The Religious Trauma Dictionary

A

Accountability Partner (noun) - A person assigned to monitor someone's spiritual purity or behavior, especially around sexuality or temptation.

Age of Accountability (noun phrase) - The believed age when children become responsible for their own sin, often causing anxiety in young people.

Altar Call Manipulation (noun) - Using emotional tactics at camps to force conversion experiences, repentance, public declarations of faith, or recommitments.

Anointed (adjective) - Marked by God for special authority, blessing, or spiritual gifting.

Apostasy (noun) - The label for leaving the faith, often used pejoratively in high-control religious groups.

Apostate (noun) - Someone who has abandoned or renounced the faith.

Authority Structure (noun) - A rigid hierarchy within religious communities that demands unquestioning obedience to leadership.

B

Backsliding (verb/noun) - Falling away from faith or returning to sinful behaviors after conversion.

Behavior Control (noun) - Regulating daily activities, sleep, diet, and personal choices to maintain group dependency.

Bible Trauma Triggering (noun) - Flashbacks, panic, or distress when encountering scripture associated with past abuse.

Biblical Inerrancy Anxiety (noun) - Distress when questioning whether every word of scripture is literally true.

Bill Gothard's "Umbrella of Authority" (noun phrase) - A teaching that places God at the top, men as family heads, and women/children under their protection and control.

BITE Model (noun) - Dr. Steven Hassan's framework describing cult control through Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotional manipulation.

Blanket Training (noun) - A controversial disciplinary method taught by some fundamentalist parenting books involving training infants to stay on blankets through punishment.

Blasphemy OCD (noun) - Obsessions around accidentally committing unforgivable sins, often paired with compulsive rituals.

Born Again (adjective/verb phrase) - A conversion experience of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Boundaries with Faith Communities (noun phrase) - Setting protective limits with churches or family that still hold harmful beliefs.

Burden of Proof (noun phrase) - The expectation that doubters must prove their concerns rather than leaders proving their authority.

C

Cabin Pressure (noun) - Intense peer pressure and surveillance in overnight Christian camp settings.

Camp Counselor Grooming (noun) - Inappropriate relationships where counselors exploit their authority over campers.

Carnal Christian (noun) - A believer accused of being controlled by worldly desires rather than the Spirit.

Catechism (noun) - The official teachings and doctrine of the Catholic Church.

Catholic Guilt Complex (noun) - A pervasive sense of shame tied to Catholic teachings about sin, confession, and moral failure.

Celestial Kingdom (noun) - The highest level of heaven in LDS theology.

Chapel Trauma (noun) - Distressing memories from mandatory worship services at religious camps or schools.

Charismatic Overload (noun) - Emotional exhaustion from highly performative worship services emphasizing tongues, prophecy, and miracles.

Christian Nationalism (noun) - The ideology that America should be governed according to conservative Christian principles.

Churched vs. Unchurched (adjective) - Evangelical jargon to distinguish those raised in faith communities from outsiders.

Church Hurt (noun) - The term often used to describe relational and systemic wounds caused within religious institutions.

Circle the Wagons (verb phrase) - When religious communities close ranks to protect leaders from accountability.

Clergy Abuse (noun) - Emotional, sexual, or financial abuse by spiritual leaders exploiting trust and authority.

Closed Canon Fear (noun) - Anxiety that God no longer speaks outside of scripture, leaving believers feeling spiritually abandoned.

Cognitive Dissonance (noun) - The mental stress experienced when holding contradictory beliefs simultaneously, common when questioning faith.

Complementarianism (noun) - A theology teaching that men lead and women submit in marriage, family, and church.

Compulsive Prayer (noun) - Repetitive, ritualistic praying done to reduce anxiety rather than for spiritual connection.

Confession/Reconciliation (noun) - The sacrament of confessing sins to a priest for absolution.

Confession Booth Anxiety (noun) - Stress or fear of confessing sins to a priest in Catholic contexts.

Confession Compulsions (noun) - The repeated urge to confess sins to clergy or peers to relieve guilt or fear of punishment.

Conviction (noun) - A deep sense of guilt or calling believed to be from the Holy Spirit.

Conversion Coercion (noun) - Using isolation, sleep deprivation, and/or emotional manipulation to force religious experiences.

