I would like to thank NetGalley and Westminster John Knox Press for the opportunity to read After Evangelism in exchange for an honest review.

As a disillusioned Evangelical, this book gave me hope. In spite of what Evangelicals think, I can still be a Christian and not be one of them. The author, Gushee, shows how. In sometimes academic language, he begins with the history of Evangelicalism and the rise to power in the United States. For the amount of influence and power, Evangelicals have a surprisingly brief history in the realm of religion and especially Christianity. He discusses key ideas and thoughts that Evangelicals hold: inerrancy of the Bible, reading the Bible literally (if selectively!) and the relationship of science and religion. Having heard so often from pulpits: "God said it; I believe it; that settles it: the chapter on interpreting the Bible was insightful. Just reading different translations is one way of interpreting. Each translation of scripture has its own spin.

The second part of the book deals with God, Jesus, and the Church. For me, it was reassuring to see that I am not the only one who has left a fundamentalist Evangelical church for a mainline denomination. And to discover, that contrary to what I was taught for so many years, they (mainline parishoners) are truly Christians! They are committed to following Jesus, loving God and loving their neighbor as Jesus taught.

The last part of the book covers the practical aspects - how do Evangelicals live and how can post-evangelicals find ways to deal with sex, politics, and race issues? Gushee is painfully honest, especially in his personal response to Christians and race. Challenging thoughts for those of us who are white, straight people and raised Evangelical.

Since it was a bit academic at times, the bullet point takeaways at the end of each chapter were helpful in distilling the key thoughts. The book has extensive notes, which will lead to further study.

This would be a great book for a study group in a church or community. Gushee manages to be critical of the failings of Evangelicalism without condemning them. He left this reader with much to think about, and encouraging me to continue to ask questions rather than feel like we have all the answers.

After reading the egalley, I purchased the book so I can reread it, mark it up, and share it with others who are struggling with being a Christian after leaving their beloved, but no longer right for them, Evangelical church.

Provided by the publisher, Westminster John Knox Press, in exchange for an honest review.

After Evangelicalism is an interesting blend of academic examinations and casual explorations, all culminating in the argument that, not only is it possible to follow Jesus out of evangelicalism, but it is necessary to do so.

The author sets up his proposal against the backdrop of the current cultural climate we find ourselves in here in Trump's 2020 America. Then, he dives into subjects about the Bible, Jesus, the Church, sexuality, politics, and race. In each of these individual sections, Gushee communicates the historical evangelical stance on the issue, clarifies the problems with that stance, then suggests a way forward. At the end of each chapter, Gushee provides some key takeaways that help to summarize some of the major thoughts in that chapter.

As I read, I found myself going back and forth, at times being annoyed by what I felt were flagrant attempts to counterattack historical Christian beliefs and practices and at other times wholeheartedly agreeing with the defenses and suggestions posed. At the book's end, I still couldn't help but feel like Gushee had a serious axe to grind. Time and time again he took jabs at how evangelical Christianity in America has been. And believe me, I get it. I have, myself, identified as an evangelical Christian so I have seen firsthand the brokenness of the system. And while I agree with many of Gushee's points, I'm not sure if I will arrive at the same conclusions that he makes in this book.

While I don't think After Evangelicalism should be taken as Bible (sorry for the pun), I do think it is a worthy read that is generally well-researched and written, and will hopefully help spark many necessary conversations amongst pre-, current, and post-evangelicals in the shifting landscape of American Christianity.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“After Evangelicalism” was a powerful and moving book. It shined a light on many of the contradictions and errors of evangelicalism and white Christianity. As someone who grew up in an Anglican, white, conservative church much of this book reflected beliefs that I had been taught growing up: women are less than men, the Bible is flawless, LGBTQ+ individuals are sinners and dirty. These mindsets were inundated so thoroughly into me that I had no doubt that they were the truth, I never heard anything contrary.
It took a lot of bravery to start to inch myself outside of the box that was built around me. I started little by little as I grew older, as I began to feel unsatisfied with the version of Christianity I was being sold. It didn’t feel right. I was being taught to hate people because they didn’t look like me, or dress like me, or talk like me, or love like me. I am now the opposite of who I ever thought I would become and most parts of that don’t align with the version of Christianity I was brought up with.
It has been a long time since I have felt comfortable with my faith, since I have felt settled. I am thankful to this book for helping me navigate this confusion, for allowing me solid ground. I have always wanted Jesus to be my foundation and this book allowed me to realize that the prejudices I was told to adopt are what is keeping me from Jesus being that foundation.
As for the book itself, it is extremely relevant to right now especially because we are in the middle of an election. It speaks knowledgeably on sexism, racism and homophobia and where churches and Christians fail in those regards. It teaches us how to do better, and how to heal. There were certain parts of this book I found inaccessible, where I felt lost and confused. In addition, there were parts I wish had been expanded, had been more thorough not so much with historical information but new ways to see the old things we were taught. But these aspects don’t take away from the overall importance and relevance of this text.
I thoroughly encourage you to read this book if you are any sort of believer. It will no doubt change your perspective. In these polarizing times it is important that we find a compass, a space of solid ground on which we can root ourselves and our beliefs. This book will point you in the right direction and guide you back to that solid spot.

