The Sunday Interview: Damned If She Does - Why Women Are Leaving the Church
Summary
Brad Onishi interviews journalist Sarah Stancorb about her new book, *Damned If She Does*, which explores why women are leaving American churches in record numbers. They discuss how women’s departure signals broader secularization, driven by institutional hypocrisy, sex abuse cover-ups, racism, and homophobia. The conversation also examines the varied spiritual paths former members take and the resulting demographic shifts in religious communities.
Topics discussed
Intro and sponsor reads for Axis Mundi and Sally
Introduction to the book on women leaving the church
Women as the glue of religious communities and secularization
Rise of militant patriarchy and the Catholic sex abuse crisis
Impact of Black Lives Matter and racial justice on church attendance
Sponsor reads for Ground News and Mint Mobile
The 'Gay Scare' and LGBTQ+ issues driving disaffiliation
Why this moment of leaving is unique and definitive
Future religious landscape and the failure to attract men
Post-church spirituality: Dabbling vs. robust worldviews
Loneliness in church and sponsor reads for Mint and Lincoln
Rediscovering personal belief and institutional trust
Demographics of atheists, agnostics, and organized atheism
Author tour dates, subscription perks, and final ads
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