If you've ever found yourself sitting in a pew feeling that deep ache of something's not right here,

or if you've been questioning whether the faith you've been handed is really the same thing as following Jesus,

then this episode is for you. Welcome to today's Flying Higher Moment.

I want to talk about a book I've been reading with the Flying Higher Women this month called Christianity After Religion. It's by Diana Butler-Bess.

We just had our first discussion a couple of nights ago, and it was pretty tasty, so I thought

it would be worth sharing a little review of this book

and what I'm getting out of it. The complete title is Christianity after religion,

the end of church, and the birth of a new spiritual awakening. Well, that title alone is enough to make

some people clutch their pearls.

But if you're here, my guess is you're not afraid of a little disruption, especially if it means finding something more authentic and life-giving.

So let's get into it.

What is Bass saying in her book? And why does it matter for women like you?

Women who have been silenced,

dismissed, and gaslit by toxic religious systems, but you still feel the pull of faith.

That's what I want to talk about today. So first, let's talk about the problem. Christianity, as we know it, it's collapsing. And Bass doesn't dance around it. Attendance is down. Churches are closing. And the ones that remain are often filled

with fear. Fear of change. Fear of, quote, losing the culture war, unquote, fear of people like you who dare to ask hard questions.

But instead of seeing this as a crisis, Bass frames it as something necessary and even hopeful.

She walks us through how religion in America has gone through major shifts before.

This is not the first time that the church has had to evolve. And honestly, it won't be the last.

For those of us who have been burned by religious institutions that care more about power than people,

this part of the book feels like a deep sigh of relief. You're not crazy for noticing the cracks in the foundation. You're not rebellious

for refusing to stay silent. The system is breaking because I think it needs to.

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