Sons of Patriarchy The Event that Changed Everything
Sep 4, 2025
In this engaging discussion, author and journalist Sarah Stankorb dives into her research on women leaving the church. She shares insights from her upcoming book, "Damned If She Does," exploring the nuances of faith and personal deconstruction. Sarah categorizes women’s paths—ranging from atheism to a separate faith identity—and examines the role of abuse in their departures. Highlighting the need for compassionate community engagement, she offers practical advice for churches and individuals navigating these complex conversations.
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Leaving Is Usually Multi‑Caused
- Many women leave churches for multiple, accumulating reasons rather than one single cause.
- Abuse, hypocrisy, mistreatment of LGBTQ people, and intellectual doubts all combine until a tipping point triggers exit.
Diverse Paths After Leaving
- Women who leave take diverse paths: some become atheists, some blend beliefs, and some keep a reimagined Jesus.
- Exit trajectories vary widely and often include spiritual experimentation or retention of moral ties to Jesus.
Politics And The Internet Accelerated Exits
- Two major drivers of mass disaffiliation are politicization of religion since the late 1980s and the internet exposing people to alternatives.
- Those forces reduced isolation and made systemic problems more visible, accelerating departures.
