The Desert Sanctuary

Bruce Epperly has served as a congregational pastor and university chaplain, university and seminary professor and administrator, and is a prolific author and lectionary commentator. With over forty years joining pulpit and classroom, Bruce recently retired from congregational ministry after serving eight years as Senior Pastor of South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Centervi...

NEW ALBUM RELEASE A 30+ year music industry veteran, Derek Webb has sold millions of albums as a founding member of Texas-based folk/rock band Caedmon’s Call and ruffled political & spiritual feathers alike during his over 25-year solo career. His latest project, Survival Songs, is no exception. Written and recorded in just one month, the […]

Bruce Epperly has served as a congregational pastor and university chaplain, university and seminary professor and administrator, and is a prolific author and lectionary commentator. With over forty years joining pulpit and classroom, Bruce recently retired from congregational ministry after serving eight years as Senior Pastor of South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Centervi...

Religious Addiction – 4 of 4 This Episode “Questions for Enablers 5-7 Robert Minor holds a Ph. D. from the University of Iowa and has done research in India,Japan, Taiwan, the Near East, and Europe. Besides his interest in history of religions methodology, he concentrates on Indian religious thought and texts, and religion and gender. Among […]

Religious Addiction – 3 of 4 This Episode “Quesions for Enablers 1-4” Stay tuned for part 4 with Robert N. Minor, PhD Robert Minor holds a Ph. D. from the University of Iowa and has done research in India,Japan, Taiwan, the Near East, and Europe. Besides his interest in history of religions methodology, he concentrates on […]

Religious Addiction – 2 of 4 This Episode “The Challenges of Addiction” Stay tuned for part 3 and 4 with Robert N. Minor, PhD Robert Minor holds a Ph. D. from the University of Iowa and has done research in India,Japan, Taiwan, the Near East, and Europe. Besides his interest in history of religions methodology, he […]

This Episode will be released on both The Unlearning Curve and the Desert Sanctuary podcasts. This episode is an introduction to the situation, and the second episode dives deeper into how we have operated in the past and how people enable the abuser to behave badly (led by Megan South Benninger). History During the 2023 […]

401 – Tim Whitaker & TNE – Still Not Getting It This Episode will be released on both The Unlearning Curve and the Desert Sanctuary podcasts. This episode is an introduction to the situation, and the second episode dives deeper into how we have operated in the past and how people enable the abuser to […]

Religious Addiction – 1 of 4 This Episode “The High of Righteousness” So it begins, our 4 part interview with Robert N. Minor, PhD Robert Minor holds a Ph. D. from the University of Iowa and has done research in India,Japan, Taiwan, the Near East, and Europe. Besides his interest in history of religions methodology, he […]

Campfires are essential to our history as gathering spots for various cultures and faiths. Their circular setup encourages equal involvement among community members. With fire at the heart, we focus on each other, fostering an environment for sharing experiences and perspectives in the broader world. Campfires have sparked numerous myths and tales. This book culminates […]

Some churches are bold enough to reach beyond their own walls. For a more progressive church, this could involve setting up a booth at a pride festival. Churches engage in parades and community activities and offer free babysitting during their Vacation Bible School and summer camps, hoping to encourage parents to attend the final program […]

When we earnestly explore our identity, I believe we will uncover it. In this journey of self-discovery, we might also encounter our wounds. The shame and trauma we reveal may stem from various experiences with the church, or perhaps these issues were overlooked as the church focused on other matters. By being fully present, we […]

As I deepen my understanding of trauma and its healing, I’ve come to recognize that articulating my feelings and their location within me is crucial for recovery. This realization was transformative; however, I noticed that religion often overlooks this concept. By its nature, faith tends to dismiss feelings (and even certain facts) in order to […]

The preachers I once respected were exceptionally skilled at conveying the idea, “The world is against you.” This resonated with the congregations I attended, as they often preferred to escape reality by immersing themselves in an artificial community. However, if we take a step back and look at the universe more objectively, we may discover […]

If God is real, He should be better than me in many ways. He should use his ability and power to enhance everything in the world. If God has all these abilities that could help me, he/she/they should help me and not require or desire that I “worship” them for being better. The fact that […]

Just because the church service feels right and gives the illusion of something magical, doesn’t mean that it is necessarily the best thing for us spiritually—it’s entirely plausible that we are simply addicted to it. Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 3 Travel Tips for the Desert – Part 2 Travel Tips for the […]

We persist in posing the questions in this series. Some may think these inquiries lead to bitterness or that we’re simply stirring up trouble by raising them. My hope is that these questions guide us toward a more evolved state of being. Outside of organized religion, I can truly listen to the whispers and feel […]

My deconstruction began when I started asking questions. The questions weren’t the regular softball questions we asked Sunday school teachers, which propped up what the teacher was already trying to assert. These questions caused the rest of the class to groan, mumble, and, most likely, talk about me behind my back. I continue to ask […]

My deconstruction began when I started asking questions. The questions weren’t the regular softball questions we asked Sunday school teachers, which propped up what the teacher was already trying to assert. These questions caused the rest of the class to groan, mumble, and, most likely, talk about me behind my back. I continue to ask […]

My deconstruction began when I started asking questions. The questions weren’t the regular softball questions we asked Sunday school teachers, which propped up what the teacher was already trying to assert. These questions caused the rest of the class to groan, mumble, and, most likely, talk about me behind my back. I continue to ask […]

My deconstruction began when I started asking questions. The questions weren’t the regular softball questions we asked Sunday school teachers which propped up what the teacher was already trying to assert. These questions caused the rest of the class to groan, mumble, and most likely, talk about me behind my back. I continue to ask […]

My deconstruction began when I started asking questions. The questions weren’t the regular softball questions we asked Sunday school teachers which propped up what the teacher was already trying to assert. These questions caused the rest of the class to groan, mumble, and most likely, talk about me behind my back. I tried asking the […]

Our New Course is ready to review for FREE! Start Here YouTube Playlist – click here Religious Trauma Resources The Desert Sanctuary Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241 Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward,  Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me A...

Ginger Healy MSW, LCSW is a clinical social worker with almost 30 years of experience in the field. Ginger has worked as a child abuse investigator, hospital social worker, and school therapist. She spent 15 years as the social service supervisor at an international adoption agency and was able to travel to provide support for […]

Talk therapies engage only the mind, which helps with the awareness that hopefully leads to changes in behavior. Somatic Therapy cultivates body awareness so that people can explore thoughts, emotions, and memories together to enable change, increase resilience, and improve symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Then, we are not just aware but more able […]