3.5⭐️
*Release date August 25, 2020
*234 pages
*Westminster John Knox Press

This is my first book by this author and I had no idea what he was going to talk about. I will give him credit for feeling convicted enough to share his passion about these issues. They do need to be thought through. But I don’t think we should relabel ourselves because of it.
I live in SC, but grew up in Los Angeles. I’ve often been labeled a liberal Christian. And I get it. Things could of been handled better. I haven’t done all the biblical research that he suggested, but after finishing this I don’t agree with most of what he said.
I would like for us to really see people and their struggles. We spend to much time trying to fix people when we need to let God do that through his word.
I’ve personally been shamed, molested, abused physically, mentally and wasn’t a Christian most of my life. I’ve also done a lot of drugs and have hurt many people with all my damage. I don’t have Christian parents and didn’t even think about God as a child. So, the last thing I need is a lecture. God meets us with these issues right where we are. Biblical truth guides us. I have great comfort in that.

Thank you NETGALLEY and the publisher for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review. ♥️

This deep dive into the roots of evangelicalism and the ways in which the movement is found wanting in the twenty-first century is a must read for anyone who is struggling with the ways evangelicalism has moved away from the truths that Jesus spoke and lived out. It's also a must read for those who seek to understand why young people are abandoning the movement in droves. David Gushee explains what is happening and why it is happening--and gives well-thought-out proposals for how Christians can move forward in a biblical way. Highly recommended read.

If you need to be challenged in your status quo beliefs about evangelical identity and don’t mind being politely nudged out of your biblical comfort zone, this book will do it for you.

David Gushee analyzes modern-day faith, biblical interpretation, and church life. And where to go next. He writes about the good and the bad, the helpful and the harmful. He addresses numerous topics in our everyday lives and how they intersect with our Christianity, such as:

* Evangelical Biblicism
* Hearing God’s Voice Beyond Scripture
* Theology of Believing and Belonging
* Jesus According to . . .
* Biblical Theology of Church
* Christian Political Ethics
* White Racist Christianity

The book is organized well. Each chapter ends with a “Takeaways” section, with bulleted key points. (Chapter summaries are always a plus to me.)

If you’re up for some mental stimulation and internal spiritual wrestling, read After Evangelicalism. You should come away thinking a little differently than you came in—hopefully more clearly and more loving, even if you diverge on opinions with the author here and there.

My thanks to Net Galley and Westminster John Knox Press for the review copy of this book.

