Table Of ContentTHE POWER TO MAIM, THE POWER TO HEAL: SIN AND RECONCILIATION
IN RELATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
A Dissertation
Presented to
the Faculty of the
School of Theology at Claremont
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
by
Leona Marie Christa McNerney
May 18, 1991
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This dissertation, written by
0,Wo\:sV*-
_________
under the direction of—M l.— Faculty Committee,
and approved by its members, has been presented
to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of
Theology at Claremont in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Faculty)Committee
Chairman
CYVoxj^
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(c) 1991
Leona Marie McNerney
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Abstract
The Power to Maim, the Power to Heal: Sin and Reconciliation
in Relational Transformation
Leona Marie Christa McNerney
In a feminist theology of radical interrelationship,
sin is defined as dualistic oppression: the use of power-
over which proceeds from a disconnectedness within the
sinner and which fragments both the relationship and the
person sinned against. The feminist psychology of self-in
relation proposed by the Stone Center helps to uncover the
extent and nature of the damage done to the self and
suggests an interrelational model of psychotherapy.
The most destructive form of dualism is childism,
oppression against the most helpless victims of society.
Its effects which are unconscious as well as conscious are
passed on both horizontally and intergenerationally. The
unconscious nature of the fragmentation poses a dilemma: How
can those affected halt and reverse the interactive chain of
damage if they are unaware? Another dilemma is posed by
traditional psychotherapy and traditional pastoral practice.
Traditional psychotherapy is based in dualisic psychology,
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and pastoral practice is grounded in patriarchal theology.
Yet each proposes to use its wisdom to heal the fragmented
self.
The methodology used to address these issues is to
elaborate a relational theology of human nature by
describing psychological theory and providing supporting
psychological evidence. Theological, psychological, and
psychotherapeutic theories as well as statistical studies
from psychology have been employed.
Major conclusions include: Sin is the dualistic action
of power-over which fragments the self on both the conscious
and unconscious levels of being. It is passed on both
horizontally and intergenerationally. The fragmenting which
occurs needs to be treated psychotherapeutically if
dualistic activity is to be significantly affected. The
therapy chosen must be interrelational in its processes as
well as its goals. Religious bodies need to build on the
findings of interrelational therapists if they are to reform
their own dualistic healing practices and to address the
fragmentations caused by dualism.
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For the intricate web of Spirited
people who have
healed and enlivened me
beginning with
my parents
Leona and Owen
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Grateful acknowledgment is made for permission to reprint from
the following:
"Sidewalk Spirituality Embraces the Divine in All" by Mary
Mendola. Copyright 1990 by New Directions for Women, Inc.
This article first appeared in the bimonthly newspaper New
Directions for Women July/August, 1990.
iii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Chapter
1. Introduction
Personal Reflections..............................1
Statment of the Problem........................... 4
Thesis.............................................6
Research Focus and Questions......................7
Contribution..................................... 10
Methodology and Organization.....................14
Scope and Limitations............................ 17
Prior Research...................................18
Conceptual Frameworks........................... 21
Feminist Theology..............................21
Feminist Psychology........................... 22
Feminist Psychotherapy........................ 23
2. A Feminist Theological Vision of Interrelatedness.25
Introduction.................................... .25
The Interrelated Self............................ 28
The Self in Relation to the Interrelational
World...........................................29
The Socially Interrelated Self...................31
God as Interrelational........................... 37
iv
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The Experience of God in and Through Our Bodies.39
The Experience of the Divine in the
Natural World......................... 43
The Experience of God in Social Action..........46
Community Expressions of Divine
Interrelatedness...............................48
Summary.......................................... 52
3. Feminist Use of Attachment Theory: Feminist
Psychology As a Psychology of Self-In-Relation..54
Introduction.....................................54
The Stone Center Psychologists...................55
Objections to Freudian Psychology............... 57
Objections to Object-Relations Theory........... 60
Object Relations Drive Theory..................62
Object Relations and Objectification..........64
Autonomy and Separation........................66
Unilateral Empathy............................ 69
Self-In-Relation Theory......................... 70
The Developmental Goal......................... 71
Self-Clarity...................................72
The Interrelational Dynamic....................73
The Desire for Connectedness...................76
Intersubjectivity............................. 78
Trust.......................................... 78
Expansiveness..................................82
The Interconnecting Dynamic and
Self-Clarification.......................... 85
Interconnected Empathy r.nd the
Developmental Process.......................87
v
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Summary.......................................... 90
4. Sin as the Dualistic Break from Self and Other
Generationally Perpetuated in the Unconscious...92
Introduction.....................................92
Interrelational Psychology and Sin.............. 93
Sin as a Personal Interrelational Break.......94
Sin as Systemic Disconnection................. 96
The Philosophical Implications of Psychology.... 96
Individual Responsibility in a relational
System......................................... 98
Dualism as the Link Between Individual and
Systemic Sin................................ 99
The Psychological Roots of Dualism........... 100
Dualism and Choice............................ 102
Individualistic Dualism and Disconnection......104
The Fragmenting Power of Disconnection.......105
Disconnection and the Various Dualisms.......106
Childism as a Dualistic Sin.....................107
Childism as the Central Dualistic Sin........108
The Sinful Dynamic of Power-Over in
Childism....................................109
The History of Childism.......................112
The Current State of Childism................ 113
Alice Miller's Analysis of Intergenerational
Damage........................................ 117
Intergenerational Effects of a Poisonous
Pedagogy....................................118
Overvaluation of Parental Respect............ 119
Dualism and the Dynamic of Avoidance and
Displacement................................120
vi
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