Authoritarian Theology / Authoritarian Religion

Theology whereby where leaders are seen as the only ones with truth, and you’re expected to obey without question

• You were told questioning the pastor meant you were rebelling against the higher power.

• You felt scared to disagree with what your church taught.

• You believed that spiritual leaders always knew better than you.

Potential clinical implications (especially in high control settings)

• Asking questions may trigger feelings of guilt or fear.

• Establishing boundaries with authority figures can be especially challenging.

• Trusting one’s own voice or making autonomous decisions may feel unsafe or wrong.