Review of After Evangelicalism by David P. Gushee
Before I review what I believe to be a useful and insightful book, I must make it clear that I have never been an Evangelical Christian. I was raised Broad- to High- Church Episcopalean, and have been a Celtic Catholic (with emphasis on the “Catholic”) for forty years. I am not Gushee’s target audience, and I have spent my life looking at Evangelicals from outside, not always liking what I saw of their theology and politics. So I write this as a fellow Christian but definitely an outsider.
The author, on the other hand, is most definitely writing as an insider, to people like himself. He is not writing, “Please don’t go!”, but rather “Welcome to the big world outside the Evangelical tent! Where can you do now that you are out here?”
Rather than just jumping into the here-and-now, Gushee provides the outsider (and, I suppose, most lifelong Evangelicals) with a necessary tour of the history of the movement, starting way back before it was a department of the Republican party (!), back when it was not unusual for Evangelicals to be what would now be called progressive on social issues. In line with his general attitude toward Tradition and history—it matters a lot, but the future matters even more—he does not stop there, but he spends the rest of the book offering practical ways forward by helping the reader think differently about what authentic Christianity can be and can look like.
He offers Christian Humanism as a framework upon which to build a vibrant post-Evangelical Christianity in which the Christian can feel at home by maintaining core moral values. It is these moral values, which are often at odds with the limited morality taught by Evangelicalism, which Gushee sees as the impelling force driving intelligent, loving people out of their former church hones. Values like belief in Truth as represented by science (i.e., the real world), compassion for LGBTQ+ people, hatred of systemic racism, and others.
Gushee elevates compassion and real-world concerns over rigid traditions of biblical interpretation. As the keystone of this, he suggest that no theological statement should be made which could not be made in the presence of a child being burned to death at Auschwitz. I would add: or a black man being lynched by a white mob, or a gay teen dying on the street after his Christian parents disowned him.
Gushee spends the third and final part of his book dealing with specific theological issues relating to sex, politics, and race. These discussions are, it seems to me, perhaps an addendum to the book. Having talked about his own experience and that of others, and having offered the outlines of a way forward with new ways of thinking about the meaning of the Bible and the Christian Faith, he has actually ended his thesis. “But wait! There’s more!”
As a gift to the reader he offers the detailed discussions of sex, politics, and race. To the poor ex-Evangelical who has an inkling of right from wrong but no idea of how to process that idea within a Christian context—to this sad person who has fled what he or she now sees as a repressive and unrealistic, even immoral, system of thought—he says: “Look! It is possible to think about and act on these issues from a genuinely Christian perspective without rigidity, moralism, superiority, or fear of the real world.” I think his handling of these touchy matters works well. I think he would convince me, were I the one to whom he writes. I hope it is as convincing for those who need this book.
If you are an ex-Evangelical, I highly recommend After Evangelicalism, especially if you are willing to read through a bit of academic writing (the author is a professor of Christian ethics, and, sadly, it shows.) Not having been in your shoes I can not vouch for the helpfulness of his arguments, but I hope they will prove useful.

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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3502728373
Soon I will post a video review similar to the written review at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrNQTfOsypLY_2QH8n6bu1Q

Thank you for my copy of After Evangelicalism. David Gushee is a knowledgeable author about the subject. Unfortunately is was clearly not written for the average reader/average Christian (meaning people who are not in Bible College) He switches from heavy/wordy theology to talking like a youth group leader- it would be nice to find the middle ground. However, I am very interested in the subject and plan on buying a physical copy so I can make notes.

I loved how the author brought in other denominations. It covered almost every topic that is considered to be controversial. I loved every second of it. I loved how the author brought in science, even though this is about evangelicalism. Amazing.

What a sad book! The author is not a Christian and he does not speak about Christianity. He's a wolf!

Evangelicalism is in decline. Some say 25 million people in the U.S. raised evangelical no longer identify themselves as such. (1) Some of the decline may be attributed to youthful rebellion but Gushee notes that something else is going on. Ex-evangelicals have left because of perceived offenses against themselves or others, because of unresolved intellectual issues, and because of political and ethical issues.

Many ex-evangelicals are confused, Gushee notes. They are not sure what they are leaving or where they are going. He has written this book to shepherd them on their journey.

I appreciate Gushee's exploration of the history of the evangelical movement, how it watered down minority traditions, reducing the “spicy diversity” within Christianity. (23) I appreciate him pointing out how political affiliation “deeply compromised the religious identity and mission of evangelical Christianity.” (24)

The involvement of evangelical leaders in the most recent presidential election in the U.S. was the last straw for many. “The sense that card-carrying American evangelicalism now requires acquiescence to attitudes and practices that negate core teachings of Jesus is fueling today's massive exodus.” (28)

Identifying the problem is one thing but identifying a way past it is another. Gushee suggests a form of Christian humanism, after Erasmus. It includes a Jesus centered Christian piety combined with rich classical learning and a humane and pacific spirit. (60) Christianity is for humans, he says, not mainly about protecting doctrinal purity or the church's self-interest. (60)

Many would describe Gushee as a liberal, I suppose, though he affirms his belief in the bodily resurrection and ascension of Jesus. (97) He is critical of the weight evangelicals put on the inerrancy of the Bible. He is inclusive in ways that will offend evangelicals. He shows from history and Scripture that the church must remain a healthy distance from political powers. (146)

Some of Gushee's views rattled my beliefs based on my evangelical upbringing. His exploration of Christian movements through history convinced me evangelicalism does not have to be the spiritual path I follow to be a Christ follower. His concerns for our fellow man stirred in me the awareness evangelicals have not done a good job caring for others, including the poor, the immigrants and those not white.

While I do not agree with everything Gushee has written, I do think this is a valuable book that should be read by evangelicals. The present state of evangelical Christianity is troublesome and Gushee's work helped me understand why. Gushee says he wants to live for Jesus and help other people. He invites us along.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Westminster John Knox Press for the opportunity to read After Evangelism in exchange for an honest review.

Non-fiction books about theology are not usually at the top of my to-read list, but the premise of After Evangelism was too intriguing to ignore. Now I’m glad I put this book on the top of my stack.

Before I requested the book through NetGalley I did some light googling of the author, David P Gushee. It seems natural to me that someone who is interested in a book with the subtitle “The Path to a New Christianity” would need to understand a little bit about the author’s background before reading the book. Thankfully, my online search quelled my skepticism and I picked up the book.

After Evangelicalism is a primer for those curious about post-evangelism. Each chapter builds on itself beginning with defining evangelism and Gushee’s personal story. The chapter about the history of evangelical churches and institutions was fascinating. Then the author dives into subjects about the Bible, Jesus, church, sexuality, politics, and race.

I appreciated the academic tone of the book even when I needed to look up the definitions of words or phrases. Gushee shares his personal story and his own research without patronizing the reader. It’s up to the reader to make up their own minds about the ideas he is presenting.

There are plenty of references to other texts and footnotes to encourage the reader to read more about each subject.

I read this book for two reasons. One, I wanted to know why evangelicals are voting for Trump. I’m so confused why people I know are voting for this person. After reading this book I listened to a podcast called The Holy Post and the three hosts repeated the same reasons listed in this book. I don’t agree with these voters, but now I understand a little more about their thought process.

I also read this book, because I want to pass on to my kids a faith in Jesus that will stay with them as they grow into adulthood. I don’t feel like the church faith I grew up with is good enough to pass on to my kids. This quote states exactly what I am doing for my kids.

“We can situate ourselves within the flow of Christian history, better understand where our particular version of Christianity fits within the broader tradition, and think seriously about the responsible transmission of Christain faith to the next generation ought to look like.”

The parts in the book about Christians needing to embrace science and humanities are refreshing, because I’ve already walked through this process with my homeschool. In the beginning of my homeschool journey I would buy Christian curriculum without questioning it’s bias or theology. As my kids have grown I know now that I need to use texts that embrace science and different points of views from BIPOC authors.

I don’t know if I agree with every idea or theology presented in the book, but it did help to answer my questions about why people believe these ideas. My advanced reader copy is a limited electronic book, but I plan to purchase the hardcopy so I can highlight passages and refer to this book again.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has questions about church and post-evangelism.

Many “evangelicals” question the faith they inherited. If being Christian means rejecting LGBTQ persons and supporting systemic racism, perhaps their Christian journey is over.
In “After Evangelicalism,” David Gushee addresses disillusioned post-evangelicals by first analyzing what went wrong with U.S. white evangelicalism. He discusses evangelical identity, biblical interpretation, church life, sexuality, politics, and race. Gushee then proposes new ways of Christian believing, belonging, and behaving.
According to Gushee, post-evangelicals can enjoy a thriving, living relationship with Christ and maintain their morals. It is possible and necessary to follow Jesus out of evangelical Christianity. This message is one of hope, but it’s shared in a subtle way that’s easy to miss. Most of the book deals with the problems of evangelicalism and explains why people face challenges and feel disillusioned because of their exposure to these beliefs.
Gushee’s writing style is a bit academic. He does try to add humor in places, and the chapters are divided by subheads for easier reading.
I appreciate Gushee’s willingness to tackle tough issues. The book made me think about my own views and question why I believe certain things, which is a point of the book.
One problem I have is the chapter on politics. I believe we can love Jesus and vote for Republican candidates.
Overall, this book reminds readers to look to Jesus above all else. He is the One we follow, not a specific denomination, church body, spiritual leader, or tradition.

