room. Although this tool is helpful for cutting, it is not calibrated for the human body in a surgical setting.
00:03:41
Speaker
Thus, a sanitized, precision scalpel is required. Christian conciliation was like the knife that worked in typical everyday conflict situations, but the circumstances of abuse needed a different tool. A more precise instrument that was calibrated to power imbalances was required.
Acknowledging Inherent Power Dynamics in Relationships
00:04:04
Speaker
I have concluded
00:04:05
Speaker
that it is unwise to use standard Christian conciliation methods when there are significant power imbalances due to abuse. Due to the high emphasis on the interpersonal healing process, Christian conciliation can open vulnerable parties to harm if there are substantial power differentials and these power imbalances are unaccounted for and unaddressed.
00:04:32
Speaker
The conciliator's professional responsibility is to grow their awareness of interpersonal power dynamics within a conciliation process and avoid putting vulnerable parties in harm's way. To that end, I recommend conciliators educate themselves on the basics of power dynamics
00:04:53
Speaker
develop an understanding of the implications of power imbalances for parties, and construct a wise trauma-informed strategy to account for such dynamics in their conciliation methods.
Abuse Exploiting Power Imbalances
00:05:08
Speaker
As a psychologist and expert in the field of trauma, Diane Langberg notes, the question is not, do you have power, but how aware of power are you and how do you use it?
00:05:23
Speaker
Each of us possesses a degree of power as individuals and as mediators. Power is always running like an operating system on a computer in the background of all relationships. At its most basic definition, power means the ability to make something happen or stop something from happening. As power researcher Dacher Keltner explains, it certainly can be measured by resource allocation.
00:05:51
Speaker
but at its most fundamental level, we are discussing power as the capacity for action and the ability to impact one's world. Power has often been studied as a state of mind rooted in the individual's perception of their influence on others.
00:06:08
Speaker
It is not static, but contingent on personality traits and socio-cultural factors. Because power dynamics exist in all social relationships, power inequities and imbalances occur all the time. These imbalances are often natural and morally neutral. Power is not inherently evil,
00:06:31
Speaker
and can be the source of great good if motivated, focused, and constrained by love. Having equal power is not necessary for a fair mediation process, nor is this entirely possible. Additionally, having a stronger party does not inherently mean they will abuse power. Yet there are power imbalances that can create a context for harm if left unnoticed or unchecked.
Strategies for Addressing Power Imbalances Due to Abuse
00:07:01
Speaker
Mediators can inadvertently exacerbate an existing power imbalance by imposing impartiality on an unlevel playing field. Harm occurs when someone's core dignity is exploited and a core vulnerability damaged or controlled by another.
00:07:21
Speaker
In the most extreme cases, like abuse, it is not simply that there is an imbalance of power, but the intentional exploitation of a power imbalance to expand the control of the abuser at the expense of the victim.
00:07:38
Speaker
Abuse, at its core, is the misuse of power to control another person through unjustified force or coercion, whether this is psychologically, emotionally, physically, spiritually, sexually, or monetarily.
00:07:55
Speaker
The litmus test for assessing power imbalances determines how it affects a party's ability to self-determine. This can be observed by examining a party's capacity for meaningful action in their negotiation interests. However, it also can be observed through a party's experience of fear of retaliation, punishment, or threat during the conciliation process.
Screening for Abuse and Adjusting Methods
00:08:22
Speaker
Although there is literature to support settlement negotiations and mediation as an appropriate tool when specific power imbalances exist, when those imbalances are a result of abuse or will result in a reenactment of abuse, it is not advisable to utilize standard methods of Christian conciliation.
00:08:45
Speaker
I recommend a three-pronged approach for Christian conciliators and other religious mediators in developing a helpful path forward to address power imbalances caused by abuse. As a starting point, a conciliator must start with a foundational understanding that there are power dynamics in every conciliation. This includes their power as well as the party's power.
00:09:14
Speaker
If these terms or concepts are foreign to you, seek further training and education. This may include CEUs on trauma, narcissistic abuse, spiritual abuse, domestic violence, workplace bullying,
00:09:31
Speaker
and sexual exploitation. I also recommend having an assessment process for every case you work on that starts with a case conceptualization model that surfaces power dynamics. Such an intake process may include internal questions like, who has power? What power do they have? How does this affect the capacity for self-determination?
