Negative Views of Parents and Struggles with God: An Exploration of Two Mediators

Abstract

Could a negative view of one's mother or father be related to struggles with God? If so, what mediating variables might explain this connection? We conducted two studies to examine these questions, one with a broad-based internet sample (n = 471) and one with undergraduates (n = 236). Both studies confirmed that seeing one's mother or father as cruel was associated with two types of divine struggle: anger toward God and concern about God's anger or disapproval toward the self. A cruel God concept largely mediated the link with divine struggle in Study 1. In Study 2, a multiple mediation procedure identified two distinct mediators: not only a cruel God concept but also a sense of instability or anxiety about abandonment in one's perceived bond with God. These results complement other theoretical and empirical work that connects experiences with parents with perceptions and emotions regarding God.