Holy Ghosted

Spiritual Anxiety, Religious Trauma, and the Language of Abuse

Tiffany Yecke Brooks

• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Year: 2024
• eBook ISBN:
  9781467465960
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

How to recognize the tactics of spiritual abuse—and save your faith Are you questioning the church of your upbringing but want to maintain your faith? Do you want to cut ties with your denomination, but fear abandonment by God? Are you struggling with spiritual anxiety—fear of hell, obsessive religious ritual, or feelings of never measuring up? Tiffany Yecke Brooks first explored reconstructing faith in Gaslighted by God. In this much needed follow-up, she equips readers to understand and name tactics of spiritual abuse and manipulation. Each chapter covers a different method of control found in toxic religious communities—including legalism, indoctrination, praise, and fear—and how to identify and respond to it in a healthy way. Brooks also reframes scriptural passages commonly weaponized by those in power. Weaving together interviews with diverse Christians and her own experience, Brooks offers a voice to those feeling isolated by spiritual anxiety. Empowered by this guide, readers will learn to trust their intuition, seek truth fearlessly, and love God and neighbor without restraint or fear.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Introduction: Poisonous Piety
• 1. Kool-Aid Man Jesus and Other Phobias
• 2. The Mind and Christ
• 3. Involuntary Internalized Legalism
• 4. Discipline—Control through Fear
• 5. Dogma—Control through Indoctrination
• 6. Decoration—Control through Praise
• 7. Denial—Control through Rejection
• 8. Degradation—Control through Shame
• 9. Diminishment—Control through Dehumanizing
• 10. Domination—Control through Power Imbalance
• Conclusion: Preach, Write, Act
• Discussion Questions
• Acknowledgments
• Notes