Writer and podcaster Erin Moon has questions, and this book is her open letter for anyone who feels iffy, conflicted, or just downright devastated by this disconnect. This book will help a lot of people who struggles with spirituality.

I often joke that there are only two “trends” I have ever been early to in my entire life. I got a Stanley cup in the summer of 2021 (thanks to the Mormon mom influencers I follow who made that possible) and Mike and I left the evangelical church in 2003.

The Stanley cup has definitely made me more hydrated, but leaving the evangelical church is one of the defining moments (and it was a moment - after some weeks of me asking if we could leave, Mike turned to me in the car one Sunday and said, “We’re never going back”) of my adult life. I am not going to lie to you. It was lonely and confusing. We lost friends. We had to rethink everything we knew. Everything we gained more than made up for what we ended up losing, but it was not an easy time.

For that reason, I do not always have a lot of energy for books like Erin Moon’s new book I’ve Got Questions, which is about what is now called “deconstruction.” (I don’t think we had a word for it in 2003 except “everyone you used to know thinks you are going to hell.”) There weren’t books like this available to us, though we did read quite a bit of history and theology as we were painstakingly trying to hold on to our faith. We were also incredibly lucky that our deconstruction took place having already found a community that answered (or, crucially, didn’t answer) our questions, gave us space to process, and loved us through the pain of losing our previous support network and rebuilding a new one. But I don’t necessarily want to relive it.

However, now I work as a minister (lol but seriously lol because that is a super intense deconstruction and then reconstruction all the way to the ministry) and I recognize that books like this can be helpful to people who find their way to my church from more conservative spaces. So I requested this one on NetGalley and was given an opportunity to read it. I have interacted with Erin Moon in a minor way - my instagram account about children’s ministry has been mentioned on her podcast, but I don’t know her.

I think the framework of the book is very strong. This is not a book to help provide you with the answers that you so desperately want when you are deconstructing. She highlights important stages in rethinking and (hopefully) rebuilding your faith, using a metaphor of a plot of land. I will say that the repeated references to burning things down (even a controlled burn) were difficult to read this week as we watched the fires in California, but that is the reality in which we live. She walks the reader through steps of remembering where you came from, lament, asking questions, thinking through what matters, and even asking yourself to go beyond where you feel comfortable. There is a lot of wisdom and I think this is the strongest book I’ve read about this process.

My critique of the book is not about the content, which I think is overall very good. I am not a regular listener of Moon’s Faith Adjacent podcast, but I have listened to a few episodes. The tone of the book, much like the podcast, is both sincere and kind of quippy. For that reason, it is not going to be for everyone. There are some people in my congregation I think would appreciate the content but who would not get the references or the tone. For that reason, I think it is best aimed at people younger than me and I think it would help if they were, if not Very Online, at least Somewhat Online.

Additionally, one of the things I often note when hearing stories like this is that my experiences as a young Christian were much more negative than the author’s. I want to be clear that I did not experience any physical or sexual abuse. At the same time, the church was not a place where I felt completely safe or kept or loved. I felt like a problem at church (which is funny, because overall I was pretty compliant). The main problem was that I was a girl, and in the context in which I grew up, the boys were mentored by the pastors and the girls were taught to do makeup and not talk in church. I like makeup! But what I wanted was for a religious leader to care about my faith. I wanted my faith to matter. For that reason, I have often noted that I read my Bible faithfully and was pretty good with Jesus, but was less convinced about church and church leaders. I didn’t invite my friends to church because it wasn’t a place where I was especially happy. I mostly felt unwanted by the church. So, when I found out there were churches where they acted like God and Jesus actually liked me and weren’t just always trying to Teach Me A Lesson, it was certainly easier for to me to leave than it might be for some. I am always surprised when it worked for other people for so much longer. As my husband reminded me, those systems work for people until they don’t, until death or illness or a gay family member or a sense that people don’t deserve eternal punishment pushes you off kilter. In that sense, we were lucky that our experiences of feeling somewhat rejected led us to be able to leave earlier.

Deconstruction of a childhood faith is a long and messy process! There were a couple of places where, from my vantage point, Moon’s deconstruction still felt a little bit fresh and it seemed that there were things that she was still somewhat tender about. That would make this book a good choice for someone who is still fairly new in the process (let’s say the first five years of deconstruction), but maybe less so if they have already thought through some of the questions and quieted some of the “religion cop” voices inside their heads. If the tone matches your experiences and expectations, I think Moon’s thoughtful process will work as a guidebook and make the reader feel less alone. Out on February 4th.

I have been following Erin Moon since around 2018. She is a breath of fresh and has been so influential to my faith during this time. Obviously I was excited to see she had a book coming out and so grateful to get an advance copy. I loved this book! So much of her faith story looks like my own and it so hopeful to see I am not alone. Profound thoughts, comforting words and inspiring faith. This book had all of these things!

