Trauma in abuse perpetrated by Christian authorities: a systematic scoping review

Research on abuse within religious contexts has expanded significantly but remains fragmented, focusing predominantly on child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. While recent evidence highlights a broader range of harms associated with diverse forms of abuse committed by religious authorities, survivors' experiences are described using heterogeneous conceptual frameworks—such as PTSD, institutional betrayal, moral injury, and spiritual harm. This conceptual fragmentation complicates efforts to precisely define and integrate the traumatic impact of abuse in religious settings. The primary purpose of this scoping review is twofold: first, to systematically map the conceptualisation and description of trauma and associated harms in the literature; and second, to identify the relational, institutional, and symbolic mechanisms proposed to shape and produce these traumatic experiences. By addressing both levels, the review seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of how trauma is both defined in scholarship and generated within Christian religious institutions. By synthesising evidence across denominations and academic disciplines, this review will clarify the nature of traumatic impact in religious settings and the specific mechanisms that maintain it. This dual approach bridges clinical findings with institutional analyses, providing a necessary foundation for future empirical research, clinical interventions, and the development of robust safeguarding cultures and institutional responses within ecclesial contexts.