Torn: Why People We Love Are Leaving the Church and What We Can Learn from Them (Unabridged‪)‬

Drawing on one of the most comprehensive studies ever conducted on Latter-day Saint disaffiliation-including surveys of more than 20,000 current and former members-along with interviews, personal experience, and national research, author Jeff Strong-a former bishop, mission president, BYU faculty member, and advisor to the Church-offers rare clarity into a painful and often misunderstood reality. The research suggests that nearly 40 percent of once-active Latter-day Saints in the United States have stepped away from Church participation over the past twenty-five years.

But this book is about far more than statistics. It is about sons and daughters. Husbands and wives. Friends and ward members. It is about thoughtful, sincere people striving to live with integrity-and the many believers who remain in the Church yet feel increasingly torn themselves.

Inside this book you will discover:

why many sincere believers step away from the Church
the deeper cultural tensions shaping faith today
what faithful members can learn from those who leave
how families can navigate these experiences with greater understanding
how a more Christ-centered culture can strengthen faith and belonging


Rooted in faith and written with deep love for the Church and its people, Torn does not ask readers to choose sides. Instead, it invites them to see more clearly, listen more deeply, and respond more like Jesus Christ.

If someone you love has stepped away from the Church-or if you yourself feel caught between faith, love, belonging, and conscience-this book will help you feel seen, informed, and hopeful.

Because being torn does not have to be the end of faith. It can be the beginning of deeper understanding, stronger relationships, and a more Christlike way forward.