Baker Books eARC
I've been a longtime listener of the Faith Adjacent podcast, so I knew as soon as I heard about Erin's book, I wanted to read it. This was such a great look into deconstruction from a viewpoint that wasn't shame filled, coercive, or manipulative. She slowly lays out her journey and what worked and didn't for her. I appreciated her honesty and deep exploration of her steadfast beliefs and how they changed. I think she showed how it's possible to want better and gave practical tips for starting points. I think this will be such an important book for those wanting to deepen their faith while also examining their tightly held beliefs to figure out where they actually came from and where to go from there.

Erin Hicks Moon adds a needed voice in the spiritual growth category. Not all paths are congruent with John Mark Comer's "Practicing the Way" or the classic "Celebration of Discipline." Many people need to process the pain, damage and questions that emerge in many people's lives -- and are present in the people who also take Comer's or Foster's path,

Many people have questions, some of which are not spoken out loud in church. Some may ride along, avoiding the conflict of leaving a faith tradition for another, or leaving a faith journey entirely, This book helps to provide a framework for those who are electing to stay while welcoming those who are heading away.

Using the analogy of a garden, Moon interacts with the process necessary for discovering what is critical to rebuilding faith.

The title is recommended for leaders and vocal participants in the "Practicing the Way" juggernaut, as well as for people who are in a place of spiritual rebuilding. Even if the reader is not in a phase of reviewing their core beliefs, the perspective is important to see. I will be purchasing the book to put on my shelf with Comer and Foster, along with the materials I have on pilgrimage.

When sharing my review with my bookie, he suggested reading the book in context of Ruth Haley Barton's _Invitation to solitude and silence: experiencing God's transforming presence_, a title that would be more congruent with Comer and Foster. Odds are that many readers would connect with Barton's work, but Moon's book should also be given a voice in the process. M. Robert Mulholland, Jr.'s _The deeper journey: the spirituality of discovering your true self_ is also noted as being a part of the total picture.

Hard-fought faith meets in a garden. Beautifully written, feisty, and full of grace.

Thank you, NetGalley and Baker Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

With her trademark fire and heart, Erin Moon writes honestly about the questions she has been asking regarding her faith. I enjoyed it and (having grown up similarly to her) understood it on a personal level. I did feel it was repetitive and wordy in some sections, but overall it was a great read.

Do I ever have questions about God, Scripture, and the beliefs of my denomination? Sure. Do I understand that terrible things have been done in the name of Christianity in the past? You bet. Do I abhor the fact that many individual Christians (some of them leaders) have exhibited sinful behavior? Of course. Do I believe that I myself, and other Christians in my immediate circle often fail to love one another and God as we have been commanded? Sadly, yes. The author is not wrong is pointing out these things. However, does this mean that I need to "deconstruct" my faith and "burn down" the framework that supports what I believe? Should I use my "sacred imagination" to come up with explanations that align more closely with my own feelings? Here's where we part company.

I had trouble relating to this author's anger about her particular religious tradition, which seems to have been very legalistic. I also found much of the book to be a repetitive recitation of all that is wrong with the Chrisitan church and Christianity in general. I also objected to the frequent us of coarse language which I found inappropriate and unnecessary.

In short, I wouldn't recommend it.

There is so much to like about I've Got Questions.

It reads like a feisty, book-length paraphrase of Jude 22: "Be merciful to those who doubt."

Erin is refreshingly candid about her up-and-down faith journey (drink)* and offers loads of mercy and encouragement to those wrestling with God, turned off by Christians' inconsistencies, or asking hard questions about the Bible.

No doubt this book will receive a barrage of not-so-friendly fire from those who either haven't read or don't like Jude 22. And you may not agree with everything here. But for those looking for a reason to keep fighting the good fight of faith, Erin's book will be a reassuring guide.

*You'll need to read the book to get this reference.

Pros: I am a big fan of Erin Moon’s work for the Popcast Media Group—especially with the Faith Adjacent podcast. From listening to her talk about faith for years, I was thrilled to learn she was writing a book—I knew she would approach it with the same nuance and thoughtfulness (and humor!) she brings to the podcast.

This book isn’t just for podcast listeners though. It’s for anyone who has had questions or struggles with (and grief over) their faith because of the current state of Christianity/the church. The author encourages readers to remember that faith isn’t a fixed point, that uncertainty is not a bad thing, and that curiosity is a good thing. As the author and I are millennials of similar ages, I find her (and her cultural references) to be very relatable and makes her writing feel like a friend is walking me through a “journey.”

I think this will be a book I revisit, and I hope to listen to an audio version because I am so used to hearing the author’s voice on the Faith Adjacent podcast.

Cons: The only con that I can think of is that readers must wait until February to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Baker Books for the opportunity to read this book.