God as a Coping Mechanism

Why does Evangelical Christian culture rely so heavily on God and their religious beliefs to cope? Join me as we look at how Evangelicals use their religion to cope with trauma, some reasons why they might do it, and how authentic, tangible support through intentional community building might be a better option. Do you think the culture can ever embody this, or are we relegated to nothing more than "thoughts and prayers" forever? Join the Runaway Eve community and share your own stories on Instagram at @runaway_eve! Articles cited, in the order they are mentioned: "God's Will for your Life is More Obvious than you Think" by Courtney Doctor (enter at your own risk; The Gospel Coalition is not something I recommend frequenting, but I wasn't going to not cite my source) "Trauma is not a Life Sentence" by Paul Maxwell "Factors Influencing the Likelihood of Using Religion as a Coping Mechanism in Response to Life Event Stressors" by Nicole Cornell Bonus! Discussion of this article didn't make it into the episode, but it's a fascinating read: With Genuine Belief Comes Genuine Comfort: Is Religion a Coping Mechanism? If you like what you hear, tell your friends! To hear more, visit elizabethellen.substack.com