Courtship Contract (noun) - A formal agreement in fundamentalist circles laying out expectations for dating, often managed by parents.

Courtship Movement (noun) - A strict alternative to dating promoted in Evangelical subcultures, often emphasizing parental control.

Covenant Marriage (noun) - A stricter form of marriage contract promoted in some Christian circles that makes divorce nearly impossible.

Covering Doctrine (noun) - A belief that women must remain spiritually protected under male authority figures.

Creation Mandate (noun) - A fundamentalist interpretation of Genesis encouraging large families as a sign of faithfulness (see also Cultural Mandate).

Crisis of Faith (noun phrase) - An intense period of religious doubt and questioning.

Cult of Personality (noun phrase) - When religious communities revolve around worshipping a charismatic leader rather than doctrine.

Cultural Mandate (noun) - The belief that Christians have a divine command to transform and control culture (see also Creation Mandate).

D

Dechurching (verb/noun) - The larger trend of people leaving church institutions across denominations.

Domestic Goddess (noun) - Idealized version of Christian womanhood focused solely on home and family.

Deconstruction (noun) - The broader philosophical and theological process of critically examining and questioning previously held beliefs, systems, or structures to understand their underlying assumptions, contradictions, and potential harm.

Deconstruction Community (noun) - Online or in-person spaces where individuals share stories and support while leaving religion.

Deconversion (noun) - The full process of leaving a religious belief system, sometimes gradual, sometimes abrupt.

Demand for Purity (noun phrase) - Impossible standards that keep members feeling inadequate and dependent on the group.

Demon Possession Fear (noun) - Terror of being inhabited by evil spirits, often used to explain mental health issues.

Depravity Doctrine (noun) - Teaching that emphasizes human worthlessness and corruption as fundamental truth.

Discernment (noun) - Seeking spiritual clarity about God's will or truth.

Discipleship (noun) - Intensive mentoring relationships that can become controlling or abusive.

Dispensationalism (noun) - A theological system that divides history into distinct periods or "dispensations" where God relates to humanity differently; often emphasizes literal biblical interpretation, pretribulation rapture, and Israel's special role in prophecy, which can create anxiety about end-times events and rigid thinking about scripture.

Divine Command Fear (noun) - Anxiety that God may ask for something terrible or harmful as a test of faith.

Doctrinal Purity (noun) - Obsession with maintaining "correct" beliefs at all costs.

Dominion Theology (noun) - The belief that Christians are called to take control of earthly institutions before Christ's return.

Dominions (noun) - Spheres of influence that dominion theologians believe Christians must control.

Doomsday Theology (noun) - Teachings that emphasize end-times fear to control behavior and loyalty.

Doubting Thomas (noun) - A skeptic who struggles to believe without proof.

E

Elder Abuse (noun) - Mistreatment by church leadership exploiting age, wisdom, or authority dynamics.

Emotional Control (noun) - Manipulating feelings through guilt, fear, shame, and conditional love.

Eternal Damnation Fear (noun) - A hallmark of religious scrupulosity, where one lives in terror of going to hell.

Evangelical Bubble (noun) - The insular cultural environment that shields believers from outside perspectives.

Evangelical Industrial Complex (noun phrase) - The network of institutions, media, and businesses that profit from maintaining evangelical culture.

Excommunication (noun) - Formal removal from participation in the sacraments and community.

Excommunication Trauma (noun) - Psychological harm caused by being formally cast out of one's religious community.

Exvangelical (noun/adjective) - Someone who has left Evangelical Christianity, often due to spiritual abuse, purity culture, or political/religious disillusionment.

Exvangelical Therapy (noun) - Counseling attuned to spiritual abuse, religious trauma, and deconstruction needs.

F

Faith Bombing (noun) - Overwhelming someone with intense religious attention to prevent them from leaving.

Faith Crisis (noun) - A period of intense questioning and doubt about core religious beliefs.

Faith Deconstruction (noun) - The process of questioning, unpacking, and often dismantling previously held religious beliefs, typically due to harm, doubt, or intellectual/spiritual growth.

Faith Shifts (noun) - The gradual changing of core beliefs that often precede deconstruction.

