Wolves in Shepherds' Clothing

Spiritual abuse leaves wounds that are often invisible, misunderstood, and easily dismissed. Those harmed may be told they are oversensitive, rebellious, or lacking faith—when in reality they are responding to profound violations of trust, conscience, and moral agency.

This book examines spiritual abuse with clarity and care, drawing on theology, psychology, and lived experience to name what often goes unnamed. Rather than focusing on sensational cases or partisan debates, it explores the underlying dynamics that allow abuse to take root in religious settings: distorted authority, unaccountable leadership, coercive belief systems, and institutional self-protection masquerading as faithfulness.

Written for survivors, pastors, counselors, and thoughtful Christians alike, this work explains how spiritual abuse affects identity, moral reasoning, and the capacity to trust—both God and oneself. It also distinguishes biblical authority from its misuse, showing how Scripture can be employed either to heal or to harm, depending on how power is understood and exercised.

Importantly, this book does not end with diagnosis alone. It offers a path toward clarity and restoration—one that does not require minimizing harm, abandoning faith, or surrendering conscience. Readers are invited to reclaim joy, agency, and truth, while approaching Christian community with wisdom rather than fear.

This is not a polemic, a memoir, or a manual for confrontation. It is a careful, compassionate examination of spiritual abuse—and a call to align faith, authority, and responsibility with the character of Christ.

By John McFarland