After Evangelicalism: A Path to a New Christianity by David P. Gushee is an examination into evangelicalism in the US as well as the forces behind the massive exodus from evangelical churches and Christianity in general. Mr. Gushee, a Christian ethicist and a self-described progressive evangelical, offers a way forward for the disillusioned post-evangelicals by providing a detailed analysis of what went wrong with US evangelicalism in terms of identity, biblical interpretations, church life, sexuality, politics, and race. His goal is to offer clues for getting out of the maze he calls Evangelicalism and refocus on a relationship with Jesus. Arguing against the white, male Christian leaders, Gushee sets to use biblical scripture and history to a new way of Christian belief, belonging and behaving which includes all who want to believe in Jesus and seek a relationship with him as he believes that following Jesus out of Evangelical Christianity is not only possible but necessary.
After Evangelicalism is the second book I’ve read by Mr. Gushee and he offers a no-holds-bar investigation into the history of evangelicalism in the US. Many Conservative Christians will not like this book as they will see it as a direct attack on Christianity itself. And many liberal Christians will see his proposals as a way true to Christianity as it should be. As someone who left the evangelical church in my mid-20s, I found many of his arguments against evangelicalism to be relatable. While I do not agree with all his points, he makes a great argument against the rise of the prosperity theology, which he condemns the main premise of the theology that God wants us to be “wealthy, lovely and thin.” In After Evangelicalism, Gushee offers an honest look into the history of the evangelical movement since the 1940s and its failures as it pushed people away from Jesus, rather than drawing them to him. If you find yourself disillusioned with the mega, mainstream church, I recommend checking out After Evangelicalism.

After Evangelicalism:
A Path to a New Christianity
is available in paperback and audiobook

I'm embarrassed to admit that David Gushee, Distinguished University Professor Christian Ethics at Mercer University and the current president of the American Academy of Religion, wasn't on my radar despite what I would like to consider to be a rather pronounced effort to recognize and become familiar with contemporary Christianity's more progressive voices.

However, I saw Gushee's name cross my Twitter feed when someone talked about this book, "After Evangelicalism: The Path to a New Christianity," and after a quick browsing of its subject matter decided to check out the book for myself.

If you've followed my writing for any length of time at all, you know that I've had a rather chaotic and not particularly positive journey with the world of organized religion. From a childhood spent as a Jehovah's Witness, the first of two paths to kick me out, into John Wimber's Vineyard movement, second of two paths to kick me out, I then moved toward an extended period in a New Thought church, where I was ordained, and, with a couple diversions, a seminary journey of licensed ministry with Church of the Brethren before my current tiptoeing between the Unitarian-Universalists and the Presbyterians (USA).

It wasn't really until reading Kate Bowler's "Blessed" that I could solidly identify some of the patterns, mostly dysfunctional, that led me to repeatedly head down theological roads that I inevitably found disappointing and from which I seemed to inevitably get hurt.

"After Evangelical" does, indeed, serve up Gushee's proposal for a path to a new Christianity, a way to set aside our disillusionment with an increasingly ego-driven and decidedly non-Jesus centered evangelical path and move toward a living relationship with Christ that is intellectually consistent and morally robust.

Quite simply, "After Evangelicalism" enthusiastically proposes that it is not just possible to follow Jesus out of evangelicalism but it is necessary to do so.

Thus, how you feel about evangelicalism may very well help determine how you receive "After Evangelicalism." If you're offended by anything I've already written, then it's unlikely you'll find Gushee's proposal satisfying. After all, you'll be unlikely to believe there needs to be life after evangelicalism.

In fact, you're probably thinking evangelicalism is just fine...maybe even better than ever.

On the other hand, if you're troubled by the evangelical embrace of President Trump and if you have more than a few concerns about the evangelical rejection of climate change and the seemingly inconsistent messages about what seems to qualify as "pro-life," then "After Evangelicalism" may very well help you put words to those feelings you've been having about faith, church, your own journey, and how to make sense of it all.

Truthfully, Gushee spends very little time talking about President Trump, though it's pretty clear that, as the old saying goes, that's likely the straw that broke the camel's back. Gushee, who spent a good majority of his life in the evangelical world via his Southern Baptist tradition, began veering away from identifying as evangelical the more progressive his writings and his theological voice became including his call for full acceptance and inclusion of the LGBTQ community that pretty much rendered him an untouchable in the evangelical world.

