Assistant Professor of English Rebecca Davis

Tear Down This Wall of Silence Assistant Professor of English Rebecca Davis

In Tear Down This Wall of Silence, Dale Ingraham addresses the topic of sexual abuse in a way that examines hard areas while maintaining sensitivity for those who fear that this issue is too difficult for them to examine. The memoir-like recounting of Dale and Faith's own journey to understanding is woven throughout the various chapters of the book, from Faith's first revelation to Dale that she had suffered incest at the hands of her pastor father, to Dale's excommunication of his father-in-law in the church that he himself pastored. First-person accounts from other abuse survivors also help to tear down the wall so that those who need to understand can do so. Tear Down This Wall of Silence explores the character of the abuser, the true meaning of repentance and forgiveness, and how urgent it is for the church to open their eyes to the wounded and oppressed in their midst.