Why do people leave Christian faith? with Dr. John Marriott

Today, Dr. John Marriott joins Noelle and Janell!   Together they discuss reasons why people leave Christian faith, why John is still a Christian, and how he began studying deconversion & faith deconstruction. They explore the difference between having reasons vs. absolute certainty when it comes to faith. They talk about the theme of happiness and the search for deep satisfaction. John explains the concept of flourishing by aligning oneself with God's design and conforming to the nature of reality. The discussion also touches on the pursuit of pleasure, power, and wealth as inadequate sources of lasting happiness. Noelle shares more about why she's not a Christian and John shares some helpful insight for those who have a loved one who has left the Christian faith.    We hope you enjoy today's episode!    About Dr. John John is a faculty affiliate of The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University's Institute for Quantitative Social Science. He is the former Research and Program Coordinator for the Biola University Center for Christian Thought and teaches part-time in the Department of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology.  A former pastor, he holds a Ph.D. degree from The Cook School of Intercultural Studies. His dissertation focused on deconversion from Christianity to atheism. He is the author of five books on deconversion, A Recipe For Disaster: How the Church Contributes to the Deconversion Crisis (Wipf & Stock, 2018), The Anatomy of Deconversion: Keys to a Lifelong Faith in a Culture Abandoning Christianity (ACUP, 2021), Going... Going... Gone..! Why Believers Lose Their Faith and What Can be Done to Guard Against it (Renaissance Publishers, 2020), Before You Go: Uncovering Hidden Factors in Faith Loss (Leafwood Publishers, 2022), and Set Adrift: Deconstructing What You Believe Without Sinking Your Faith (Zondervan, 2023). John is also a contributor to an updated edition of the forthcoming book Apologetics for a New Generation (Harvest House 2025). His sixth book, The Good Book? Restoring Your Faith in the Bible by Questioning Everything You Assume About it, (Tyndale) is due for release soon. John is the Director of Cultural Engagement with the Renaissance Forum which focuses on connecting calling to culture for societal wellbeing. He enjoys speaking at churches and conferences on topics related to biblical studies, philosophy of religion, deconversion, and the relationship between the Church and culture. Dr. Marriott is also the International Student Services Coordinator at Whittier Christian High School, in Whittier California.  -- -- -- -- -- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!If you would like to receive Janell’s 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! Visit the Finding Something REAL Youtube channel!   Noelle's First episode Noelle & Drew Noelle & Xandra Noelle & Doug Noelle & J, Warner Wallace Dr. John Marriott  Set Adrift - Sean Mcdowell & John Marriott