Spiritual Abuse vs. Religious Abuse: Understanding the Distinctions and Intersections

By Dr. Yusuf Malik Frederick, PhD
Black Crescent Wellness Foundation

Introduction

In conversations about faith-based trauma, the terms spiritual abuse and religious abuse are often used interchangeably. While they share overlapping dynamics and may co-occur, these forms of abuse represent distinct patterns of harm, each with unique mechanisms, sources, and consequences. Distinguishing between the two is essential for clinicians, theologians, and advocates seeking to support survivors and promote healing in religious spaces.

At the Black Crescent Wellness Foundation, our commitment to holistic, faith-sensitive care compels us to unpack these complex concepts and examine how they affect individuals and communities, particularly those from marginalized or historically vulnerable backgrounds.

What Is Spiritual Abuse?

Spiritual abuse (SA) refers to the misuse of spiritual beliefs, practices, or teachings to manipulate or control individuals, often in deeply personal or interpersonal contexts. It typically occurs in small group settings, pastoral relationships, or within intimate spiritual communities. Unlike broader forms of institutional abuse, spiritual abuse is psychologically invasive, often targeting the very core of an individual’s identity and relationship with the divine.

Oakley et al. (2024) define SA as a process through which spiritual principles are twisted to enforce compliance, instill fear, or manipulate behavior. This can involve:

• Spiritual gaslighting (making victims question their spiritual worth or divine standing),
• Coercive obedience framed as submission to God,
• Conditional acceptance within religious groups based on strict adherence to spiritual “truths.”

Victims are often told that questioning leadership or doctrine is a sign of spiritual failure, leaving them in a state of confusion, fear, and existential crisis. The damage is profound: anxiety, depression, loss of spiritual identity, and even estrangement from one’s community or faith tradition (Perry, 2024).

What Is Religious Abuse?

By contrast, religious abuse encompasses the systemic use of institutional religious authority to perpetuate harm. It operates more broadly than SA, often through formal structures such as churches, mosques, or other religious organizations. Religious abuse involves:

• Doctrinal enforcement used to justify discrimination,
• Exclusionary practices such as excommunication or shunning,
• Hierarchical power structures that limit accountability and foster authoritarianism.

Religious abuse can be overt, such as endorsing corporal punishment or demonizing marginalized groups, or covert, such as the use of religious law to control social or familial roles (Perry, 2024). As Ellis et al. (2022) note, institutional contexts can amplify individual spiritual abuse, transforming it into communal harm that alienates and oppresses entire segments of the faithful.

Key Differences at a Glance

Points of Intersection

Despite their differences, spiritual and religious abuse are often interconnected. In tightly controlled religious communities, such as specific sectarian, fundamentalist, or cultic movements, spiritual manipulation can escalate into institutional abuse.

For example, a charismatic leader may first spiritually manipulate followers into obedience (SA) and later invoke institutional rules to excommunicate dissenters (religious abuse). In these cases, personal and systemic mechanisms work together to suppress critical thinking and maintain control (Ellis et al., 2022).

These compounded forms of abuse are especially damaging in communities where faith defines social identity, family structure, and access to resources. In such environments, questioning authority may result in social ostracization, financial instability, or spiritual isolation.

Implications for Faith-Based Trauma Recovery

Understanding the distinction between SA and religious abuse is critical for:

• Therapists and counselors, who must identify the personal vs. institutional sources of harm;
• Clergy and spiritual leaders, who aim to create trauma-informed, non-coercive spaces for healing;
• Scholars and ethicists, who seek to reimagine theological frameworks that promote justice and compassion;
• Survivors, who benefit from language that accurately reflects their experiences.

Interventions must address both the psychological and communal wounds caused by these forms of abuse. For some, healing may involve re-engagement with their faith; for others, it may involve creating new spiritual frameworks or stepping away from organized religion altogether. Both paths are valid and must be honored.

Conclusion

Spiritual and religious abuse are two sides of a deeply harmful coin. While they operate at different levels, both undermine the sacred trust between people, their communities, and their conception of the divine. Recognizing the distinction between these forms of abuse is not merely academic—it is a matter of ethical clarity, compassionate advocacy, and restorative justice.

As we continue to build healthier spiritual spaces, we must commit to naming these harms, dismantling their structures, and ensuring that no one is ever forced to choose between their faith and their dignity.

References

Ellis, A., Tucker, M., & Daniels, S. (2022). Systemic sanctity: A review of institutional spiritual abuse. Journal of Religion and Mental Health, 42(1), 77–94.

Oakley, M., Richardson, C., & Shah, A. (2024). Broken trust: Exploring institutional trauma in religious settings. Social Theology Quarterly, 39(3), 221–240.

Perry, L. (2024). Unholy obedience: Spiritual gaslighting and religious trauma. New Dawn Publications.

About the Author:
Dr. Yusuf Malik Frederick, PhD, is a scholar of religion and trauma psychology and the Executive Director of the Black Crescent Wellness Foundation. His work explores the intersection of faith, power, and healing in diasporic and marginalized religious communities.