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Religious Refugees: (De)Constructing Toward Spiritual and Emotional Healing
Hurt by the church. Healed by the journey.
Questioning one's faith and spiritual beliefs, while leaving the familiarity of your religious homeland, can be excruciatingly painful. Loneliness, isolation, and fear of rejection--from God and others--can give rise to shame, guilt, anger, and sadness. Yet, paradoxically, this uncomfortable process can be a powerful catalyst that leads to tremendous emotional, mental, and spiritual growth.
Theologian, therapist, and ordained pastor, Mark Karris, is no stranger to the deconstruction/reconstruction process. In Religious Refugees, he explores this disorienting faith-shift through the lens of cutting-edge psychological research, theology, philosophy, and, most importantly, the real-world experiences of those who are going through--and have gone through--this arduous and confusing journey. You don't have to walk this path alone. Join the legion of others on the road to healing and self-discovery and let this book be your guide!
Questioning one's faith and spiritual beliefs, while leaving the familiarity of your religious homeland, can be excruciatingly painful. Loneliness, isolation, and fear of rejection--from God and others--can give rise to shame, guilt, anger, and sadness. Yet, paradoxically, this uncomfortable process can be a powerful catalyst that leads to tremendous emotional, mental, and spiritual growth.
Theologian, therapist, and ordained pastor, Mark Karris, is no stranger to the deconstruction/reconstruction process. In Religious Refugees, he explores this disorienting faith-shift through the lens of cutting-edge psychological research, theology, philosophy, and, most importantly, the real-world experiences of those who are going through--and have gone through--this arduous and confusing journey. You don't have to walk this path alone. Join the legion of others on the road to healing and self-discovery and let this book be your guide!
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2020
41 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 20, 2020
Honestly acknowledges the reality of deconstruction that is actively happening now among many Christians and specifically asks deep questions about problematic areas of the bible for modern Christians. Author is aware of some of the greats in this area ( Kathy Escobar - Faith shift & Marlene Winelle - leaving the fold ) and walks part of the way with them.
From a Christian POV this is better than the Shack and indeed 99% of the books out there that seek to deal with questions relating to their faith. There are many excellent insights and this book should be required reading for current Christians.
From an ex Christian or atheist POV there is way to much reconstruction, like unto (usefully) throwing some deck chairs on the Titanic and rearranging the leftovers to make the (imagined) captain look good.
I wonder where this will end? The feel of I must doubt and I must stop doubting was oppressive.
Putting the Jenga tower back together might be a failed project. Interesting glimpse into an active ongoing process here while simultaneously struggling to hold onto something that might not exist.
Disclosure : PDF copy of book provided by the author.
From a Christian POV this is better than the Shack and indeed 99% of the books out there that seek to deal with questions relating to their faith. There are many excellent insights and this book should be required reading for current Christians.
From an ex Christian or atheist POV there is way to much reconstruction, like unto (usefully) throwing some deck chairs on the Titanic and rearranging the leftovers to make the (imagined) captain look good.
I wonder where this will end? The feel of I must doubt and I must stop doubting was oppressive.
Putting the Jenga tower back together might be a failed project. Interesting glimpse into an active ongoing process here while simultaneously struggling to hold onto something that might not exist.
Disclosure : PDF copy of book provided by the author.
Want to read
February 22, 2021I have yet to read, but the author is currently giving the book away: https://markgregorykarris.com/wp-cont...
July 14, 2020
This is a very good book -- for a specific audience. It's written for those Christians who have deconstructed their faith and who want to reconstruct it again. While the author does acknowledge that some Christians deconstruct their faith and continue to do so without returning to Christianity, the book is written with the fundamental assumption that the reader wants to go through a process of reconstruction -- or that they can with some guidance. This means that those
Christians who have left their faith behind altogether are left without any guidance as to how to continue the journey into the future after deconstruction of their faith. Providing this feature of the book is understood, there is some excellent material on the experience of those who begin to struggle with questions about their Christian beliefs and experience. In this sense, it is very helpful and reassuring to know that one is not alone. And the author's demonstration of some alternative readings of the text around a number of issues would also be helpful to a person struggling to hold on to their faith and wants a way to do that.