False Prophet Paranoia (noun) - Excessive fear of being deceived by religious teachers or leaders.

Fear-Based Preaching (noun) - Sermons that use threats of hell, judgment, or divine punishment to motivate behavior.

Federal Headship (noun) - The theological concept that Adam represented all humanity in his sin, making everyone guilty.

Fellowshipping (verb) - Spending time with other believers, often framed as a both a spiritual duty and a privilege.

Feminine Mystique Rejection (noun phrase) - Fundamentalist opposition to women's liberation movements.

Fire and Brimstone (noun/adjective) - Preaching that emphasizes hell, judgment, and God's wrath.

The Flesh (noun) - Human desires seen as sinful and opposed to spiritual living.

Freedom of Mind (noun phrase) - Dr. Hassan's concept of psychological liberation from cult influence.

Fundagelical (noun/adjective) - A slang blend of "fundamentalist" and "evangelical," used to describe ultra-conservative Christians.

Fundie Baby Voice (noun) - A mocking term for the childish, cutesy speech style some fundamentalist women use online.

Fundie Snark Community (noun) - Online spaces that critique, mock, and analyze fundamentalist subcultures like the Duggars.

G

Gaslight, Gatekeep, Gospel (phrase) - A satirical riff on internet slang mocking manipulative religious control.

Gaslighting in Religion (noun) - When spiritual leaders distort reality to keep members obedient or silent about abuse.

General Conference (noun) - Semiannual worldwide gatherings where LDS leaders teach and announce directives.

God's Calling Confusion (noun phrase) - Distress when unable to discern what God supposedly wants from one's life.

God's Will Anxiety (noun) - Constant worry about whether one's decisions align with divine expectations.

Gospel Guilt (noun) - Shame for not sharing one's faith enough or failing to convert others.

H

Headship Submission Theology (noun) - Teaching that men are divinely ordained to lead and women must submit.

Heavenly Father Issues (noun phrase) - Difficulty relating to God due to earthly father trauma or patriarchal messaging.

Hedge of Protection (noun phrase) - A prayer for God's supernatural safety around people or communities.

Hell Anxiety (noun) - Persistent worry or panic attacks stemming from doctrines of eternal punishment.

Hell House (noun) - A Halloween-style church play designed to scare attendees into salvation by dramatizing sin and hell.

Helpmeet (noun) - Term for women as divinely designed assistants to men, derived from Genesis.

Heretic (noun) - A person who teaches or believes ideas contrary to official doctrine.

High-Control Religion (noun) - A faith community that restricts personal autonomy through rigid rules, fear, or manipulation.

Holiness Standards (noun) - Strict rules about dress, speech, and behavior as proof of spiritual devotion.

Holy Spirit Addiction (noun phrase) - Dependence on emotional spiritual experiences to feel worthy or connected to God.

Homeschool Patriarchy (noun) - A system where homeschooling enforces rigid gender roles and parental authority.

Hypervigilance (noun) - Constant alertness to potential sin, temptation, or spiritual threats.

I

Idolatry Panic (noun) - Anxiety about enjoying secular culture or relationships being labeled as worshipping idols.

Immaculate Conception (noun) - The belief that Mary was conceived without original sin.

Inerrancy Doctrine (noun) - The belief that the Bible is without error in all matters, which can fuel rigid thinking and fear.

Influence Continuum (noun) - Hassan's model showing the spectrum from healthy influence to destructive mind control.

Information Control (noun) - Restricting access to outside sources, media, or perspectives that might challenge group beliefs.

Inherited Guilt (noun) - The belief that humans are born guilty due to original sin, creating shame from birth.

Intercession Fatigue (noun) - Burnout from constant prayer responsibilities for others.

Interfaith Healing Spaces (noun) - Communities where people of different (or no) faith backgrounds support each other in recovery.

Intrusive Religious Thoughts (noun) - Unwanted, distressing thoughts about blasphemy, sinning, or offending God.

Isolation Tactics (noun) - Methods used by high-control groups to separate members from outside influences and relationships.

J

Jezebel Spirit (noun) - A misogynistic insult for women seen as manipulative, seductive, or rebellious against male authority.

Judgment Day Anxiety (noun) - Fear and obsession with the final judgment and eternal consequences.

