Taylor Frankie Paul opens up about faith change after 'The Bachelorette' controversy

Taylor Frankie Paul has said she is distancing herself from the Mormon church after the controversy surrounding her canceled season of The Bachelorette.

The 31-year-old reality star shared the update on Instagram Stories on Easter Sunday. She explained that while she was “born and raised Mormon (LDS)” and still respects the faith, she feels it is time to step back. 

The Pueblo, Colorado-born reality star said she will continue to attend religious events with her family at times.

"I strongly believe in Christ, God, the Bible, the divine," she said. "I believe we are loved whether we are praying in the church building or from a bathroom floor at home."

She continued, "I've also experienced grace and love from amazing people that aren't sure what they believe if at all and that's OK too. Point being there is more out there to learn and I'm writing this out as a release."

Earlier in the day, Paul spoke about the emotional toll of recent events. She described the past several weeks as extremely difficult and said she relied on prayer to cope with stress and anxiety. She noted that her faith helped her through moments of distress.

She took to Instagram Stories again shortly after the church post, sharing that she has been coping with the chaotic changes of events by listening to Hanging On Hope on loop.

The recent posts follow a domestic violence controversy involving her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. Footage published in March appeared to show a physical altercation, leading ABC to cancel her season of The Bachelorette shortly before its premiere. The network said its focus was on supporting those involved.

Paul, who is a mother of three, is expected to attend a court hearing related to custody of her youngest child. She has denied the allegations made against her.