So, it you are looking for some support and guidance as you raise questions about your Christian faith and want a way to hang on to it by reframing aspects of it, this book is a very good read. But for those who can't be persuaded that reframing the faith is enough to hang on to it, then one would need to look elsewhere for that other branch of the journey away from Christian faith.
Christians who have left their faith behind altogether are left without any guidance as to how to continue the journey into the future after deconstruction of their faith. Providing this feature of the book is understood, there is some excellent material on the experience of those who begin to struggle with questions about their Christian beliefs and experience. In this sense, it is very helpful and reassuring to know that one is not alone. And the author's demonstration of some alternative readings of the text around a number of issues would also be helpful to a person struggling to hold on to their faith and wants a way to do that.
So, it you are looking for some support and guidance as you raise questions about your Christian faith and want a way to hang on to it by reframing aspects of it, this book is a very good read. But for those who can't be persuaded that reframing the faith is enough to hang on to it, then one would need to look elsewhere for that other branch of the journey away from Christian faith.
April 11, 2021
I’m REALLY not the target audience for this book, and so not very qualified to rate it, but here we are. I was anticipating an analysis of the social and theological state of the Church and how that relates to the phenomenon of religious refugees. It was a misunderstanding on my part, and this book really doesn’t deserve to be subjected to my grumpy data deprived ire.
While it was not for me, I believe that this book would be comforting and affirming to many people who are questioning everything—and offering such comfort is a worthy accomplishment.
Personally, it was a two star read. The content didn’t connect with me at all so it was difficult not to become petty about style. In my opinion, at least 25% of this book is belabored metaphors for basic ideas and experiences and another 50% is stating (or re-stating) basic facts or opinions.
I’m rating it three stars because that’s close to neutral on my scale. For its intended audience, this book might easily be a four or five star read. My disappointed petulance DNFed it halfway through.
While it was not for me, I believe that this book would be comforting and affirming to many people who are questioning everything—and offering such comfort is a worthy accomplishment.
Personally, it was a two star read. The content didn’t connect with me at all so it was difficult not to become petty about style. In my opinion, at least 25% of this book is belabored metaphors for basic ideas and experiences and another 50% is stating (or re-stating) basic facts or opinions.
I’m rating it three stars because that’s close to neutral on my scale. For its intended audience, this book might easily be a four or five star read. My disappointed petulance DNFed it halfway through.
July 6, 2020
As one who is going through the deconstruction/reconstruction process in my faith, I found this book to be very helpful and encouraging. I found many suggestions that could be of help, yet written in a way that made clear they were only suggestions. The author states there were many ways of accomplishing the same outcome with other means or by altering the suggestions. It was certainly not written from a know-it-all view but from a perspective that the author was going through the same process and had questions just like the reader. This book held my interest and made me feel good knowing there were others going through the process I was going through. If you or someone you know is going through a time of questioning what they have been taught, a time of deconstruction from your faith and beginning to reconstruct your life following God, this book will be a big help with thoughts, ideas, suggestions and encouragement from someone who has done the same thing.
June 23, 2022
Great book. Good for a group study. Helps you understand those that are going through deconstruction process and getting to the reconstruction process which can be a lifelong process and adventure for that person. I did not have to go through that DC/RC process and so feel for those that have and are going through it. It's a must read for people in churches to help others.
January 19, 2022
I had no takeaways from this book, although I felt like I almost did several times. The book felt like a stream of consciousness, and I don't think I'm exaggerating to say the author incorporated more than 20 made-up terms and labels. Probably the most robotic narrator I've listened to yet.
April 6, 2024
Do yourself a favor and read Part III in the comfort of a private place so you do not begin to weep in a Starbucks.
The book is thoughtful, compassionate, and gentle. To read it is to feel seen and loved, and gives you the desire to seek out more of the love you felt while reading it.
The book is thoughtful, compassionate, and gentle. To read it is to feel seen and loved, and gives you the desire to seek out more of the love you felt while reading it.
October 3, 2022
Excellent book for an exvangelical/post-evangelical or simply evangelical going through deconstruction.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews