From Desecration to Disconnection
Connecting Negative Religious Beliefs About Sexual Minorities to Social Quality of Life
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6444704 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tim Killian (0000-0001-5869-0639, Montclair State University, corresponding author), Thomas Killian, Emma G Fredrick (0000-0003-4984-1356, Marist College), Frank Merenda (0000-0003-0058-9137, Yeshiva University), Frank Merenda II |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 74 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 521-535 |
| Publication date | 2025-06-27 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Pastoral Psychology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0031-2789 • E-ISSN: 1573-6679 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11089-025-01235-1 |
| OpenAlex | W4411713890 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 46 |
In the United States, Christianity has a significant sociocultural and political influence, shaping and reinforcing heteronormative beliefs and expectations. Our goal was to examine how these beliefs and expectations may influence social quality of life for sexual minorities (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and other marginalized sexual identities) through agreement with said messages, internalization of affirming messages, and outness in religious contexts. We surveyed 347 sexual minority adults who either currently or previously practiced Christianity. Using path analyses, we found that increased belief in messages of Christian desecration by sexual minorities was indirectly associated with lower social quality of life through reduced internalized sexual orientation identity affirmation and decreased openness about their identity in religious settings. Our findings suggest that belief in negative Christian narratives regarding sexual minorities can erode sexual orientation identity affirmation, therefore reducing belongingness and inclusion within these faith-based spaces. We provide recommendations for mental health professionals, including pastoral care, training and practice, engagement with Christian communities, and advocacy. We believe our findings highlight strategies to support sexual minorities and Christian communities in navigating the intersection of sexual orientation and religious experiences
Cross-cultural psychology · Disconnection · Political science · Psychotherapist · Quality of life (healthcare · Sociology · Law · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Psychology · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology
Religion, Spirituality, and LGBTQ Identity Integration
Development, Reliability, and Validity of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale for Heterosexuals (LGB-Kash).
Sexual/Affectional and Religious/Spiritual Identities
Understanding Conflict Between Religious/Spiritual and Queer Identities
Assessing the Intersectionality of Religious and Sexual Identities During the Coming-Out Process
Everyone Belongs Here
An Exploration of the Relationship Between Spirituality, Religion and Mental Health Among Youth Who Identify as LGBT
Role of Religious Attendance and Identity Conflict in Psychological Well-being
Journeys of Side B transgender Christians
Religious faith and transgender identities
The impact of religiosity on the psychological well-being of LGBT Christians
Social Support, Identity Affirmation, and Psychological Well-Being
Sense of Belonging, Meaningful Daily Life Participation, and Well-Being
LGBT-Affirming Black Churches’ Responses to the HIV/Aids Crisis
Exploring the role of LGBT-affirming churches in health promotion for Black sexual minority men
Church hurt can be the worst hurt’
Sexual orientation concealment and mental health
Real-time associations between discrimination and anxious and depressed mood among sexual and gender minorities
Minority stress and life meaning among bisexual adults
LGB positive identity and psychological well-being
Self-affirmation reduces internalized heterosexism in sexual minority people
They are Giving Folks Permission to Discriminate and Hate”
Exploring the Intersectionality of Bisexual, Religious/Spiritual, and Political Identities From a Feminist Perspective
Measuring Dimensions of Lesbian and Gay Male Experience
All the Pain Along with All the Joy
Ally Identity Versus Behavioral Intent
Relationship Between Religion and Non-Heterosexuality
Religious anti-gay prejudice as a predictor of mental health, abuse, and substance use
Religious affiliation, internalized homophobia, and mental health in lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals
Coming Out as LGBTQ
Associations of Faith Community Rejection With Social Support and Health Outcomes Among LGBTQ+ Older Adults
God Loves All Equally and Infinitely
Perceptions of Lesbian and Gay (LG) Individuals as Desecrators of Christianity as Predictors of Anti-LG Attitudes
LGBTQ Inclusion Among Religious Congregations and Religious Leaders in the United States
Religious-Based Sexual Stigma and Psychological Health
Beyond the Dichotomy
A Relational-Cultural Approach to Examining Concealment among Latter-Day Saint Sexual Minorities
Biblical Literalism and Sexual Morality in Comparative Perspective
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |