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Angela Herrington – The Deconstructing Mama

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Sam

Beyond the Surface - The deconstructing Mama

Who is Angela?

Angela is a faith deconstruction coach and host of The Deconstructing Faith Summit who helps people break free from toxic religious culture & empowers them to recover from #churchhurt. She has led online ministries for a decade, enjoys working with clients 1:1, in groups, and is a dynamic conference speaker. She’s a Lark’s Song Certified Life Coach who reaches thousands of people in 40+ countries each month on Facebook, IG, Twitter, Pinterest, and her blog.

She’s a firstborn, Enneagram 8, Gen Xer who loves to question everything. She holds a BA from Indiana Wesleyan and a master’s in leadership from Wesley Seminary. Her graduate research project focused on leadership development and opportunities for Gen X women in the US church.

Angela and her unique online ministry are featured in Lyz Lenz’s 2019 book God Land: Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America. She has published articles in Hope for Women and HOPE is Now magazines. She has been featured in The New Republic, Publisher’s Today, and Religion News Service.

Her first book, Deconstruct Your Faith Without Losing Yourself, shares her decade of experience as a faith deconstruction coach, personal stories, a hefty dose of compassion, and her trademark Gen X humour. 

Angela is also a wife, mom to 5, and a proud resident of Marion, Indiana with her family when they’re not traveling the US in their RV.

My Thoughts

Angela is such a wealth of information; and the way she speaks about deconstruction is wholesome, kind but also real. Her ability to hold the complexities of deconstruction in a way that still challenges us to do the work. There is something for everyone in this episode.

Episode Summary

  • Angela shares about the interconnectedness of religion and politics in the US.
  • Sharing about her childhood, Angela shares that she grew up around church and spiritual figures but moving around a lot she never had a home church.
  • We explore what it was like for Angela when she first found a home church and the cracks that began to show.
  • Angela explains what it was like to realise that this was a systemic issue not a church issue.
  • We discuss the problematic aspects from both churches; around LGBTQIA+ affirmation, accessibility, leadership, white saviourism, and social norms.
  • We discuss the marginalisation that occurs within the church and how privilege can blind people from seeing what is really happening.
  • Angela discusses what her experience was like being a woman in the church.
  • I ask Angela how navigating church politics and wrestling with shifting ideas impacted her personal faith in God.
  • Angela shared about some of her own trauma responses and when she began using the language of deconstruction.
  • We pull apart the tactics involved in cults and fundamental religions and how they interact with trauma responses.
  • I ask Angela what it was like deconstructing with 5 kids – with honesty and transparency being key.
  • Angela shares about her recent book ‘Deconstruct Your Faith Without Losing Yourself’ and what this process was like for her; and unwrapping her faith and her identity from one another.
  • Finally, Angela answers the question “what would you say to someone fresh in their deconstruction?”