"Avenues to Wholeness: Understanding Addiction" Webinar
November 14, 2019
9:00 p.m. Eastern/6:00 p.m. Pacific
Addictive behaviors are used to help us manage stress, negative emotions, and difficult social or relational experiences. For women, the challenges of multiple demands, role stress, body image, or trauma may also lead to addictive behaviors as coping strategies.This webinar explored the dynamics of addiction as a progressive condition that begins as a solution and ends as our biggest problem. But even in the midst of this problem, we are not separated from God. Jesus knows why we started these behaviors and will walk with us into newness of life.
Get an idea of what was covered:
1. Scripture grounding: The Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:1-17; Luke 8:26-37)
2. The problem of addiction is one of pain
3. The reason behind addiction includes trauma, financial issues, cultural issues, etc.
4. Addiction is deep Spiritual loss/entrapment that overtakes someone’s life
5. An estimated 443,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17 in 2017 had a past year alcohol use disorder
6. Addiction affects all ages
7. We think that addiction is only the issue of sin. Addiction can be understood as spiritually oppression. Something akin to possession.
Here are helpful book resources mentioned in the webinar:
Guest Presenter: Rev. Sonia Waters, PhD

Rev. Sonia Waters, PhD received her BA in literature with a minor in gender studies from Wheaton College, her MDiv with honors from The General Seminary of the Episcopal Church, and her PhD in pastoral theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. She is an Episcopal priest with ten years of experience in parish ministry and prior experience in feminist advocacy work focused on violence against women. Her research interests include addictions studies, visual culture and media, feminist and womanist pastoral theology, attachment and family systems theories, and relational perspectives on the self. She is the author of
Addiction and Pastoral Care (2019).
Watch On Demand
Donations Welcome!
This event is free but donations are welcome. Your donation will allow American Baptist Women's Ministries to continue providing programs, resources, and leader training for ministries with women and girls. To make a donation, click on the donate button.

