In this episode we talk to Rachel Held Evans about her journey from a conservative evangelical faith, through a period of wrestling with questions, doubt, cynicism and despair, to the emergence of a new kind of faith. And we discuss the trials and tribulations of embarking on this journey under the gaze of social media.
Image provided by HarperCollins. Used with permission.
BOOKS
Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church
Faith Unraveled: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask Questions
QUOTES
“I don’t think it’s anything new to have the questions of the age shake and challenge what we believe as Christians…but I do think the opportunity to talk about it rather endlessly is something that comes along with socioeconomic privilege.”
“What I kept bumping up against was that you’re allowed to ask questions, but only up to a certain point. And there were a lot of predetermined answers. Like, ‘We want you to wrestle, we want you to struggle a little bit…but only if you come back around to believing this, this, this and this.’ So, it felt like the inquiry was very limited and restricted, which didn’t feel like actual inquiry to me. Like, if we’ve already got the answer to this, why are we even talking about it?”
One Response
Really enjoyed this interview. I’ve been familiar with Rachel and her journey for a number of years. Although English and converted there at 20, I’ve spent most of my adult life around American Pentecostals and Evangelicals. Early on, it was a life-ruining experience. In recent years, my relationship with Jesus has been completely re-born and I can relate to you guys and Rachel completely.
Glad to have found Nomad. Look forward to listening to old and new podcasts.