Introduction: The Story That Shame Is Trying to Tell
1. Our Problem with Shame
2. How Shame Targets the Mind
3. Joy, Shame and the Brain
4. The Story of Shame You Are Living
5. Shame and the Biblical Narrative
6. Shame's Remedy: Vulnerability
7. Our Healing Cloud of Witnesses
8. Redeeming Shame in Our Nurturing Communities
9. Renewing Vocational Creativity
Notes
Bibliography
Curt Thompson (MD, Wright State University) is a board-certified psychiatrist and the founder of the Center for Being Known, a nonprofit organization that develops resources to educate and train leaders on the intersection between interpersonal neurobiology and Christian spiritual formation. He is also the author of Anatomy of the Soul. Thompson and his wife, Phyllis, a licensed clinical social worker, are the parents of two children and reside in Arlington, Virginia.
"Fans of Brene Brown's work will find in The Soul Of Shame an
intelligent, complementary (but not identical) companion to their
reading. This book would also be helpful to pastors, spiritual
directors, and anyone who finds themselves longing to understand
why they do the things they don't want to do—and how to move toward
joy instead. . . . 'Every minute of every day we choose between
shame and love,' Thompson writes. It takes intention to combat
shame, but, as he reminds us, it is not a battle we fight alone.
Our God fights for and with us."
*Michelle Van Loon, Patheos, November 5, 2015*
"The Soul of Shame provides an in-depth examination of shame and
how it affects every aspect of our lives. It is an incredible
resource for every pastor who provides pastoral care and
counseling. We readily recognize the effects of sin upon the
physical body but fail to recognize its impact on the brain that
cause neurological changes in the brain which then affects our
emotions and thinking. The Soul of Shame will empower pastors and
counselors to see that shame is a root issue to most challenges we
face in our fallen world. It's a must-read if one wants to be
serious about caring pastorally for the Lord's people."
*Brad Hoefs, Outreach Magazine's Resources of the Year, March/April
2016*
"We need to talk about shame. Curt Thompson?s recent book The Soul
of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves
(InterVarsity Press, 2015) does just that and is, in my opinion,
one of the most important books written this past year. . . . I
don?t say this lightly, for there are few books I have read that
could ever make this list: this should be a book that every
Christian pastor needs to know intimately, every parent should read
cautiously for the sake of their children, and most Christians
should have access to. It is a book that is applicable to everyone
on some level, whether you yourself are dealing with shame or you
know someone who is."
*Randy Hardman, Seedbed, December 31, 2015*
"This is a challenging but profoundly life-giving book that teaches
us, using many fascinating stories from Thompson's work as a
psychiatrist, how to relate to our inner world of thoughts,
emotions, and body sensations to the intriguing findings of
contemporary brain science, and above all to the biblical story of
God's longing that we live openly in the light of his love,
delight, and grace. Thus new stories are told."
*Richard Winter, Presbyterion, Fall 2015*
"Thompson not only provides tremendous insight into these important
matters, but also some hopeful practices for a ministry of
reconciliation. For those leading spiritual formation and for those
teaching others to do so, The Soul of Shame is a worthy addition to
the library."
*Drew Poppleton, Journal of Spiritual Formation Soul Care, Spring
2016, Vol. 9, No. 1*
"Where does our shame originate? And how can we loosen its
oppressive hold on our lives? Thompson . . . looks to Scripture and
the field of interpersonal neurobiology for insights. 'Shame,' he
proposes, 'is not just a consequence of something our parents did
in the Garden of Eden. It is the emotional weapon that evil uses to
(1) corrupt our relationships with God and each other, and (2)
disintegrate any and all gifts of vocational vision and
creativity,' including 'any area of endeavor that promotes
goodness, beauty, and joy in and for the lives of others.' The Soul
of Shame gets inside how this process happens—and how it can be
reversed."
*Christianity Today, September 2015*
"I believe (especially after having read through to the very end of
this remarkable work) that these insights from a psychiatrist and
neuroscientist is just what we need to help us see the exceptional
relevance of Biblical truth for daily living. In Thompson's hands,
Bible verses come alive, the over-arching redemptive drama makes
palpable sense and frames our experience, and God's well-ordered
structure of creation—the human brain!—is demystified so we can
actually learn to manage what seem like instincts or default
reactions."
*Byron Borger, Book Notes, September 14, 2015*
"You might not expect this to be a faith and work book, but it's
amazing how much shame plays a part in our work. It?s 'the
emotional weapon that evil uses to (a) corrupt our relationship
with God and with each other, and (2) disintegrate any and all
gifts of vocational vision and creativity.' Thompson's stories,
which range from the personal to the professional, illuminate how
shame causes us to isolate and alienate ourselves from one another.
Yet his stories also have the power to expose shame in our hearts
and in our relationships. This is a beautiful and hopeful book
that's both intellectually and emotionally moving."
*Bethany Jenkins, The Gospel Coalition, "TGC Editors' Picks: Top
Books of 2015," December 2015*
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