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Sadly, “thus sayeth the Lord” can be common cover for manipulation. These concepts are not inherently abusive, but if they are enforced with fear, shame, or polarization, then they are problematic. Church teachings that reflect this approach may be hyper-focused on absolute truths, God’s judgement, or going to extreme lengths to avoid sin or hell. 5 From this perspective, middle ground may not exist or may be perceived as a threat. Something (or someone) is either all good or all bad, loved or hated, safe or dangerous. Many times it is known as all-or-nothing thinking. Black and white thinking is an approach that offers overgeneralized responses to life’s big questions and complexities. In my own experience and research, it is fairly common in testimonies of purity culture. Unpacking religious trauma can be a hefty task, so I would like to focus on just one of the symptoms Dr. reminds us that “long after the actual event has passed, the brain may keep sending signals to the body to escape a threat that no longer exists.” 4 The combination of these symptoms and signals can be as unique as the person who carries them. In his book, The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel A. 3 All of these may manifest themselves through the body, whether one is aware or not. Winell observes various cognitive, emotional, social, and cultural symptoms of religious trauma. They may be going through the shattering of a personally meaningful faith and/or breaking away from a controlling community and lifestyle.” 2 Religious trauma may also be known as “moral injury” or “spiritual wounding,” which you can explore more in this post.ĭr. is “the condition experienced by people who are struggling with leaving an authoritarian, dogmatic religion and coping with the damage of indoctrination. Religious trauma, according to Marlene Winell, Ph.D. While at seminary, I was able to spend time researching purity culture as well as Evangelicals’ response to sexual violence in depth and analyze the impact they had on Christian theology and liturgy. If you are unfamiliar with purity culture, it can be briefly summarized as a subculture within Christian Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism, as well as other conservative groups like Mormonism, that can mirror rape culture in order to enforce sexual abstinence. 1 Because both emerge and interact with each other in different ways, it is important to explore the connection between religious trauma and purity culture. Many people value religious beliefs on their healing journey, and many others find religious spaces to be sources of severe pain. And be sure to check out her website, Elizabeth Ross Writes, where you can find my article on purity culture and shame.Įxploring the Connection Between Purity Culture and Religious Trauma by Elizabeth Rossįaith and trauma have at least one thing in common: they’re rarely one-size-fits-all. (Plus, she has a beautiful Instagram!)Įnjoy Elizabeth’s article on purity culture and religious trauma below. She is warm and humble while also challenging readers to consider new spiritual perspectives.
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I love Elizabeth’s intellectually curious and humble approach in her writing. She is currently training to become a spiritual director. Elizabeth helps us understand how the unhealthy black and white thinking that some religions promote can lead to damaging purity culture trauma.Įlizabeth has a Masters of Religion and wrote her final Masters project on purity culture. While religion can be a source of healing and support for many people, it can also be a source of trauma and disconnection for others. I invited her to write this article about the connection between purity culture and religious trauma here on my website while she invited me to share an article on purity culture and shame on her website.
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Elizabeth was an early follower of my blog and then later we connected through social media over our shared interest and research on purity culture. I am excited to introduce my blog readers to the author of this article, Elizabeth Ross.