We are pleased to feature David Hayward, a graffiti artist and blogger otherwise known as the naked pastor. On a recent blog post, he explains how he was inspired to draw this cartoon after reading Sharon Detweiler’s untold story on our website. It powerfully illustrates how patriarchal systems create, nurture, protect and defend the abuse of women and children. Boys and young men are also it’s victims, as our Stories section reveals. And the cycle can only stop when courageous victims start talking and courageous, honorable men in power start believing them and take responsibility. Sharon’s story refers to the common difficulty of ever again finding a church home after a church leader betrays a sacred trust and aggressively sexualizes a mentoring friendship. We’ve heard from our readers, and heartily agree, that Hayward’s website provides a sort of “church home”, a spiritual refuge from which to heal. We appreciate his permission to share this inspired cartoon graphic and thank him for sharing his gifts in the world.
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