#389 - Spiritual Abuse and Coercive Control

#389 - Spiritual Abuse and Coercive Control

From CoramDeo - Un regard chrétien sur le monde by Pascal Denault

February 2, 2026 · 1h 14m

About this episode

This episode discusses the complexities of spiritual abuse and coercive control within Christian communities.

➡️ DESCRIPTION: Spiritual abuse is a painful reality that is often misunderstood and sometimes minimized in Christian circles. Between the legitimate exercise of biblical authority and unhealthy control dynamics, the line can become blurred—to the point where sincere believers find themselves hurt, confused, or even crushed in the name of God. In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Anna Kitko, a trained theologian and specialist in coercive control and religious trauma, and Caroline Collins, who holds a master's degree in counseling and psychology and studied theology (BTh) at SEMBEQ Seminary. You can find a PDF of the written questions and answers of this interview here: https://prechelaparole.sermon.net/pdf/22487858 Retrouvez les autres articles et épisodes de cette série sur l'abus spirituel ici: https://toutpoursagloire.com/article/abus-spirituel TABLE OF CONTENTS 00:00 - Start 02:31 - Caroline’s presentation 03:47 - Anna’s presentation 07:36 - What led you into this field? 12:45 - What is coercive control? 15:40 - The difference between submission and subordination 18:58 - Man’s headship 22:42 - Describe a victim of coercive control 25:35 - Describe coercive…

People in this episode

Host: James Renihan

Guests: Anna Kitko, Caroline Collins

Topics covered

  • spiritual abuse
  • coercive control
  • religious trauma
  • Christian authority
  • psychology

Keywords

  • spiritual abuse
  • coercive control
  • victim mentality
  • evangelical church
  • theological influences

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Paper Halo

Books & works: Influence numérique, Suivez Coram Deo

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