Rachel Held Evans

Angry mobs, really?

Rachel Held Evans — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:13:49 -0400

Things are getting really ugly at McCain/Palin campaign rallies these days. From Sarah Palin’s charge that Barack Obama “pals around with terrorists,” to supporters hoisting “NO-BAMA” signs that call Obama a “socialist” and “liar,” to boos, raised middle-fingers and even racial slurs directed at members of the media, it’s getting completely out of hand, and McCain has done little to stop it.

Summit Says: Bailout is "Postmodern"?

Rachel Held Evans — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:19:22 -0400

Today I bumped into a “Worldview Chart” posted online by Summit Ministries. It’s perhaps the best illustration I’ve seen of how many unnecessary and potentially dangerous positions have been tacked on to Christianity by conservative evangelicals. According to this chart, the Christian worldview includes belief in young earth creationism, support for the death penalty, a commitment to mind/body dualism, rejection of non-traditional family structure, and devotion to fee enterprise and capitalism.

Book Club Discussion:Rejecting Christianity for Christianity's Sake

Rachel Held Evans — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:30:40 -0400

Forgive me for being such a slacker last week! I fell behind on posts primarily because my husband and I decided to remodel our guest bathroom before a wave of company came to town for homecoming. We managed to finish within minutes of the doorbell ringing…and then spent the weekend staying up late, catching up with friends, and enjoying OPKs (other people’s kids).

Fundamentalism, Evangelicalism, and the Palin/Bryan Factor

Rachel Held Evans — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:48:43 -0400

A few weeks ago, just when I’d decided I’d had enough of lipstick, pigs, and the feigned outrage of the suddenly feminist Republican Party, I picked up the local newspaper to read: “Dayton invites Sarah Palin to Speak.”

My Book is Getting Published!

Rachel Held Evans — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:22:25 -0400

This week I signed a contract with Zondervan for the publication of my first book. It’s a spiritual memoir of sorts that will touch on a lot of the subjects we discuss together here...

Ten Things I’m Not “Ready to Give an Answer” About

Rachel Held Evans — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:25:21 -0400

As I mentioned in the last post, those of us raised in the conservative evangelical subculture during the apologetics movement of the 80s and 90s grew up with the charge to “always be ready to give an answer” in defense of the Christian faith. For many of us, fighting the good fight of faith meant being prepared to debate the skeptics. It meant having intelligent and ready answers to questions concerning the Problem of Evil, religious pluralism, biblical inerrancy, evolutionary theory, and postmodern relativism.

Book Club Discussion: Are Apologists Closer to God?

Rachel Held Evans — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:25:46 -0400

As we continue our discussion of Peter Rollins’ “The Fidelity of Betrayal,” we get into some philosophically heady material, which takes some time to digest. However, I am convinced that Rollins' approach is one that has the potential to not only change how we think about our faith, but also how we interact with it in our lives. I'm not sure that I agree with all of his conclusions, but this has definitely been a worthwhile read!

Following Jesus and Maintaining Your Mental Health

Rachel Held Evans — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:33:28 -0400

So after years of teaching myself to say “no,” I’ve been experimenting with “yes” again. I know, I know. I’ve read Cloud and Townsend. I am aware that it is important to maintain boundaries in one’s life.

More Mixed Messages for Evangelical Women

Rachel Held Evans — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 18:34:50 -0400

When I was a little girl, I was told that I could be anything I wanted to be when I grew up, except for a pastor. A fervently religious child, with a pension for impromptu lectures to classmates about substitutionary atonement and eternal security, this news came as a bit of blow, but I supposed I could find my calling elsewhere. And yet, as the years went by, I soon learned that to be a woman in the conservative evangelical subculture is to never quite understand your place in this world.

Book Club Discussion: Wrestling with the Bible

Rachel Held Evans — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:23:10 -0400

I’m running a couple of days behind, but am excited to begin our book club discussion today about Peter Rollins’ provocative book “The Fidelity of Betrayal” (Paraclete Press, 2008).

Finish-The-Sentence Friday: Words

Rachel Held Evans — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:51:43 -0400

Okay, I’m so sick of politics I can hardly stand it! Let’s talk about something else. (This one’s straight from James Lipton.) Finish the following sentence: My favorite word is...and my least favorite word is...

Sarah Palin and Playing the Sexism Card (Because You Asked!)

Rachel Held Evans — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:51:11 -0400

Every now and then, people actually ask my opinion before I’ve had a chance to give it to them for free, so I thought I’d respond to some questions I’ve received regarding John McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin.

Wealth, Part 2: A Blessing or a Curse?

Rachel Held Evans — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:31:12 -0400

As I write this, I’m sitting in the cluttered office of my three-bedroom, two-bathroom home, typing away on a nice laptop and enjoying a high-speed Internet connection that I claim I could not live without...

Wealth, Part 1: How God Judges the Nations

Rachel Held Evans — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:40:23 -0400

James, the brother of Jesus, wrote the following in an open letter to the early church: “…Weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you…[Your sin] will be a witness against you and will consumer your flesh like fire.” Was he referring to a) homosexuality, b) abortion, or c) excessive wealth?

Why I'm Not a "Values Voter"

Rachel Held Evans — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:18:39 -0400

Today we conclude our discussion on Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw’s fascinating book “Jesus for President.” I’m not the least bit surprised that it has generated some spirited conversations over the past few weeks.

Your Spiritual Journey: Send Me a Postcard!

Rachel Held Evans — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:44:32 -0400

So recently I’ve been bumping into a lot of old friends on what was once a lonely and frightening path away from religious certainty...

Defeating Evil and Getting Rich: Why the Religious Forum Struck a Nerve

Rachel Held Evans — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:43:21 -0400

Well, I guess “Jesus for President” by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw is really starting to rub off on me, because I was surprised by how passionately I reacted to something that was said at the religious forum on Saturday night.

Five Things Obama Needs to Say Tonight

Rachel Held Evans — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:26:07 -0400

Even though Shane Claiborne has me convinced that Christianity’s preoccupation with politics is misguided, if not idolatrous, I can’t bring myself to quit cold turkey…so I’m taping tonight’s big religious forum, hosted by evangelical pastor Rick Warren.

Dear Focus on the Family

Rachel Held Evans — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:19:02 -0400

Dear Focus on the Family, It has come to my attention that a representative from your organization has encouraged Christians to pray for rain—not rain in Ethiopia, where more than 10 million people are short of food because of drought—but rain in Denver, Colorado, where a few thousand democrats plan to hold their convention in an outdoor stadium.

War- What is it Good For?

Rachel Held Evans — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:19:47 -0400

Whenever I’m struggling with doubts about God or questioning my faith, I make sure to avoid my most notorious faith crisis trigger: war movies.