Reclaiming Our Minds: Healing from Religious Trauma

By: Kristen Neighbarger Published on: 25/10/2023

Life is different here in the 21st century than it was in the previous centuries. We have biblical commentary, Greek and Hebrew translations, and scholarly articles at our fingertips. Within a matter of minutes, I can have tabs open with 5 different Bible translations, 3 different bible commentaries, and an array of blog posts, sermons, and articles on every topic imaginable. Years ago, I had a pastor who stole all his sermons from online, and I could sit in the service on a Sunday morning and find his sermon within the first five minutes. On a side note–I wouldn’t suggest this. In the past, our access to information came through physical books and scholarly articles in libraries, and our blind trust was in the leaders of our churches. I was an adult when it occurred to me that much of my spiritual formation was influenced by white men without so much as a high school diploma who had never been out of the state and rarely crossed county lines. It was sobering.