Just War Theory (noun) - Religious justification for violence that can be used to support harmful ideologies.

K

Keeper at Home (noun phrase) - Fundamentalist teaching that women's primary role is domestic caretaking.

Kingdom Dominion (noun) - The belief that Christians must establish God's rule over earthly systems.

Kingdom Now Theology (noun phrase) - The teaching that God's kingdom should be established on earth through Christian political and social control.

L

Leaving the Fold (verb phrase) - Marlene Winell's description of the difficult process of exiting fundamentalist religion.

Legalism (noun) - Strict adherence to denominational lifestyle rules and expectations.

Legalism Trap (noun) - A belief system where salvation feels tied to following endless religious rules.

Lilith (noun) - Sometimes invoked in fundamentalist rhetoric as a symbol of rebellious or "dangerous" femininity.

Loaded Language (noun) - Specialized vocabulary that stops critical thinking and reinforces group identity.

Lord and Master (noun phrase) - Language used to describe male authority in patriarchal households.

Love Bombing (noun) - Overwhelming new members with excessive attention and affection to create dependency.

Love Bombing to Devaluation Cycle (noun phrase) - The pattern of excessive affection followed by criticism used to create dependency.

Love Offering (noun) - A special church collection framed as a gift rather than required giving.

Lukewarm Christian (noun) - A half-hearted believer who is neither fully committed nor openly rebellious.

M

Male Headship (noun) - The doctrine that men are divinely appointed to lead in all spheres of life.

Mark of the Beast Anxiety (noun phrase) - Fear of accidentally accepting the mark mentioned in Revelation, often tied to conspiracy theories.

Meaning Reconstruction (noun) - The psychological process of rebuilding purpose and hope after losing one's religious worldview.

Milieu Control (noun) - Controlling the entire environment and communication within a group.

Missionary Work (noun) - Evangelizing, often through the iconic two-year missions for young adults in the LDS community (also called a mission or missionary term).

Modest is Hottest (phrase) - Evangelical slogan promoting modest dress as both holy and attractive.

Modesty Checklist (noun) - Lists of clothing rules enforced, often on girls and women, to prevent "causing men to stumble."

Modesty Policing (noun) - The enforcement of strict dress codes for women and girls, tied to victim-blaming culture.

Moral Perfectionism (noun) - The relentless fear of making mistakes or failing to live up to impossible religious standards.

Mortal Sin (noun) - A grave sin that, if not confessed, is believed to separate a person from God's grace.

N

The Narrow Path (noun phrase) - The difficult but righteous way to salvation, contrasted with the "broad road" to destruction.

Nepotism in Ministry (noun) - Family members inheriting church positions regardless of qualifications.

New Testament Patriarchy (noun) - Using selective scripture to justify male dominance.

O

Obedience Training (noun) - Conditioning members to comply without question.

On Fire for God (phrase) - Evangelical phrase describing passionate devotion to faith.

Original Sin (noun) - The doctrine that all humans are born inherently sinful due to Adam and Eve's disobedience.

Orthodox Pressure (noun) - Stress to conform to traditional or "correct" interpretations.

P

Papal Infallibility (noun) - The doctrine that the Pope is preserved from error when declaring official teaching on faith or morals.

Patriarchal Theology (noun) - The belief system that men hold authority over women in all spheres of life.

Performance Christianity (noun) - The pressure to constantly demonstrate faith through visible actions and behaviors.

Pharisee (noun) - Used as an insult for legalistic, rule-obsessed Christians.

Pharisee Complex (noun) - Self-righteousness masked as spiritual devotion.

Phobia Indoctrination (noun) - Installing intense fears about leaving the group or questioning leadership.

PK Burnout (Preacher's Kid or Pastor’s Kid Burnout) (noun) - Emotional exhaustion from growing up under scrutiny as a pastor's child.

Post-Deconstruction Identity (noun) - The new sense of self formed after leaving harmful beliefs behind.

Prairie Muffin Manifesto (noun) - A Christian homemaking manifesto advocating extreme submission, domesticity, and patriarchy.

Prayer Chain Gossip (noun) - Sharing private details under the guise of requesting prayer.

Prayer Closet (noun) - A private space for devotional prayer, popularized in evangelical culture.

