Sacred Unrest

To the beloved of Christ dwelling in a land of gates and walls, grace, peace, and conviction to you in the name of Jesus, who was once a refugee child and now reigns as the welcoming King. I write to you in the tension between memory and mercy. Memory, because we were once strangers. Mercy, because we are now the ones with the power to welcome. We are a nation built by migrants and shaped by exile...

To the beloved of Christ in every orientation and identity, grace, peace, and affirmation to you in the name of Jesus, who dined with the excluded and embraced those pushed to the margins. I write to you not as one above the fray, but as one grieving the harm done in Christ’s name, and as one bearing witness to the Spirit still moving in the lives of those the Church too often refuses to see. You...

To the beloved of Christ in a nation divided by fear and control, grace, peace, and holy discernment to you in the name of Jesus, who set the oppressed free and honored the bodies He came to dwell among. I write to you with the trembling conviction that we must reclaim what it means to honor the image of God in one another, not just in spirit, but in body. The church has often spoken as though sal...

To the beloved of Christ in the land of abundance and affliction, grace, mercy, and clarity to you in the name of Jesus, who was moved with compassion and wept over what the world deemed unworthy of tears. I write to you with the weight of a question:Have we forgotten how to feel? Not how to feel offended. Not how to feel angry. But how to feel compassion . We live in a society that discards the w...

To the beloved of Christ scattered across America, grace, peace, and courage to you in the name of Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us. I write to you with the burden of both grief and hope. Grief, because so many who wear Christ’s name have forgotten what it means to follow Him. Hope, because His call still rings out, unwavering: “Follow me.” Not into power, not into safety, not into supe...

Over the past several weeks, I’ve released a weekly letter to the American Church on topics relevant to us today. As I wrote them, my heart and mind was focused on providing a compassionate plea to American Christians to return to caring for others in a way that honors the Christ we claim to follow. I hope that these letters can be a source of encouragement and hope in a time that seems so dark. F...

Send us a text In this interview, I talk with Tarrin Anderson, MA, LAC-T, who discusses the journey of LGBTQIA+ individuals healing from religious trauma and finding their spirituality. Tarrin shares insights into the effects of religious harm, the challenges of leaving a religious community, and the importance of self-acceptance and embodiment in the healing process. The conversation highlights p...

Send us a text In this episode, we sit down with Eugene Kim, the visionary behind the New Wine Collective, a movement dedicated to empowering individuals to co-create their own spiritual communities wherever they are. Eugene shares his passion for reimagining what it means to be the Church in today's world, emphasizing the importance of connection, participation, and grassroots spirituality....

Send us a text In this episode, I talk with Dr. Mark Gregory Karris, Ph. D., about his book The Diabolical Trinity: Healing Religious Trauma from a Wrathful God, Tormenting Hell, and a Sinful Self. In his book, Dr. Karris explores the profound impact of religious trauma and offers a path to healing from the damaging effects of fear-based religious teachings. He delves into the psychological wounds...

Send us a text In this episode, I talk with Dr. Thomas Jay Oord, Ph. D., about his book T he Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence . Dr. Oord introduces us to a new word, amipotence, which means "all-loving." In this discussion, he makes an argument for an "all-loving" uncontrolling God rather than the controlling "all-powerful" God that most of us grew up with...

Send us a text In this episode, I talk with Dr. Janyne McConnaughey, Ph. D., about her book Trauma in the Pews: The Impact on Faith and Spiritual Practices. Dr. McConnaughey reminds us that even if the religious environment isn't the cause of our trauma, the way they handle the trauma we carry is just as important to our healing. Her Other Books: BRAVE: A Personal Story of Healing Childhood T...

Send us a text In this introductory episode, Bruce discusses what the name Sacred Unrest means and his hopes for this podcast. Bruce provides definitions for Religious Trauma using information from: Dan Koch, Spiritual Harm & Abuse Scale (SHAS) Clinical Screener The Reclamation Collective, Religious Trauma Intro & Outro Music: Mastering the Art by Big Score Audio If you or someone you know...