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361 reviews for:
Faith Unraveled : How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask the Questions
Rachel Held Evans
4.33 AVERAGE
361 reviews for:
Faith Unraveled : How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask the Questions
Rachel Held Evans
4.33 AVERAGE
reflective
fast-paced
I'd heard an NPR story about Rachel Held Evans before her most recent book was published posthumously, and it made me curious about her. I enjoyed this memoir, in which she writes about her evolution from a conservative evangelical to a more open-minded Christian. Although obviously she's writing specifically as a Christian, as a Jew I could still relate to many of her spiritual struggles.
I’ve read it twice now. The second more carefully than the first, with a pen in hand so I can underline and take notes. This is one of the best books I’ve read about faith.
I learned about Rachel after she passed and that is something that makes me sad everyday. I remember reading about her, her journey in faith & deconstructing & I sat there thinking, "That sounds like me..."
"Searching for Sunday" was the first book of hers I read. My relationship with church was on very shaky ground and I was trying to find my way back. That book echoed parts of my own faith journey that I'd kept to myself, afraid to speak out because I knew my questions would not be welcome. My doubt would be side-eyed. I was also still figuring myself out. But that book helped me realize there is room for doubt, room for a break from everything, and room to ask God, "What is going on?"
That book stuck with me and Faith Unraveled, this book, affirmed me more than I realize I needed. It challenged me on what I felt I was right about, it called me out on my blindspots, and it reminded me of what this life of faith is about: loving one another. 1 John 4:7 - 21 covers that all.
This book felt like a conversation. I felt like Rachel and I were speaking to each other. My notes are full of her quotes and my thoughts. My heart is grateful to have come across this material, but again, so sad. I wish she was alive today, so I could thank her. For taking this path, with all the backlash, and writing out of faith. Writing about doubt and its normalcy. About its beauty. About God and how He holds space for us.
I could go on - really, I could. But I'll just end by repeating myself : I'm glad I came across this book.
"Searching for Sunday" was the first book of hers I read. My relationship with church was on very shaky ground and I was trying to find my way back. That book echoed parts of my own faith journey that I'd kept to myself, afraid to speak out because I knew my questions would not be welcome. My doubt would be side-eyed. I was also still figuring myself out. But that book helped me realize there is room for doubt, room for a break from everything, and room to ask God, "What is going on?"
That book stuck with me and Faith Unraveled, this book, affirmed me more than I realize I needed. It challenged me on what I felt I was right about, it called me out on my blindspots, and it reminded me of what this life of faith is about: loving one another. 1 John 4:7 - 21 covers that all.
This book felt like a conversation. I felt like Rachel and I were speaking to each other. My notes are full of her quotes and my thoughts. My heart is grateful to have come across this material, but again, so sad. I wish she was alive today, so I could thank her. For taking this path, with all the backlash, and writing out of faith. Writing about doubt and its normalcy. About its beauty. About God and how He holds space for us.
I could go on - really, I could. But I'll just end by repeating myself : I'm glad I came across this book.
Rachel Held Evans was raised by very sincere, and devout, Christian parents. And she was a very sincere, and devout, Christian as well until predictably she was confronted with something that was grey, not black and white and easy to explain away. And it happened while she was at bible college, where her Dad taught. Oh, and they were living in the town where the famous Scopes (aka the Monkey trial) trial occurred, Dayton, Tennessee. Once she began to look at the grey that confronted her, she began to look at everything she had been raised to believe without questioning it or thinking through it for herself. Her careful examination led to an unraveling of certain long-held traditions and beliefs which in turn earned her a spot on the unofficial heretics of the Christian faith list. Kidding, not kidding. Held Evans spent the remainder of her life (she died suddenly and tragically in May 2019) examining the Christian faith and challenging the beliefs and traditions of the Evangelical Church.
I've read one other of Held Evans books, although all of them were on my TBR. Yes, I used past tense - were. Upon reading this book and reviewing the summaries and reviews of her other titles, I decided to remove her titles from my TBR and part ways with her works. It's not because I don't appreciate the journey she was on but because I realized her journey and mine are so different that I am intolerant of her continued leanings on the holy bible and its teachings. I found myself annoyed and irritated with her grip on evangelicalism, which didn't fade over the years of her continued questioning but lasted up until the day of her passing. And that is (was) fine for her, but I am not there and don't need to read titles about a topic I am no longer interested in. That being said, I know Rachel Held Evans was instrumental in helping others be brave about finding their own faith voice and identity. Her bravery to do so inspired, and I believe probably still inspires, people to be brave themselves.
I've read one other of Held Evans books, although all of them were on my TBR. Yes, I used past tense - were. Upon reading this book and reviewing the summaries and reviews of her other titles, I decided to remove her titles from my TBR and part ways with her works. It's not because I don't appreciate the journey she was on but because I realized her journey and mine are so different that I am intolerant of her continued leanings on the holy bible and its teachings. I found myself annoyed and irritated with her grip on evangelicalism, which didn't fade over the years of her continued questioning but lasted up until the day of her passing. And that is (was) fine for her, but I am not there and don't need to read titles about a topic I am no longer interested in. That being said, I know Rachel Held Evans was instrumental in helping others be brave about finding their own faith voice and identity. Her bravery to do so inspired, and I believe probably still inspires, people to be brave themselves.
I liked Rachel's style and appreciated her honesty and her willingness to go into the scary places of uncertainty. Two of my favorite lines: "Perhaps our love for the Bible should be measured not by how valiantly we fight to convince others of our interpretations but by how diligently we work to preserve a diversity of opinion." and "Evolution means letting go of our false fundamentals so that God can get into those shadowy places we're not sure we want Him to be."
She gets it. I have a lot of respect for people who are strong enough in their faith that they can also question it.
Took away so much from this one. Look forward to (hopefully) her next one, but will definitely enjoy her blog in the meantime. So grateful I stumbled on this one.
Gosh dang it- I just really love Rachel Held Evans