Prayer Shaming (noun) - Criticizing others for not praying "correctly" or frequently enough.

Prayer Warrior (noun) - A Christian who is especially devoted to intercessory prayer.

Priesthood Authority (noun) - The LDS belief in restored authority to perform ordinances and lead the church (only applies to males).

Prodigal (noun) - Someone who left the faith but is expected to eventually return, drawn from the biblical parable.

Progressive Christianity (noun) - A reimagined, inclusive faith tradition that emphasizes justice, love, and questioning.

Proselytizing Pressure (noun) - The expectation that members constantly recruit others to the faith.

Prosperity Gospel (noun) - The teaching that faith and obedience bring financial success or health, often causing shame when suffering occurs.

Purgatory (noun) - The state of purification after death before entering heaven.

Purity Culture (noun) - A conservative Christian movement that elevates virginity, modesty, and sexual "purity" as measures of worth.

Purity Rings (noun) - Jewelry used in Evangelical culture to symbolize abstinence until marriage.

Q

Quiet Time (QT) Pressure (noun) - Stress from being told to have daily Bible and prayer time or risk backsliding.

Quiverful Movement (noun) - A fundamentalist ideology encouraging unlimited childbirth as a form of spiritual warfare.

R

Rapture Anxiety (noun) - Fear of being "left behind" if one isn't sufficiently faithful when Christ returns.

RCIA Pressure (noun) - Stress tied to joining Catholicism through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

Reassurance-Seeking (noun) - Constantly asking pastors, friends, or family if one is still "saved" or right with God.

Reclaiming Spirituality (noun) - Exploring non-toxic spiritual practices after leaving a high-control faith system.

Reconstructionism (noun) - A movement seeking to rebuild society according to Old Testament law.

Reconstruction (noun) - Building a new belief system (or embracing none) after deconstruction, often with healthier frameworks.

Recovering from Religion (noun phrase) - The healing process from religious trauma, emphasized in Marlene Winell's work.

Religious Avoidance Behaviors (noun) - Avoiding certain activities, people, or objects due to fear of spiritual contamination.

Religious Disaffiliation Grief (noun) - Mourning the loss of community, identity, and belonging after leaving a faith system.

Religious Trauma Recovery (noun) - Therapeutic and community-based healing from toxic religious experiences.

Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS) (noun) - Marlene Winell's term for the specific trauma caused by harmful religious experiences.

Remnant Theology (noun) - Belief that only a small group of "true believers" will be saved, creating elitism and fear.

Reprobate (noun/adjective) - Someone seen as morally corrupt and beyond redemption.

Revival (noun) - A widespread spiritual awakening or renewal within a church or community.

Romans Road (noun) - A popular evangelism tool summarizing salvation verses from the book of Romans.

Rosary (noun) - A structured prayer sequence using beads to meditate on Jesus and Mary.

S

Sacrament (noun) - Sacred rituals (e.g., baptism, Eucharist, confirmation) seen as essential to grace.

Sacred Cow (noun phrase) - Untouchable beliefs, practices, or leaders that cannot be questioned without severe consequences.

Sacred Science (noun phrase) - When group doctrine is presented as both sacred and scientific, making it unquestionable.

Saint Worship Shame (noun) - Guilt or accusations from Protestant circles about Catholic devotion to saints.

Salvation Anxiety (noun) - Persistent fear about whether one is truly saved or chosen by God.

Sanctification (noun) - The ongoing process of becoming holy and Christ-like.

Scrupulosity OCD (noun) - A form of OCD focused on moral or religious obsessions, leading to compulsions like constant prayer or confession.

Sealing (noun) - An eternal marriage covenant performed in the temple.

Second Blessing (Sanctification) (noun) - A holiness teaching that believers can receive an extra spiritual experience beyond salvation.

Seven Mountain Mandate (noun phrase) - The belief that Christians must gain control over seven key areas of society: government, education, media, arts/entertainment, business, family, and religion.

Shunning (noun/verb) - The practice of completely cutting off contact with former members who have left the faith.

Side Hugs Only (phrase) - A fundie subculture practice of avoiding front hugs to prevent sexual temptation.

