Researchers Developed New Spiritual Safety Scale

A July 2026 study introduced a metric to evaluate positive and negative behaviors within religious organizations.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Religion — General

Gouache-painted illustration of a weighted plumb line hanging against a stone wall, representing balance and objective measurement in religious organizational health. — Researchers Lianna Chong and Leanne Tortez introduced the Spiritual Safety Scale in July 2026 to help religious groups objectively evaluate internal health and conduct. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should religious communities adopt formal safety scales to hold leadership accountable for spiritual health?

In July 2026, researchers published the Spiritual Safety Scale to provide an objective way to measure spiritual safety and abuse in religious groups. The study utilized data from over 800 participants to identify how community and leadership behaviors impact congregants.

Why it matters

The tool was created by Lianna Chong to address the lack of standardized assessment methods for those experiencing conflict or division within their church communities. By documenting specific positive and negative actions, the scale offers a framework for congregations to improve their internal health.

The Spiritual Safety Scale evaluated over 800 participants to quantify institutional behavior. The methodology relies on a peer-reviewed framework to assess the positive and negative actions of religious leaders and their communities.

The players

Lianna Chong

She is a researcher who sought objective assessment methods for religious communities following her own experiences with church conflict.

Leanne Tortez

She coauthored the research published in the Journal of Religion and Health alongside Lianna Chong.

Abram Kielsmeier-Jones

He is a coauthor of the forthcoming book titled Building a Safer Church.

The details

The research, coauthored by Lianna Chong and Leanne Tortez, provides a mechanism to distinguish between healthy religious environments and those where spiritual abuse occurs. It standardizes the identification of behaviors that either support or undermine the well-being of members within North American religious settings.

The research was published in the Journal of Religion and Health in July 2026.
A book titled Building a Safer Church is scheduled for release in April 2027.

The Big Picture

This study aligns with the rigorous tradition of empirical investigation maintained by the Journal of Religion and Health. It represents a significant step toward applying standardized research methodologies to the complex, subjective experiences of spiritual life.

Congregants can use this research to better evaluate the health of their own religious organizations and identify potential red flags in leadership behavior. The scale serves as a practical tool for members to advocate for safer and more transparent community environments.

The takeaway

Readers seeking to understand their own community dynamics may find the scale helpful for identifying specific patterns of behavior. Implementation of such metrics can foster greater accountability within local religious institutions.