"After Evangelicalism" is a fairly weird mishmash of a book. It's simultaneously an academic endeavor and a surprisingly casual one. In fact, in terms of style it Bowler and Gushee could easily be literary cousins given their abilities to write with both remarkable intellectual depth and emotional honesty.

Gushee spends a good amount of "After Evangelicalism" exploring precisely what went wrong with U.S. white evangelicalism by exploring such relevant areas as evangelical identity, biblical interpretation, church life, sexuality, politics, and race. Gushee packs an awful lot of information into "After Evangelicalism," thus at times the collection is both more of a primer to subjects that inevitably require more depth and also a bit of an overview of Gushee's previous writings. Once he's explored these subjects, Gushee begins vividly and passionately proposing new ways of living, belonging, and believing. Each chapter ends rather nicely with a sort of summarized collection of "takeaways," offering a solid framework for the material at hand.

Many who write from a more progressive theological space tend to shy aware from more "churchy" language, but Gushee embraces it. Now attending a more progressive Baptist church along with his wife's Catholic Mass, Gushee clearly still embraces the beliefs and practices of his organized faith while also accepting that the word evangelical no longer applies and, in fact, he defines and embraces the path of a Christian humanist.

"After Evangelicalism" is not likely to be a book with which you'll always agree. Gushee's relentlessly pushing forward here and boldly embracing subjects that most churches don't even talk about let alone actually take a position on. Indeed, I didn't always find myself in agreement with Gushee - I was particularly troubled, for example, by his open embrace of LGBTQ and transgender Christians but then somehow finding space to remove polyamorists from the circle with tremendous intention. To be honest, it just felt unnecessarily mean-spirited to be so specific about it.

There were other times I found myself mumbling "Yes!" or "I don't agree," but that's really part of the joy of a book like "After Evangelicalism." It's a joy hearing and exploring new ideas and following that up with thought, prayer, research, and discussion.

Indeed, "After Evangelicalism" is a book that practically begs to be studied and discussed.

To use Gushee's own language, if there's one thing I take away from "After Evangelicalism," and it's a huge takeaway, it's this central idea of Christian humanism. Gushee explains it beautifully and it explains so much so perfectly about my own journey, beliefs, practices, and why despite multiple challenging experiences I continue to believe, explore, follow, and worship. It feels, on a certain level, like I have words to describe my faith journey.

While at times I wished "After Evangelicalism" would dig even deeper within its subjects and there were times I wished for a lengthier book that would have allowed for a more relaxed presentation, "After Evangelicalism" is undoubtedly a book I will refer to again and again and a book that has already left me in deep contemplation and feeling more peaceful than ever with my chaotic spiritual past and a present that feels like it was worth all that chaos.

Thank you to Westminster John Knox Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book. I am providing an honest review in exchange.

This is definitely not an easy “fluff” read but I loved it! There was so much background and history given on not just evangelical but other branches of Christianity. I did not grow up in an evangelical church and as an adult attend a non denominational church but this was such a relief to read. I have struggled with my faith in the past because I wasn’t sure if I was “Christian” enough because I wasn’t conservative enough. Honestly, In the last four years since Trump was elected I have been tempted to walk away from church all together because I can’t wrap my head around the idea that Christians would support a man who so clearly goes against everything Jesus stands for.

Not only was this book so informative and educational, it was also a great reminder of who I follow and serve, Jesus.

Publication Date: August 25, 2020

Thank you to NetGalley and Westminster John Knox Press for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

I've been traveling OUT of evangelicalism since around 2010 or so. My travels out started in 2007 but it took a good three years to quit meandering and get on with a brisk walk. The walk turned into a jog and by November 8, 2016 I was in a full out run. And for those of you who know me...I don't run. So it must have been pretty serious if I felt the need to run as fast and far away as I could from the evangelical movement. As the distance between myself and the evangelical world, which contains my parents and some of my closest friends, grew I felt a little like an island. That sounds dramatic but I don't think it is off-base. Until you find out that there are others, possibly many more others than you think, you feel separated from the shores of common ground.

