Giving Up God: Resurrecting a Spirituality of Love and Wonder (with Sarah Hayward)

·47 min·4 clips

Sarah Hayward's 15-year journey from evangelical to atheist unraveled her belief in God.

["Dr. Clint Haycock, a former evangelical pastor, hosts Sarah Hayward to discuss her book 'Giving Up God'.", "Sarah begins by explaining her background: raised in an evangelical family, she was deeply involved in church and Campus Crusade for Christ.", "During college, she started questioning and evolving her faith, becoming affirming of LGBTQ+ and rejecting the concept of hell.", "She describes a 15-year deconstruction process that ultimately led her to an atheistic worldview about two years ago.", "A key turning point was the problem of evil; she could no longer reconcile a loving, all-powerful God with suffering in the world.", "Sarah explains that leaving faith felt like losing her core identity, as being a Christian was fundamental to who she was.", "After deconstructing, she found beauty and wonder in science, particularly evolution, feeling a deep connectedness to all living things.", "She emphasizes that life still has meaning and purpose, which she now defines for herself rather than deriving from religion.", "The conversation shifts to practical challenges, like navigating holidays with evangelical family members who voted for Trump.", "They discuss boundaries with grandparents regarding religious influence on children and the concept of religious trauma syndrome.", "Sarah notes that her experience was less traumatic than some because she was in progressive Christian circles later.", "She still engages with progressive Christians, including her pastor who read her book without conflict.", "Sarah argues against binary thinking, acknowledging nuance among Christians and the existence of kind, inclusive believers.", "She reflects on why Christianity didn't work for her, suggesting that if God exists, it must be different from the Christian conception.", "The discussion touches on indigenous spiritualities as potentially more beautiful and less shame-based than Western religions.", "Sarah hopes her book offers comfort and shows that a fulfilling, moral life is possible outside of Christianity.", "She describes deconstruction as a grieving process, with stages including anger, but she now feels more at peace.", "A significant challenge is her marriage, as her husband remains a progressive Christian, though they maintain their relationship.", "The episode concludes with information on where to find Sarah's book and her website, and an invitation for a future Zoom call.", "Throughout, the host shares his own deconstruction experiences, creating a dialogue of shared understanding and exploration."]

As heard by us

A candid, steady account of leaving evangelical belief while recovering agency, peace, and wonder.

Sarah Hayward's conversation about giving up God frames deconstruction as more than the loss of belief. It becomes a movement toward agency, authenticity, and a spirituality shaped by love and wonder.

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Why you'd press play

If you are giving up old answers but still want love and wonder, press play.

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