March 16th, 2025, 2am MDT
Editor’s Note: This is part 3 of a four-part series on recent research related to toxic perfectionism. Part 1 of “The Unique Outlook for Latter-day Saints” is here. Part 2, “The Role of Grace,” is here.
Researchers at Brigham Young University have discovered that toxic perfectionism can have a major impact on a person’s faith. However, they also found that faith and religious observance serve as antidotes to unhealthy perfectionism.
Debra Theabold McClendon is a clinical psychologist who joined BYU professor in writing about the effects of toxic perfectionism in the December issue of BYU Studies Quarterly.
McClendon wrote that perfectionists’ faith may be on par with others’ faith, but their unhealthy perfectionism spiritually paralyzes them with a cloud of anxiety. She continued. Instead, it reduces their quality of life and hinders true personal growth and development. ”
According to McClendon, the process of freeing yourself from unhealthy perfectionism can include both gospel and clinical approaches. This article explains the gospel approach. Part 4 of this series discusses clinical approaches.
Gospel perspective
McClendon highlighted three doctrinal principles that can promote healing from unhealthy perfectionism.
“If we pay attention to the way doctrine is taught, we realize that the gospel of Jesus Christ actually frees us from the bondage of toxic perfectionism,” McClendon said.
1. “We don’t perfect ourselves.”
McClendon pointed out several Bibles that explain this principle.
Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace you are saved by faith, and it is not your own: it is the gift of God: it is not a work, do not boast no one.” Doctrine and Covenants 76:69: “These are those who have become perfect through Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant who produced this perfect tone sin through the fall of his own blood.”
2. “We will be perfected in Christ.”
“Tone sin works because we incomplete humans join in the covenant relationship with the perfect Christ,” she wrote. “Then, through his perfection and power (his merit), we become perfected within him.”
She then uses additional Bibles to explain this relationship.
Revelation 1:5: “Jesus Christ… washed us out of our sins in his own blood.” Moroni 10:32–33: “Yes, come to Christ, complete in Him… Then His grace is sufficient for you. …If by God’s grace, God’s grace is perfect in Christ, and deny His power, then you will be sanctified in Christ by His grace, and through shedding the blood of Christ, you will be in the covenant of the Father in remission of your sins, and you will be holy in the holy place.”
3.
“The process of perfecting in Christ is a journey that spans far beyond this fatal probation time, eternally,” writes McClendon.
She cited President Russell M. Nelson from a lecture in October 1995 entitled “Prefectly Pending.”
Then President Nelson, a quorum member of the 12 Apostles, said, “Jesus): “Just before the cross, I will be finished on the third day.” Think about that. The innocent, incorrect Lord – already perfect by our human standards – has declared that he is still in perfect condition for the future. His eternal perfection follows his resurrection and the receipt of “all power”… in heaven and earth. ”
He then proceeded to point out that the Lord had commanded him in Matthew 5:48. But after his own resurrection, at 3 Nephi 12:48, Jesus Christ now included himself with the Father as perfect as he was.
Reconstruct negative thinking patterns
Some people tend to look at the Bible with negative prejudice. But, according to McClendon, recognise that this trend is a step towards healing.
“If I’m interpreting this particular Bible… in the way that God is going to blame me and abandon me, that is not in line with what we understand about a loving God whose sole purpose is to bring about immortality and eternal life of his children,” McClendon said. “Now, once you get that recognition, I think you can move on and say, ‘I have to start changing some of these beliefs I have.’ ”