In the years since my jogging, and then running, I have come across and run (no pun intended) across many more like me. It isn't God or Jesus we are necessarily running away from, it's the people who use their names to justify awful and unloving behaviors. Paul boasts in the Bible that he was the best of the best when it came to being Jewish and I'm here to tell you I was the best of the best at being evangelical. Like Paul, I had a come to Jesus experience. Holla.

That was a rather wordy introduction to this title by David Gushee. The title caught my eye immediately and Westminster John Knox Press is always very generous in sharing their newest releases with me. So I'm pleased to read it before it is widely available.

Those leaving evangelicalism, and it is by the thousands, are leaving for a variety of reasons. Some are leaving faith in God all-together, some are leaving the brick and mortar building they have been sitting in for Sundays (and probably Wednesdays) on end, and some are leaving but not sure what that leaving will end up looking like. And there's a whole slew of scenarios I haven't mentioned. This title is for those who haven't left God or Jesus but aren't sure what to do, where to go, how to be. Evangelicalism has told us how we ought to behave and think that when we leave it we stumble a bit before finding solid footing again.

Years ago I read a book from Frank Viola about the history of what we know as Church these days. It was incredibly eye-opening and educational and Gushee's first chapter or two of this book reminded me of that. He provides a factual history about evangelicalism's roots an exposes the rot in presenting the history. The book is 9 chapters long with each chapter containing three focal points of the chapter theme. Therefore, it's super easy to read and reads quick. Broken up into three major themes Gushee discusses Authority, Theology, and Ethics in relation to how an ex-evangelical can move forward as they move away from a culture that has gone against the actual teachings of Christ in the interest of self. He discusses the white supremacy origins of the evangelical movement and how it perpetuates it to this day. He proves the misogynistic beliefs and behaviors of the movement, not that I needed any convincing. He talks about sex and the purity movement and how it misses the mark with reality.

Overall, this is a worth it book to read. I've left evangelicalism but I haven't left Jesus. Yet, I am annoyed with the Christianese language and Gushee incorporates some into his writing. This is because Gushee still attends a brick and mortar denomination building while I periodically attend a lovely and soul-filling Episcopal congregation in which they are baffled by Christianese. An example of the Christianese speak within the book is his recounting of the "Seek the Kingdom" class he facilitates each Sunday morning. Just the phrase "seek the Kingdom" rubs me the wrong way. But that is a minor quibble in light of the larger message Gushee is trying to share. What's that message? You can still love Jesus and not be an evangelical. Holla!

I enjoyed the perspective of Christianity that is shared in this book. I was raised fundamentalist pentecostal and as I have become more educated and lived through more of life's experiences I find it refreshing to read another person's view of Christianity and what it stands for in our world today. The author's voice is clear and vibrant in the words of the book.

This is a very informative read that will challenge some people’s beliefs. It was eye opening for me for sure. I am a strong believer in separation of church & state & love when Gushee says, “The church’s role under God is to pre Co & live the gospel, & to love God & neighbor. Church & state have overlapping arenas of concern but different responsibilities. When they meet, both need to remember who they are, & what their respective responsibilities are, & to respect the boundaries.” Also when he mentions that we have missed our opportunity to repent, it makes me sad. I’m hopeful that we are working toward repentance with a black female vice presidential candidate. We will see where that leads us.
Recommend reading this book if you think you might need your eyes opened to where Evangelical Christianity is headed.

Liberal (Maybe Even Post-Christian?) Baptist Faith And Message. The Southern Baptist Convention's Baptist Faith and Message is the doctrinal screed for the group, listing various points of beliefs with proof-texted "reference verses" claiming to provide "evidence" that this belief is grounded in their view of the Bible. As someone who was a Southern Baptist for the first couple decades of my life, it is a document I'm pretty familiar with. Here, Gushee effectively recreates it for the more anti-white-male crowd, arguing (correctly) against prosperity theology while openly embracing humanist and liberation theology. Ultimately, he makes enough solid points to be worthy of discussion, but due to the constant proof-texting (a flaw in many similar works, and one that in my own personal war against is an automatic one star deduction in my reviews) and near-constant near straw man level attacks against more conservative theologies is to be read with a healthy amount of skepticism. That noted, as I generally try to do with such texts, I'm trying to be a bit balanced here. A much more conservative reader will probably find much more to attack in this text, and a much more liberal reader will probably find much more to love. Overall a solid work of its type, and recommended for any interested in such discussions.