Book Review - Inspired by Rachel Held Evans

In 2012, we were moving from Washington DC to Washington State and we had a 5-day, 2-vehicle journey before us. I had several books on my reading list and decided to join Audible.com and download them for easy listening for the journey. One of the books I bought was Rachel's first book, originally titled "Evolving in Monkey Town" and renamed "Faith Unraveled" in it's revised printing a few years later. It was her faith story - growing up in Cleveland, TN, home of the famous trial about evolution in the 1920's, she was raised in a conservative Christian tradition and has the Bible battle trophies to prove her biblical knowledge. But eventually, she had questions, ones that her church repeatedly told her to stop asking. And as her faith assumptions unraveled, she expanded her understanding of the biblical story and what it means to be a Christian... she became an Episcopalian.

Since then she has written three other books - "A Year of Biblical Womanhood," which looks at the role of women in the Bible and religion, and "Searching for Sunday," about her journey to find a new faith community and richly framed through the lens of the sacraments.

Her fourth book is being released next week, June 12, 2018. It is "Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again," In early May, I happened to see a post on her Facebook page asking for people to read advanced copies and write honest reviews. I jumped at the change and entered my name. Within a day, I had been selected and forwarded a digital copy of the book.

I've taken over a month to read it, even though I could have finished it in a couple of days. I downloaded a new PDF program that allowed me to highlight, underline and write in the margins. After 2 chapters, I ordered my own paper copy, so that I can transfer my current notes and make more. And I convinced the women's ministry in my current location to choose this as one of our offerings for the Fall semester.

I have many words to describe it:
Relatable
Conversational
Well-researched and scholarly
Storytelling at its best within the Grand Story

In a new twist, Rachel breaks the biblical text into different kinds of stories - Origin, Deliverance, War, Wisdom, Resistance, Gospel, Fish, & Church... they are the kinds of delineations that I had not thought of before, but they work. As someone who usually studies to teach or preach, it gave me a fresh look at the ways that God has interacted with people, from the beginning to the end, from Genesis to Revelation.

Each of the chapters is prefaced with a signature story - The Temple, The Well, The Wall, The Debate, The Beast, The Water, The Sea, The Letter. Some of the tellings seem ancient - some very modern. Each one drives home the understanding that the Bibles stories are also our stories. It was a great reminder of the Bible as the God's story, kept alive not just through the transcribed and printed word, but before that, as our oral tradition and the personal history of those who came before us. Like sharing dinner with family, these stories are told over and over because they tell us something true about who God is and who we are created to be.

For some, it will provide an "ah-ha" experience. For others, it will challenge many of the assumptions brought to reading and studying the Bible. For me, as a seminary-trained, 25-year ordained United Methodist clergyperson, it's exactly the kind of book that can spark essential conversations about how to read the Bible and where we fit into the grand story it tells.

For many, this may be the first foray into historical, contextual and literary biblical criticism. The variety of scholars, preachers, and teachers contributing to this work is really wonderful, and the Footnote appendix provides a great starter library for anyone who wants to explore these topics further. Even my wishlist got a lot longer!

The chapters War Stories and Resistance Stories effected me significantly. Some may feel that a few of the examples are quite contemporary to the current religious and political climate in the United States. But I think they will age well, and translate across international borders. For me, they are the testimony of someone who struggles and wrestles with the Word ti live an authentic Christian life in the midst of difficult times. I think it's also significant that Rachel had two children as bookends to the beginning and end of this book-birthing process. A lot of the work she asks us to do feels like labor - hard and intense, but totally worth it in the end.

In a nutshell, I loved it. I'll read it over and over, mark the pages with highlighting and underlines, and pull out little post-it note tabs to mark my favorite passages, for personal consumption and in preparation for teaching and preaching. I look forward to reading it with a group, because I think our varied stories will enhance even more our understanding of what Rachel is trying to teach us. And I'll recommend it to many. It's a great read for all - for those who know and love the Scriptures but want to engage in a new way, and for anyone who isn't sure what the big deal is all about.

I feel so blessed to have been a part of this launching process, and am so grateful for my Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.

My recommendation: 5 stars... Go buy the book!

#InspiredBook

Peace, Deb