Grieving for the church: The Sensemaking process after experiencing transgressions in churches

Abstract

This qualitative study examined the sensemaking process of people experiencing a “church transgression” during their time as a member and/or visitor of a Christian church. Participant interviews led to the emergence of five total themes regarding their sensemaking and response behaviors. Three ways in which participants make sense of church transgressions were organization exit, forgiveness, and communal coping. Another theme revealed participants’ adoption of a critical lens as result of the transgression, and the final theme surrounded the revealed redemptive stories of said individuals. Discussion focused on the influence of communal coping on sensemaking and response, the ability for forgiveness to be a means for sensemaking, and the redemption of individuals who experienced church transgressions.