First published 2015
Rachel Held Evans chronicles her complicated relationship with organized religion in this spiritual memoir. Like many millennials, Evans grew disillusioned with church culture. The hypocrisy and scandals drove her away from the institution she once embraced. Yet something kept pulling her back toward faith community. Evans structures her exploration around the seven Catholic sacraments: baptism, confession, holy orders, communion, confirmation, anointing of the sick, and marriage. Through these ancient rituals, she examines what she discovered about authentic Christianity. Evans argues that faith requires action and community participation, not just intellectual belief. She contends that God's kingdom welcomes the broken and hungry rather than the perfect. The book reveals how the divine appears in everyday moments and ordinary experiences. Evans guides readers through the complications of religious community while showing how hope and grace can overcome spiritual cynicism.
Genres: christian, religion, memoir, non-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
288 pages · Kindle Edition · Thomas Nelson