There are always polarizing figures in Christian circles, and Rachel Held Evans is no exception. She has energized liberal Evangelicals with a bent for social justice, inclusion, and mercy (I include myself in this) into action, just as she has outraged politically conservative Evangelicals who believe that being a Republican is a sign of morality, and that Democrats are evil. I am only slightly exaggerating—the last eight years have leached my patience. That said, Evans takes an unflinching look at faith and religious practice in […]
Rachel Held Evans’ brave, beautiful new book
Before I launch into my review, a little background. I’m a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, who was raised Conservative. While I am still an active believer with a church home, I am also a pro-birth control, pro-LGBT liberal academic. There are moments where I feel not-at-home in either my largely secular academic community or my largely Conservative, often-anti-LGBT Christian community. When I find like-minded souls, I glow a bit more, because I feel understood. And loved. And that brings me to Rachel Held Evans. I read […]
I don’t think I could have lasted a week
This is so not my usual reading material, but my aunt recommended it and was kind enough to lend me a copy, so I figured I would give it a shot. I ended up really enjoying most of it, and I’m glad I tried something outside my comfort zone. As a bit of background, I am a liberal atheist who lives in a very conservative state and works for a very Christian company. My parents made us go to church until I was a teenager, then stopped for […]