This eposide was a lengthy attempt to synthesise a number of thoughts and frameoworks in an effort to explore what kind of spaces those who have found themselves outside conventional local church community. It starts is a brief update on things personally and moves through stages of faith, deconstruction, change theory, modernity, postmodernity and metamodernity. I then explore some thoughts and concepts around the kind of metamodern expressions of faith after deconstruction, midlife, and crisis. Feel free to reach out with your thoughts.
Are we experience the emergence of a new kind of Christianity? If scripture is not the central authority in a Christian's life, who or what is the authority?
I recorded some thoughts on the other side of publishing an article titled: I believe the Christian Church is ripe for a significant split (and it is AI-assisted).
https://davidtensen.com/i-believe-the-christian-church-is-ripe-for-a-significant-split-and-it-is-ai-assisted/
A few days back someone asked me if I would ever go back to working at a church and if I were to lead a Christian church community, how I would do it.
This impromptu episode covers some of the core components I'd include... as you might guess, they aren't 'normal', or 'common', or necessarily 'popular' - but they are really important to me.
It's been a little while. My eldest turned 21 recently. She's doing great, but is that because of me and her mum?
Some may argue that parenting success can be accurately judged based on children's achievements and behaviors. I argue it's far more complex than that and share how I judge my parenting.
I also share a bit about a recent trip to Japan.
I'm still here! I have just been writing, books, thesis etc. Also, moving through lots of grief and loss in my chaplaincy work.
As always, connect with me best via www.davidtensen.com
This is a reading of a recent blog article by the same title. It was too popular and important to people to keep in writing, so here it is on the podcast.
Find this on Youtube, my blog, substack, linkedin and facebook
This is an audio extract from an interview/converation that I (David) had with Tara boothby on her Youtube channel "Sojourn Psychology With Tara Boothby"
The first 17 minutes we talk about the Collective Wisdom Academy and local church,
then at around 17:00 we speak about different cultures, ADHD, my new book and things that impact on our spiritual formation as we move through life.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXmhwxVLrK4
It's full of goodness! Tara is a wealth of joy and wisdom.
Also mentioned:
For more info on the Collective Wisdom Academy:https://collectivewisdomacademy.com/The Theology Summit this May 19-22, 2025, in Canmore, Alberta, is 80% full. Don't miss out, register today:
https://sojo.ca/resources/theology-summit-canmore-may-2025/
In this episode, I talk with Felicia Murrell about the art of deep listening and her personal journey from childhood invisibility to becoming a spiritual companion. We explore how her early experiences of feeling unseen shaped her path to becoming someone who creates sacred space for others to be heard.
Felicia shares candidly about her transition from traditional ministry roles to spiritual companioning, and how this shift reflects a deeper understanding of presence and wisdom. Our discussion touches on parenting adult children, the annual family tradition that keeps their bonds strong, and the complexities of healing from childhood parentification.
This interview is full of moving moments including when Felicia discusses how she approaches parenting adult children, plus shares of her relationship with her mother and the liberating realisation that helped her find peace. She also offers insights into why some struggle with listening, linking it beautifully to our human fears of being truly seen.
This episode can also be viewed on Youtube here
About Felicia: Felicia Murrell is a certified master life coach and former ordained pastor with over twenty years of church leadership experience. She also serves the publishing industry as a freelance copy editor. The author of Truth Encounters, Felicia resides in Woodbury, Minnesota, with her husband, Doug. Together, they have four adult children.
Website: feliciamurrell.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellofelicia_murrell/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/felicia.murrell.9
About Felicia's latest book: While others often respond to the cares and concerns of our day through anger, And: The Restorative Power of Love in an Either/Or World by writer and pastor Felicia Murrell, attempts to offer a response steeped in the heartbeat of Love. This book is an invitation to encounter the lived experience and philosophical musings of another as a human, not as a project or agenda to conquer. Without apology, it embraces humanity and all the emotions, back stories, and history that come along with who we are and who Love is inviting us to be.
In this episode, I explore the six stages of faith from Janet Hagberg and Robert Gulich's book 'The Critical Journey'. Drawing from my personal experiences and nearly three decades of working with people in the faith space, I break down how our faith journey evolves through Recognition of God, Life of Discipleship, Productive Life, Journey Inward (including The Wall), Journey Outward, and Life of Love.
Through stories and insights, I explain why some get stuck at certain stages, how religious institutions often excel at the first three stages but struggle with the later ones, and what propels us forward in our spiritual growth. I share my own decade-long wrestle through The Wall - a pivotal point where our old ways of relating to God no longer work.
This framework offers valuable insights for anyone questioning their faith, feeling stuck, or sensing a call to something deeper. Whether you're serving actively in ministry, deconstructing your beliefs, or seeking authentic spirituality, understanding these stages may just help your path forward.
