Why Church Abuse Thrives in Faith Communities - Johnna Harris

Church abuse continues to infiltrate Christian communities, though many refuse to confront it. Johnna Harris, co-host of the Bodies Behind the Bus podcast, is on Christianity Without Compromise with host Jake Doberenz to discuss how patterns of church abuse develop and persist within Western evangelical spaces. Johnna explains how systems prioritize institutional protection over truth. She unpacks recurring patterns like authoritarian leadership, misuse of spiritual authority, financial manipulation, and the silencing of survivors, while also tracing how these dynamics are reinforced by cultural and theological influences within Christianity. Throughout the conversation, Johnna challenges both leaders and congregants to recognize how church abuse operates and why Christian communities must rethink power, accountability, and spiritual formation.Important Links:Dr. Laura Robinson, Sascha Riley and the Long Hangover of the Satanic Panic - https://laurarbnsn.substack.com/p/sascha-riley-and-the-long-hangoverEric Issac, "Understanding Spiritual Abuse: Incentives to Preserve Spiritual Power & Reducing Abusive Experience" - https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/nanna/record/13895/files/FIDC010978.pdf?withWatermark=0&withMetadata=0&registerDownload=1&version=1Bodies Behind the Bus Podcast - https://www.bodiesbehindthebus.comSacred Wilderness - https://www.sacredwilderness.orgContact: [email protected] Harris is a podcast host, former worship leader, and advocate for survivors of church and spiritual abuse. She co-hosts the Bodies Behind the Bus podcast, where she shares and documents stories of abuse within church contexts, helping others find language, validation, and resources for healing. Through her work with Sacred Wilderness, she also supports survivors with practical needs such as therapy and financial assistance.Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at http://jakedoberenz.substack.com.