Fifty-nine
percent of Millennials who grew up in a Christian church drop out of it
permanently or for an extended period of time, according to research by Barna Group. Among the most common reasons
for leaving are Millennials’ beliefs that churches are shallow,
anti-science, overprotective, and promote simplistic, judgmental views
of sexuality. Some of these disaffected believers stay gone and others
return later in life, but a large proportion of both end up bitter or
jaded toward institutional religion. Now, thanks to Reba Riley, these
Millennials have shorthand to describe what they are experiencing: PTCS.
In her hilarious and raw memoir, “Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome,”
Riley describes her struggle to heal from wounds inflicted
by institutional Christianity. Her spiritual quest will doubtlessly make
some Christian readers uneasy–Riley, for example, samples 30 different
religions and ends up affirming beliefs and practices of several
non-Christian faiths–but it will surely resonate with many. Here we
discuss what PTCS actually means and what Riley learned about faith from
her recent religious journey.
Post-traumatic church syndrome? Yep, it's a thing. - On Faith & Culture
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