First published 2013
Nadia Bolz-Weber transforms her unconventional path to ministry into a spiritual memoir that breaks every rule of religious writing. The heavily tattooed former standup comic turned Lutheran pastor recounts her journey from living in a commune of struggling slackers to finding her calling in the church. Bolz-Weber deliberately reclaims "pastrix," a derogatory term used by Christians who oppose female clergy, as she chronicles her experiences in comedy clubs, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and unexpected moments of revelation during Haitian stations of the cross. Her approach combines raw honesty about personal flaws with deep theological reflection, mixing humor with spirituality in ways that challenge traditional religious narratives. The book weaves together stories of addiction recovery, ministry work, and faith struggles to show how sacred and secular life intersect. Bolz-Weber offers hope to readers who feel too broken or unconventional for traditional religious communities by demonstrating that faith can flourish in the most unlikely circumstances.
Genres: christian, feminism, autobiography, contemporary, biography-memoir, faith, comedy, christian-living
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: raw-honesty, reclaiming-derogatory-term
204 pages · Hardcover · Jericho Books
Content warnings: addiction, alcohol-abuse, mental-illness