00:09:57
Speaker
What is the level of fear in the parties? Who is most afraid and why? Who controls more of what the other party wants or needs?
00:10:08
Speaker
Are there abusive dynamics reported? If so, what type of abuse? Emotional, physical, psychological, spiritual, et cetera. Another recommendation would be to utilize consistent screening and assessment tools to help surface potential abuse. For example, for martial mediations, I now use a standard assessment from renowned marital therapist, John Gottman.
00:10:36
Speaker
It screens for domestic violence while also providing a larger snapshot of health in the relationship. Another screening tool has been developed specifically for mediators called MASSIC, which also screens for domestic violence.
00:10:53
Speaker
If you identify a power imbalance that could reenact an abusive dynamic, it is unwise to utilize typical conciliation methods. Instead, you must shift the approach to accommodate the power differentials with gentleness.
00:11:10
Speaker
The word gentleness in the Bible describes power harnessed lovingly. Power is surgically utilized in a self-restrained way for the good of another. It is not coercive or harsh.
Role of Neutrality and Recognizing Abuse
00:11:26
Speaker
Gentle accommodation of power differentials starts by identifying and seeing the vulnerability of the party most at risk.
00:11:35
Speaker
It means informing parties of the risks of participating in a conciliation process if an abusive individual or group does not acknowledge their abusive behavior. It means changing the format of the conciliation process entirely to reflect better the nature of the harm that has occurred.
00:11:57
Speaker
For example, a usual practice in Christian conciliation is to have parties construct a log and spec list based on Jesus' teachings about the priority of taking responsibility for our part in a conflict.
00:12:14
Speaker
However, using such an assignment or tool when abuse dynamics are present implicitly sends a message of mutuality for the abuse. Instead, the focus should encourage the victim to share an impact statement with the offender. The offender should be coached and prepared to enter the dialogue without justification or excuses for the abuse of behavior.
00:12:42
Speaker
the structure of the conversation must tilt toward empowering healing through responsibility, remorse, and restitution from offender to victim.
00:12:54
Speaker
Ideally, a conciliator remains neutral in the sense that they are unbiased, fair, do not demonstrate favoritism, and provide a consistent process. However, it is legitimate to consider that neutrality creates complicity to harm when injustice and oppression occur.
00:13:17
Speaker
Therefore, it is appropriate for the conciliator to weigh their role accordingly and ethically reflect on whether advocacy for justice would be more appropriate.
00:13:29
Speaker
This begins by shifting the focus from conflict-oriented reconciliation to naming and identifying the abusive patterns and constructing a trauma-informed process. Healing for victims begins when abuse is appropriately named. It is vital to delineate that abuse is not conflict. Abuse is not a joint problem.
00:13:55
Speaker
To define it as conflict minimizes the impact and functionally silences victims' voices. A Christian conciliator needs to name reality accurately and truthfully and use an equivocal language to bring to light the harm.
Episode Summary and Conclusion
00:14:14
Speaker
This act of courageous truth-telling creates a proper context where healing can occur.
00:14:22
Speaker
In conclusion, the topic of power dynamics is complex. Cases involving abuse will be challenging to navigate effectively. Hopefully, though, you will continue to move in a direction where you will be empowered to see unhealthy power imbalances and be ready to assess them wisely, accommodate them gently, and advocate for justice lovingly.
00:14:53
Speaker
That was Daniel Teeter and his article, Power imbalances and abuse dynamics in Christian conciliation.
Credits and Social Media Encouragement
00:15:02
Speaker
You can find the full article on Canopy Forum by following the link in the episode description. Canopy Forum and the Interactions podcast are distributed by the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University and produced by Anna Knudsen and Ethan Anthony. I am your narrator, Janet Metzger.
00:15:23
Speaker
You can follow Canopy Forum on Twitter or Facebook. Follow Interactions on Instagram and subscribe to Interactions on your favorite podcast platform. Thank you for listening.