'The moment I became born-again the pain disappeared': the healing of devastating war memories in born-again churches in Mbarara District, Southwest Uganda.
In southwest Uganda, many people who suffer from devastating war experiences become born-again Christians. This article describes the therapeutic functions of the churches and the experiential transformations associated with becoming born-again. The discourse of the born-again churches gives people another orientation toward the future, based on the Bible, that also provides them with a different perception of the past. Whereas people remain silent about their war experiences in everday life, the churches offer their members a public space to express their suffering. In these churches, feelings of trust and solidarity are restored. Many aspects of the churches' activities can also be found in western trauma therapies.
Tankink
Marian
M
Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Section Medical Anthropology, RC Leiden, The Netherlands. M.T.A.Tankink@lumc.nl
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002835:Christianity; D003469:Culture; D029221:Faith Healing; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D014454:Uganda; D014857:Warfare