

الجامعة الكاثوليكية المفتوحة
دراسة بحثية رسمية
مركز الدراسات والأبحاث


August 12, 2025
Between Taboo and Transparency: Church Culture and Dealing with Doubts of Faith in the Pentecostal-Charismatic Context
Abstract:
This original qualitative study, Between Taboo and Transparency: Church Culture and Dealing with Doubts of Faith in the Pentecostal-Charismatic Context by Sora Pazer (IU International University of Applied Science), investigates how doubts of faith are experienced and processed within Pentecostal-charismatic congregations. Drawing on ten narrative interviews from three German churches, the research reconstructs the triggers, dynamics, and transformative outcomes of crises of faith. Results show that doubt often arises from biographical ruptures, theological dissonances, and unmet congregational expectations, leading to spiritual dryness and psychological stress. The key factor shaping outcomes is church culture: tabooing doubt intensifies destructiveness, while transparent dialogue fosters resilience and deeper faith. This study highlights the importance of creating pastoral and communal spaces where honesty and ambivalence are accepted. The findings provide valuable insights for theology, psychology, and pastoral practice, offering a model of “faithfulness in non-understanding” as a constructive response to doubt.

تعكس هذه الدراسة البحثية العملَ العلميَّ للمؤلف واستنتاجاته، وهي مسؤوليته الخاصة. لا يُقرّ مركز الأبحاث والدراسات في الجامعة الكاثوليكية المفتوحة بالضرورة النتائجَ أو التفسيرات أو الآراء المُعبَّر عنها. نُشجِّع الباحثين على نشر دراساتهم في إطار رسالتنا الرامية إلى تطوير المعرفة، وتعزيز التبادل الأكاديمي، ودعم النمو الفكري.