Sin Management (noun) - A church culture focused on constant behavior monitoring rather than healthy self-development.

Sin Nature (noun) - The teaching that humans have an inherent tendency toward evil that must be constantly fought.

Sodomite (noun) - A derogatory slur historically used against LGBTQ+ people.

Somatic Religious Trauma Healing (noun) - Using body-based therapies to release trauma stored from religious environments.

Soul-Winning (noun/verb) - Evangelical term for converting someone to Christianity.

Spiritual Bypassing (noun) - Using prayer or positivity to avoid addressing emotional or psychological pain; using spiritual platitudes ("just pray about it") to avoid addressing real psychological or emotional pain.

Spiritual Headship (noun) - Belief that men are God-ordained leaders in family and church life.

Spiritual Trauma Triggers (noun) - Situations (e.g., worship music, sermons) that provoke painful memories or panic.

Spiritual Warfare Language (noun) - Talk of life as a cosmic battle between God and demonic forces.

Stake (noun) - A regional grouping of LDS congregations, similar to a diocese.

Stay-at-Home-Daughter Movement (noun) - A patriarchal push for unmarried daughters to remain at home serving fathers until marriage.

Stiff-Necked (adjective) - A biblical insult for people stubborn against God's will.

Strategic Interaction Approach (noun phrase) - Hassan's method for helping cult members through respectful dialogue rather than confrontation.

Stumbling Block (noun) - A person or action that causes another to struggle in their faith or "fall into sin."

Submission Theology (noun) - Teaching that women's highest spiritual calling is obedience and deference to men.

Sunday Best Policing (noun) - Shaming others for not wearing formal clothes to church.

Sword Drills (noun) - Competitive Bible verse look-up games, common in youth groups.

T

Temple Recommend (noun) - A certificate showing a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is in good standing to enter the temple.

Testimony (noun) - A personal statement of belief in the truth of theological teachings, popular in Mormon and evangelical circles.

Testimony Pressure (noun) - Forcing campers or youth in church programs to share personal spiritual experiences publicly.

Theocracy (noun) - Government ruled by religious authority, often the goal of dominion theology.

Theological Trauma (noun) - Psychological harm caused specifically by damaging religious teachings about God, salvation, or human nature.

Thought-Action Fusion (noun) - Believing that thinking about sin is as bad as committing it, common in scrupulosity.

Thought-Stopping (noun) - Cult technique of interrupting critical thinking through repetitive activities, chanting, or meditation.

Tithing Guilt (noun) - Shame and anxiety around not giving enough money to the church, often accompanied by threats of divine punishment.

Total Depravity (noun) - The Calvinist teaching that humans are completely corrupted by sin and incapable of good without divine intervention.

Toxic Christianity (noun) - Marlene Winell's term for versions of Christianity that cause psychological harm.

Train Up a Child (noun phrase) - Fundamentalist parenting based on Proverbs, often tied to corporal punishment and the controversial book "To Train Up a Child" by Michael and Debi Pearl, first published in 1994.

U

Unequally Yoked (adjective/phrase) - A relationship or marriage between a believer and a non-believer, considered spiritually dangerous; warning against romantic relationships with nonbelievers.

Unforgivable Sin Fear (noun) - Terror of committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, believed to be the one sin God cannot forgive.

V

Venial Sin (noun) - A less serious sin that damages, but does not fully sever, a person's relationship with God.

Virtue Signaling (noun) - Performative displays of righteousness to gain social approval.

Virtuous Woman (noun phrase) - The Proverbs 31 ideal used to pressure women into specific roles.

Vision Casting (noun) - Leadership technique of promoting grand spiritual goals to maintain control.

W

Ward (noun) - A local LDS congregation.

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing (noun phrase) - False teachers who appear righteous but deceive believers.

The World vs. The Church (noun phrase) - The division between secular culture and God's people.

Wordly (adjective) - A derogatory term for behaviors, values, or lifestyles outside of church culture.

Word of Wisdom (noun phrase) - The LDS health code prohibiting alcohol, coffee, tea, and tobacco.

Works-Righteousness Guilt (noun) - Anxiety that faith isn't enough without constant good works.

Y

Youth Group Burnout (noun) - Emotional fatigue from endless church activities and expectations on teens.