Trust the Soul: Lucille Tures on Christian Mysticism After Spiritual Abuse

GoDeX
May 13
2 min read

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We welcome Dr. Lucille Tures, psychologist, spiritual director, teacher, and founder of Theama Institute, for a conversation about Christian mysticism, spiritual abuse, and the life-long work of integration.

Lucille shares her experience growing up in a Christian mystical environment, her later involvement in a coercive spiritual community with a narcissistic mentor, and the painful but generative process of helping rebuild that community around trust rather than control. We explore why beautifully "correct" theology and powerful mystical experiences can become entangled with subtle forms of authority, performance, and manipulation—and why Lucille came to believe that spiritual communities must learn to trust the soul rather than override it.

The conversation also turns toward Lucille’s writing in The Whole and the Holy, her understanding of mysticism as the ongoing tension between gnosis and mystery, and her vision of integration as central to theosis: the reconciliation of the divine and human through the messy, sacred reality of being fully ourselves.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] Introduction

Jeff and Michael introduce Dr. Lucille Tures, her work with Theoma Institute, and her writing on psychology, theology, mysticism, and integration.

[03:11] Mystical Beginnings

Lucille describes growing up in a Christian mystical household where angels, altars, and spiritual experience were treated as natural rather than strange.

[06:28] What Is Mysticism?

Lucille offers a working definition of mysticism involving experiential relationship, a unitive goal, and a non-dogmatic openness to mystery.

[14:48] Inside a High-Control Spiritual Organization

Lucille reflects on her experience in a coercive mystical community and how beautiful theology can still become entangled with control, performance, and spiritual abuse.

[23:16] Trust the Soul

After a painful communal reckoning, Lucille describes rebuilding spiritual community around the radical principle that each person’s soul contains its own deepest guidance.

[28:37] Integration as Theosis

Lucille explains why psychology and spirituality cannot finally be separated, and how the work of becoming fully human is also the work of divine transformation.

[31:02] Gnosticism, Eden, and the Fall

The conversation turns to Gnostic readings of scripture, the story of Eden, and Lucille’s understanding of the Fall as an inner experience of separation rather than a literal divine punishment.

[36:23] The Problem of Evil

Lucille discusses evil, harm, misperception, and the need to name destructive patterns without projecting them only onto other people or opposing groups.

[45:45] Hope and Shadow

Lucille closes by reflecting on what gives her hope: the shadow coming into the light, the possibility of shared values, and the beauty of people learning to know and love themselves well.