The Normalizing Power of the Therapeutic God

Abstract

This article analyses autobiographical letters on (perceived) shameful sexuality and religiosity written by Finnish Lutheran women. It examines how the affect of shame constructs gendered, sexualized and religious subjectivity and agency as an effect of normalizing power within an individual’s relationship with God. The psychologization process of late 20th century Western culture works as a framework for the discussion. The article argues that the modern psychoreligious ethos, within which the Christian God is understood as an all-loving being, restructures subjectivity and agency in a manner in which a self is seen as something to be liberated to its authentic state. At the same time, however, the image of an all-loving God normalizes gender, sexuality and religiosity in accordance with heteronormative ideals. Moreover, the article argues that examining the normalizing aspect of different affectual practices reframes the subordination/subversion paradox central to the discussion on women’s religious agency.