Transforming Religious Trauma: Part 1

Faith communities should be, and often are, safe places where people can explore their connection to the sacred in ways that are expansive and life-giving. However, many in Oklahoma grew up in communities that were oppressive, unhealthy, or even abusive. This can impact spiritual well-being in profound ways that often necessitates deconstructing and healing. Join us for this important conversation here on our YouTube channel.

Resources recommended:

Traumatized by Religious Abuse: Discover the Cultures and Systems of Religious Abuse and Reclaim Your Personal Power. Baker, Connie (2019)

Shameless: A Sexual Reformation. Bolz-Weber, Nadia (2019)

How We Sleep at Night. Cunningham, Sara (2014)

Red State Christians: Understanding the Voters Who Elected Donald Trump. Denker, Angela (2019)

You Are Your Own: A Reckoning with the Religious Trauma of Evangelical Christianity. Finch, Jamie Lee (2019)

Breaking Free: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS Cult, and My Father, Warren Jeffs. Jeffs, Rachel (2017)

HERETIC: A memoir. Kadlec, Jeanna (2022)

Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church. Phelps-Roper, Megan (2019)

Leaving the Fold: A guide for former fundamentalists and others leaving their religion. Winell, Marlene (1993)

You can contact Rachel at www.collaborative-ct.com.

The Secular Therapy Project is the name of the organization that includes secular therapists - their website is a great resource for finding a therapist, and it has other information on there as well: https://www.seculartherapy.org/.

Community Conversation with Dean Robert Willis

The Very Rev. Dr. Robert Willis is a theologian, hymn-writer and pastor. He served as Dean of Canterbury, running the mother church of the Anglican Communion and the King’s School, Canterbury, (the world’s oldest school, founded by St Augustine in 597) and advising three archbishops, government and the crown from 2001 to 2022.

Dean Willis will be visiting Oklahoma, and speaking to us on cultivating hope, progressive faith, and the dangers of extremism.

Dean Willis is most recently well-known for the broadcasts of Morning Prayer that he and his civil-partner of 22 years, Fletcher Banner, made every day for 26 months during the COVID-19 pandemic, which attracted and still attracts millions of views from all over the world of people of all faiths and none (www.youtube.com/@GardenCongregation). Conservation and wildlife are close to his heart and have resulted in Dean Robert being nicknamed “the Green Dean” by many.

Filth and Christianity, a hateful mix

Where in the Christian text does Jesus say that people are “filth”? Senator Tom Woods’ comments with regards to the 2SLGBTQIA community are atrocious and most certainly do not live within any doctrine of the Christianity he professes. Senator Woods called upon Christian morality as justification for his discrimination and hatred, and we at the Oklahoma Faith Network call upon him to revisit his faith, as his current path is incongruent with Christianity in any form. Comments such as these are dangerous, and have led to the deaths and harassment of children and adults across this country. The idea that morality could ever align with hatred is offensive, false, and egregious. Morality, within the context of the senator’s professed faith, teaches kindness and love of neighbor. Therefore, we name these comments for what they are, incongruent with any faith tradition, especially Christianity.

In prayerful memory of Nex Benedict

The Oklahoma Faith Network joins the many who find themselves shattered by the news of the death of 16-year-old Nex Benedict in Owasso, OK. Nex’s death shows us the horrific effects of hate-filled rhetoric which prioritizes talking points over love, and false outrage over understanding. Nex’s life was taken from their family and community abruptly and violently, and OFN stands firm in our stance that no person should experience discrimination for living authentically, let alone lose their life. We cannot allow misguided rhetoric and blame to circulate in the name of veiled morality, and we will continue to stand alongside members of our communities in the truest name of love. To Nex’s family and loved ones, to all families with trans and nonbinary youth, and to the wider Oklahoma queer community, we send our heartfelt and deepest support for the journey ahead.