Learning to pray: an interview with Roberta C. Bondi - author and teacher at Emory University's Candler School of Theology - Cover Story - Interview

Christian Century, March 20, 1996

People are also struggling with a perfectionism that may have started in their families, but which churches seem to endorse. Our churches project an image of what you're supposed to be like when you go to church: you have to be successful, you have to have a happy face. You may be going through a divorce or your kids may be on drugs, but you still need to look like you've got it together.

All this indicates to people that God is interested only in people who have it together. That is really just as oppressive to my students as anything I grew up with.