How Theology School Turned Me Into an Atheist
Why does theology school, a place meant to deepen faith, so often destroy it? In this brutally honest video, atheist spiritual director Britt Hartley shares how attending seminary and asking sincere, truth-seeking questions slowly unraveled her belief in God. From biblical contradictions and historical criticism to understanding the cognitive science behind religious belief, Britt explains why so many seminarians quietly lose faith—and why most pastors will never admit it. But this isn’t just one story. This is a widespread phenomenon. With data from studies like Preachers Who Are Not Believers, Britt unpacks the secret duality in seminary education—one language for the classroom, another for the congregation—and how political identity, pastoral pressure, and a hunger for simplicity have replaced theology with performance. If you've ever questioned your faith, this episode will challenge, comfort, and clarify your path. Resources: No Nonsense Spirituality: All the Tools No Belief Required: https://bit.ly/NNSBook What Is The Void: https://bit.ly/TheVoidyt Religious Deconstruction: https://bit.ly/RELDecon All My Available Courses: https://bit.ly/NNSCourses Video Chapters: 00:00 Why I Left 00:45 From Mormonism to Seminary 01:33 Theology School Begins 02:33 How God Changes 03:15 Predicting Gods 04:03 Society Creates Gods 05:16 Facets of God 06:09 Interfaith Stage 07:05 Secular Lens Works 07:54 Schizophrenia or Demons? 08:46 Analyzing All Belief 09:38 Losing Faith Slowly 10:31 Walking Away 11:53 Theology School Trends 12:48 The Bible Falls Apart 13:44 Seminary = Faith’s Death 14:29 Complexity Hidden from Congregants 15:17 Philosophical Cracks 16:06 Cosmic Silence 17:02 Religion as Human Project 17:48 Rise of Atheist Chaplains 18:38 Real Deconversion Data 19:26 Why People Really Leave 20:26 The Alex O’Connor Problem 21:21 Everyone Thinks They’re Right 22:13 Bible’s Moral Failures 23:11 Professors Have Doubts 24:10 Sacred Curtain Revealed 25:08 The “Don’t Scare the Sheep” Rule 26:00 Dual Theological Systems 27:03 Sanitizing the Truth 28:10 Pastors Talk Differently 29:21 America’s Political Theology 30:16 When Politics Replaces Faith 31:00 Dunning-Kruger Religion 31:53 The Apologetics Trap 33:03 Complex = Unethical 34:45 The Arrogance of Certainty 35:36 Skid Row Theology 37:11 Religion Evolves with Us 38:06 Agent Detection & Storytelling 39:02 Religion Was Useful 39:57 Religion or Placebo? 40:47 Karl Marx’s Real View 41:34 Religion as Adaptation 42:35 The Pastor-Congregant Divide 43:19 The God Box Shrinks 44:09 Why Do You Need It? 45:18 Afraid of God’s Wrath? 46:16 Christianity Taught Me to Leave 47:12 Following Jesus Differently 48:10 The Beauty Worth Keeping #Deconstruction #Exvangelical #FaithCrisis #TheologySchool #ReligiousDoubt About Me: Britt Hartley is a certified atheist spiritual director with a Master’s in Theology focusing on the future of American religion. She wrote the bestselling book *No Nonsense Spirituality: All the Tools, No Faith Required*. If you’re struggling with existential crises, nihilism, or feeling lost in meaninglessness. On this channel you'll find weekly videos where Britt provides practical, science-based tools to help you navigate the void. Instead of relying on old gods or New Age trends, she offers clear, actionable advice for finding your way through the deep, challenging questions of life.
