Mormon Stories #1298: Faith Crisis Retreat Pt. 1 - Introductions

When Faith Breaks: Inside the Mormon Stories Faith Crisis Retreat

Thousands of individuals each year experience what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints call a "faith crisis", a sudden, often devastating loss of belief in doctrines they accepted for decades. Yet until recently, few structured spaces existed where these people could process their grief collectively without judgment. The Mormon Stories podcast's "Faith Crisis Retreat" series, documented in episode #1298, offers a rare window into how a community of doubters and former believers is creating its own healing infrastructure, one conversation at a time. Understanding this phenomenon matters not only for those navigating religious transition, but for anyone interested in how communities form around shared existential rupture.

Background: The Rise of Organized Faith Crisis Support

For most of Mormon history, leaving the church meant social isolation. Doubters had few places to voice concerns without risking their relationships, temple membership, or family ties. The internet changed this gradually. According to the Mormon Stories podcast introduction, organizers began running faith crisis retreats and workshops across the United States, in Houston, Portland, and other cities, developing structured programming that has now operated for at least five years.

The podcast itself, started in 2005, emerged during what host John Dehlin describes as a "pre-digital" moment when church history materials remained scattered across obscure websites and Mormon blogs. The retreat model represents a deliberate evolution: from anonymous online discussion to in-person community building focused on emotional processing and peer support.

What the Retreat Reveals: Structure and Intent