April 25, 2022

The Psychological Stages of Deconstruction

The Psychological Stages of Deconstruction

Mourning, Hope, and Community

What are the psychological stages of leaving religion? How can mourning religion lead to new forms of faith, meaning, and community?

David Morris, PhD, is a publisher, author, and psychologist of religion. In his new book, Lost Faith and Wandering Souls, he treats the loss of faith as if it were any other kind of loss, and asks, what if we learned to mourn? He turns to psychoanalytic psychology for its interpretive power. With the concepts of mourning, pining, and play, he shines a light on a path forward. He and Brad discuss the zig-zag process of leaving religion and discovering new forms of meaning and hope - what often feels like going between feelings of numbness, self-recrimination, and wandering to playfulness, self-agency, and belonging. If we can feel our loss, he argues, then we can rediscover meaning making. 

David Morris, Lost Faith and Wandering Souls: https://lakedrivebooks.com/lost-faith-and-wandering-souls/

To Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi

For an ad-free experience and to support SWAJ: https://irreverent.supportingcast.fm/straight-white-american-jesus-premium

To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/straightwhiteamericanjesus

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://swaj.supportingcast.fm