Good News for Shame and Addiction Rebecca Grisell [email protected]
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Masthead Logo Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2019 “Me? An Addict?” Good News For Shame and Addiction Rebecca Grisell [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Grisell, Rebecca, "“Me? An Addict?” Good News For Shame and Addiction" (2019). Doctor of Ministry. 316. https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/316 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY “ME? AN ADDICT?” GOOD NEWS FOR SHAME AND ADDICTION A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY REBECCA GRISELL PORTLAND, OREGON JANUARY 2019 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Rebecca Grisell has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on January 22, 2019 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Spiritual Formation. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Shawna Lafreniere, PhD Secondary Advisor: Jenny Song, PhD Lead Mentor: MaryKate Morse, PhD Expert Advisor: Shawna Lafreniere, PhD Copyright © 2019 by Rebecca Grisell All rights reserved ii DEDICATION To those who believed in me when I did not believe in myself. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful for the love and support of my family and friends throughout this dissertation process. In particular, I thank my husband, David, for his support of my calling and willingness to fund the process; my son, Danny, for his belief in me and for answering my endless technical questions and website issues; my daughter, Maggie, the utmost care to listen to my fears and encourage me in the process; and my parents, Dan and Marlene Jensen, for their ceaseless prayers and support. In particular, I wish to acknowledge two key people who were instrumental in my process. First, I extend gratitude to Lead Mentor Dr. MaryKate Morse, Ph.D. She modeled humbleness and wisdom while pushing us to engage and experience God and our calling more deeply. Second, I am exceptionally grateful to Dr. Shawna Lafreniere, Ph.D., who served as my Primary Advisor. Her wisdom and presence led me to think more deeply, while modeling a belief in me that exceeded my own. And finally, I extend gratitude to my Lord and Savior, without whom none of this would be possible. iv EPIGRAPH Shame is the most powerful force in the universe besides love. Catherine Skurja v TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ...............................................................................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................. iv EPIGRAPH ..................................................................................................................... v PREFACE .................................................................................................................... viii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... xi SECTION 1: “ME? AN ADDICT?” ............................................................................... 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 What is Addiction? .................................................................................................... 9 What is Shame? ....................................................................................................... 13 Relationship Between Shame and Addiction ............................................................ 14 Psychological Connections ................................................................................ 15 Biblical Connections .......................................................................................... 17 Neurological Connections .................................................................................. 23 The Addicted Brain ............................................................................................ 24 The Shame Brain ..................................................................................................... 26 Summary ................................................................................................................. 28 SECTION 2: ALTERNATIVE AND HISTORICAL RECOVERY MODELS AND METHODS ................................................................................................................... 30 Addiction Recovery Definitions ............................................................................... 31 Addiction Recovery Solutions ................................................................................. 33 Models and Methods .......................................................................................... 33 Historical and Contemporary Solutions .............................................................. 35 Programs with a Religious Component .............................................................. 41 Integrating Recovery Models into a Church Ministry Structure ................................ 49 Problematic Church Responses .......................................................................... 50 Shame Solutions ...................................................................................................... 51 Evaluating Addiction and Shame Solutions.............................................................. 54 Summary ................................................................................................................. 55 SECTION 3: THE GOOD NEWS ................................................................................ 57 Theological Analysis ............................................................................................... 59 vi Origin of Shame ...................................................................................................... 62 Image of God, Identity, and the Shame Experience .................................................. 65 The Enneagram........................................................................................................ 69 Paths of Transformative Healing .............................................................................. 73 Vulnerability ...................................................................................................... 73 Forgiveness ........................................................................................................ 76 Gospel Intersection and Reexamination ................................................................... 79 Summary ................................................................................................................. 81 SECTION 4: ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION ................................................................... 84 SECTION 5: ARTIFACT SPECIFICATION ............................................................... 87 SECTION 6: POSTSCRIPT ......................................................................................... 94 APPENDIX A: THE TWELVE TRADITIONS ............................................................ 98 APPENDIX B ARTIFACT EXAMPLES .................................................................... 100 APPENDIX C SHAME THEORIES ........................................................................... 127 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................... 133 vii PREFACE My philosophy of life and who I am are grounded on two theological anchors: the Trinity and the Incarnation. The Trinity and the Incarnation shape my faith, guide my beliefs, and have become the interpretive lens for all other doctrines and scripture. These two theological anchors have practical and radical consequences for my convictions regarding addiction, shame, and recovery. To be clear, Trinitarian theology has to do with “Who,” more than “why” or “how.” Trinitarianism is inherently mysterious. It describes the mystery of God. It is revealed in Christ and the Spirit as the mystery of love. All of life (creation) is held and energized by the Trinity. Everything that is created is in the process of being restored. The Incarnation, the Word becoming flesh, is God’s incarnation in Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus of Nazareth is Jesus the Christ – the visible icon of the invisible God. Jesus discloses what it looks like and means to be fully personal, divine as well as human. I believe God’s incarnation in Christ reaches into the heart of material, biological, and social existence and even affects the darker sides of creation. The Gospel, as well as the good news of the Gospel, grounds my theological anchors. The core of the gospel is two-fold. First, Jesus came to give us life. It is realized in a relationship with Jesus, experienced as freedom, healing, and belonging, and seen as a confident expectation and assurance by others.1 Second, humanity are the sons and daughters of the Good and Loving God. The Gospel is available to all,