Publishers Weekly
09/18/2023
Vicar Peters (Post-Traumatic God) delivers a deeply felt and eminently thoughtful sermon on picking up the pieces of one’s life after unintentionally causing injury or death. At 19, Peters was driving on a highway in West Virginia when he rounded a bend, overcorrected his VW Beetle, and crashed into traffic, killing a 22-year-old woman on an oncoming motorcycle. While he faced no legal consequences—the lawsuit against him was dropped—“in my soul, I knew” there was “no going back to innocence.” Writing that “preventable injuries” are the third most common cause of death in the United States, the author unpacks the complex ramifications of “moral injury” (the inescapable sense of having violated a fundamental human law) experienced by soldiers returning from war as well as those responsible for medical errors, accidental shootings, or car crashes. After offering consolation to those who’ve caused such tragedies in the book’s first chapters, Peters analyzes how America’s laws and culture enable avoidable deaths, including those related to cars, guns, and police shootings, and concludes by outlining his approach to absolution (“the final declaration of God’s forgiveness”). Peters’s message is unfailingly empathetic, and his prose is an effective mix of unassuming and devastating, as when he describes getting into a motorcycle accident years after the car crash: “I remember not being scared... it felt like it was meant to be.” Sensitive and unflinching, this sheds light on the complex morality of an unpredictable world. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
"Peters's message is unfailingly empathetic, and his prose is an effective mix of unassuming and devastating....Sensitive and unflinching, this sheds light on the complex morality of an unpredictable world." —Publishers Weekly
"David W. Peters's Accidental isn't just important—though it is important. It gives voice to a pain too often stifled. More, it is a useful and provocative addition to the very small shelf of books to give to people after tragedy befalls them. And it is written with grace and empathy." —Darin Strauss, author of Half a Life: A Memoir
"When telling the story becomes difficult or too painful, the voice may be suffocated not only by the grief caused by the event but also by the strong hold of unresolved trauma. David W. Peters makes use of the powerful impact of narrative as an invitation to tell one's story while embracing the healing journey." —Rev. Ardella Gibson, owner and director of Serenity CPE Center for Experiential Learning
"Riveting and powerful, Accidental is a personal story that is well woven with solid academic research. David W. Peters does a great job of telling his story in a heartfelt conversation, being true to his faith and convictions, and being authentically human, with good theological and biblical scholarship. A definite read for those suffering or working with others suffering from the moral injury that results from accidental killing." —Colonel Mark C. Lee, director of the CPE Center at Brooke Army Medical Center
"Accidental is a book of extraordinary grace and compassion, full of helpful, hopeful theological reflections and deeply affecting personal meditations, and utterly lacking platitudes. While David W. Peters's book is about people who have accidentally killed another person, it seems to me that it will be a balm for anyone who struggles with knowing they have accidentally hurt or harmed someone else. It certainly was for me." —Kerry Egan, author of On Living
"I found Accidental to be deeply moving, an intellectual tour de force, psychologically sophisticated and introspective, and by far the most in-depth consideration of accidental killing I've ever seen. It is so difficult to write from the heart and soul and mind, but David W. Peters did it. The concept of a post-traumatic God is important and powerful on so many levels, especially these days, and the blessings and personal stories offer solace. The interweaving of historical analysis, psychology, and theology is so well done and offers a rich framework for consideration. He did not shy away from difficult topics, yet provided a nuanced perspective that neither condemns nor excuses. Peters has created an important and moving book that explores the experience of accidental killers and offers a deeply spiritual exploration of what such tragedies mean and how those who harm others can themselves heal from moral self-condemnation. This is essential reading for anyone who has ever caused harm or cared about someone who has caused harm—that is, all of us." —Maryann Gray, PhD, social psychologist, and founder of the Hyacinth Foundation
