Church Hurt: A Phenomenological Exploration of the Lived Experiences of Survivors

165 Pages·2017·1.87 MB·English

Nova Southeastern University
NSUWorks
Department of Confict Resolution Studies Teses
CAHSS Teses and Dissertations
and Dissertations
1-1-2017
Church Hurt: A Phenomenological Exploration of
the Lived Experiences of Survivors
Raquel Anderson
Nova Southeastern University,
Church Hurt: A Phenomenological Exploration of the Lived Experiences of Survivors.

by

Raquel Anderson

A Dissertation Presented to the
College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences of Nova Southeastern University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Nova Southeastern University
2017
Acknowledgements
Throughout my time in the doctoral program I have received encouragement and
support from many people. Therefore, my heat is full of gratitude for the people who
have helped me on this journey. My committee deserves much thanks for their guidance
and direction. Dr. McKay, Dr. Berna and Dr. Cromwell provided insight, assistance,
encouragement and wisdom throughout this process, for which I am grateful.
Thank you to my best friend Alfred Ortega who was my very own cheerleader
throughout this journey. The sparkle in your eyes every time you mentioned that I was
pursuing my doctorate and the fact that you consistently called me Dr. Anderson was
enough motivation to not disappointment you. Thank you to everyone who participated in
this study and took the time to share their compelling stories.
Finally, I want to thank my family and friends for their patience and sacrifices
that they made throughout this process. Additionally, I want to thank my church family
and members from Bread from the Vine who earnestly prayed for me. Thank you to
everyone for believing in me and helping to make this dream a reality.
Table of Contents
List of Tables ................................................................................................................. iii
List of Figures ................................................................................................................ iv
Abstract ........................................................................................................................... v
Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................... 1
Chapter Introduction .................................................................................................. 1
Research Problem Statement ............................................................................... 11
Objective(s) of the Proposed Research ................................................................ 13
Research Questions .............................................................................................. 13
Definition of Terms.............................................................................................. 14
The Purpose and Significance of the Study ......................................................... 15
Theoretical Perspectives ........................................................................................... 17
Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.............................................................. 17
Social Constructionism ........................................................................................ 21
Chapter 2: Literature Review ......................................................................................... 25
Chapter Introduction ................................................................................................. 25
Church Hurt ......................................................................................................... 30
Causes and Sources of Church Conflict and Church Hurt ................................... 39
Chapter 3: Research Methodology Overview ................................................................ 50
Chapter Introduction ................................................................................................. 50
Qualitative Research Traditions ................................................................................ 51
Phenomenology.................................................................................................... 55
Units of Analysis.................................................................................................. 60
i
Population and Sampling ..................................................................................... 60
Data Collection Methods .......................................................................................... 63
Semi-Structured Interviews ................................................................................. 63
Data Analysis ....................................................................................................... 68
Validity and Reliability ........................................................................................ 78
Ethical Considerations ......................................................................................... 80
Demographic Profiles of Respondents................................................................. 82
Precursor to the findings: an introduction to the themes .......................................... 83
Findings and Themes ................................................................................................ 84
Sanctity ................................................................................................................ 85
Sense of Loss or Transformative ......................................................................... 91
Ineptitude/ignorance in Resolving Church Hurt ................................................ 119
Chapter 4: Conclusion.................................................................................................. 132
Chapter Introduction ............................................................................................... 132
Dissertation Findings ......................................................................................... 133
Contribution to the Field .................................................................................... 137
Limitations of Study .......................................................................................... 138
Recommendations for Further Research ............................................................ 138
References .................................................................................................................... 140
Appendix A: Sample Questions ................................................................................... 153
Appendix B: Consent Form ......................................................................................... 154

ii
List of Tables
Table 1. Qualitative Research Traditions ....................................................................... 53
Table 2. Procedures in Phenomenology ......................................................................... 54
Table 3. Horizontalization ............................................................................................. 70
Table 4. Invariant-Constituents (representing different themes) ................................... 72
Table 5. Clustering and Thematizing the Invariant Constituents .................................. 73
Table 6. Individual Textural Description ....................................................................... 74
Table 7. Composite Structural Descriptions .................................................................. 75
Table 8. Synthesizing Structural and Textural Description into an Expression ............ 77

iii
List of Figures
Figure 1. Church closures and openings ........................................................................ 11

iv
Abstract
The church is often seen as a place where people go to seek love, peace, and acceptance.
Increasingly, there are occasions where these needs are not being met. Mansfield (2012)
used the term “Ecclesia exitus ...the decision to permanently question one’s faith, trust in
the church leadership and/or withdraw from a congregation you had considered to be
your ‘church home,” to describe the experience of Church Hurt. This study seeks to
describe the experience of those who have undergone church hurt. Abraham Maslow in
his seminal 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation and his subsequent
book, Motivation and Personality, posited a hierarchy of human needs that motivated
human behavior, in conjunction with Social Constructionism, shall provide a theoretical
framework(s) for the study. Phenomenological analysis as outlined by Moustakas (1994)
was the methodology utilized, given its focus on capturing the subjective meanings and
perspective of the research, participants lived experience(s). The study interviewed
fourteen (14) respondents, eight (8) females, and six (6) males, derived by purposive and
snowball sampling methods. To attain in-depth, “thick descriptions,” semi-structured
interviews, ranging in duration from forty minutes to an hour, were conducted, over a
month long period. Four (4) themes were unearthed, Sanctity of the Church, Sense of
Loss, Transformative and the Ineptitude/Ignorance in the Resolution of Conflict. The
study shall provide survivors of church hurt experience a voice, and church administrator
more sensitive and effective conflict management strategies to handle the church hurt
experience, ultimately resulting in a more fulfilling ecclesiastical experience. Keywords:
Church Hurt, Religiosity-Health, Transcendental Phenomenology, Conflict Management.

v
1
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter Introduction
The church is one of the traditional universal spiritual entities bringing together
believers in Christ and constitutes a physical manifestation as a well-organized
institution. The church, as a community entity, can also be a socially fulfilling and
effective institution in the lives of those involved with it (Axinciuc, 2011; Brown & Gary,
1994; Chaney, 2008; Ellison & Levin, 1998). It is an institution that is capable of
bringing joy and fulfilling its members’ deepest needs, but at the same time, it can be a
source of hurt and bad experiences. Although the spiritual and universal manifestation of
the church is always in existence, due to its nature as biblically being a creation of Jesus
himself, the church is often put up on an idealized pedestal as depicted in Acts 2:44-35
(NKV).
Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their
Possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So
continuing daily with one accord in the temple, breaking bread from house, they
ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having
favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those were
being saved.
The above passage depicts the church as a fellowship, characterized by communal
values of caring for each other with the individual subsumed by the community, where
the praise and virtues of God dominates. As such, the existence of conflict is viewed as
nonexistent, downplayed or barely acknowledged, as to do so disagrees with the most