Critical Journey - Stages of Faith Overview PDF
Further Reading
Journey through The Life Model - my favorite developmental framework and the most valuable tool I've discovered for raising children. This exploration highlights the critical stages of maturity - from infant to elder - and why understanding these life stages is crucial for personal growth and community wellbeing. Learn why some adults struggle with relationships, how modern parenting philosophies may be holding us back, and what it truly means to become an elder in today's society.
Whether you're a young adult finding your way, a parent seeking wisdom, or someone interested in leaving a lasting legacy, this episode offers profound insights into the journey of human maturation and the vital role of authentic elderhood in our modern world.
Resources Mentioned
As always, I love and value your feedback. Email me david@davidtensen.com, leave a comment or find me on socials.
Find more of my writings and resources at www.davidtensen.com/quicklinks
We are talking attachment theory today. Lucky for me I have wonderful friend in Canada, Tara Boothby, who runs a psychology and counselling clinic to chat with about it! Tara specialises in attachment theory approaches and had so many wonderful things to share about the theory, faith, family, co-regulation, her new book, and much more. Below is Tara's bio and a link to a 2025 event happening in Canmore, Alberta with some of our favourite people!
Watch this on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/5YXpNZ5wpzk
Tara Boothby, Registered Psychologist and Author of "Love and Love's Energy: How Attachment Science Proves That Love Nurtures Our Biological Nature, Impacts Our Positive View of Ourselves, of Others, and of God, and Teaches Us All How to Love." "Love and Love’s Energy" can be found on Amazon worldwide, Kindle, Indigo.ca, and Barnes and Noble. Instagram: Tara Boothby https://www.instagram.com/tara_boothby/profilecard/?igsh=anpwbGs1eXMwaHVl Sojourn Psychology https://www.instagram.com/sojournpsychology/profilecard/?igsh=MTZ5azlsYjJjZG9sbg== YouTube: @SojournPsychology Theology Summit, May 19-22, 2025, Canmore, Alberta: https://sojo.ca/resources/theology-summit-canmore-may-2025/
#TaraBoothy #attachment #attachmenttheory #psychology #faith #deconstruction #DavidTensen
The question that sparked this episode from a couple of listeners was: "My faith has evolved. So do I still call myself a Christian - even when others might not?"
Well, this isn't just a faith or religious question, this is an identity question. One that leads to other connected questions like:
In what ways can deconstruction reshape our understanding of meaning?
Are there practical steps to integrate multiple identities harmoniously?
How do environmental influences impact identity development across different stages of life?
In this walk-and-talk we take a look at our how our faith evolves over time and explore reasons why some people manage identities that are complex and open, while others remain low, and often guarded.
You'll have plenty of 'ahaa' moments!
I deep dive into the real origins of deconstruction using Derrida's work (1950s) and use Brewer's Social Identity Complexity theory (2000s) to consider how and why you don't always have to 'be' a Christian - that it depends.
As always, I love and value your feedback. Email me david@davidtensen.com, leave a comment or find me on socials.
Find more of my writings and resources at www.davidtensen.com/quicklinks
We continue to explore the Christian experience through lenses of different theoretical frameworks.
This episode continues from the last. I do a deep dive into applying Ecological Systems Theory (EST) to religious experience. EST is pretty easy to understand, and everyone will be able to relate - chances are though, you haven't heard it used in this context. But it is super helpful!
Listen in and you'll see how multilayered our lives really are and how we are all affected and surrounded by very complex systems that shape our lives.
Embracing this complexity, may help you become more compassionate and understanding of others - and most importantly, with yourself.
Find charts, details and notes on my blog here: https://davidtensen.com/podcast-s02-e03-exploring-perspectives-pt2-your-christian-experience-through-ecological-systems-theory/
As always, I love and value your feedback. Email me david@davidtensen.com, leave a comment or find me on socials.
Find more of my writings and resources at www.davidtensen.com/quicklinks
In this episode I reflect on challenging one's perspectives around church and spirituality. I discuss the impact of complex systems on spiritual development and influence, borrowing from American psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (EST).
If you are open to considering different perspectives and frameworks to aid personal growth and healing from spiritual and church abuse, this may be a worth a listen.
Here are some links of videos explaining the basics of EST:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRdlWPB8xS4
https://youtu.be/g6pUQ4EDHeQ?si=scx8BLlEZukq_ptK
Find more of my writings and resources at www.davidtensen.com/quicklinks
A quick hello from me and the reason I canned the last season.
A couple of weeks ago, out of the blue, I had three podcast interviews within days. One in Australia, another in Canada, and finally in the US.
Two of the interviews cover concepts of a book/manifesto I am drafting around ageing, maturity and something I call 'Decentric Eldering'.
In this interview, friend, author and psychologist Tara Boothby and I talk about life stages, maturity, befriending grief, and I share a vision who we might be called to become in the decades to come.
#elderhood #ageing #maturity #trinity #westernsociety #parenting #psychology #decentering Sojourn Psychology.
This episode can be watch on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkPia_c0XlA
In this interlude I read a poem from The Wrestle (2020) called The Descent and speak about the bright darkness hitting rock bottom can bring you.