‘Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again’ by Rachel Held Evans

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Rachel Held Evans was a New York Times bestselling journalist and author who died too soon, a year after this book was published, leaving behind a devastated husband, two young children and important work.

Evans was part of a vanguard of progressive-Christian women who fought to change the way Christianity is taught and perceived in the United States. She and Sarah Bessey have been outspoken about sharing the importance of an evolving faith and together co-founded the Evolving Faith Conference.

If the Bible isn’t a book of rules or an instruction manual, then what is it? In this book, Rachel shows how the Bible can hold up to our fiercest questions, our strongest doubts and the most significant of disagreements. She warns about the dangers of certainty and the importance of context. She promotes wonder and curiosity and underscores the value of story, especially when it comes to children.

Drawing on the best in recent scholarship and using her well-honed literary expertise, Evans examines some of our favorite Bible stories and possible interpretations, retelling them through memoir, original poetry, short stories, soliloquies, and even a short screenplay. Undaunted by the Bible’s most difficult passages, Evans wrestles through the process of doubting, imagining, and debating Scripture’s mysteries. The Bible, she discovers, is not a static work but a living, breathing, captivating, and confounding book that is able to equip us to join God’s loving and redemptive work in the world.

One reviewer said: “Having read the Bible for decades, I found Rachel’s book illuminating as she unpacks how and why the bible was written in the first place, and to whom. In an increasingly polarised world, where many take the bible literally so it can become a weapon to drive home a point of view, this book is much needed and shows us another way.”

‘What is God Like’ by Rachel Held Evans and Matthew Paul Turner, illustrated by Ying Hui Tan

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This gorgeous picture book, co-authored by Matthew Paul Turner and illustrated by Ying Hui Tan, tries to answer the question What is God Like? That’s a tough one for any of us, but Evans’ message for children (and adults) in this picture book, is reflective of Rachel’s heart for people, her love of words, and the solace she discovered in the unknown. I love how she provides many answers but also challenges readers to search, wonder, and learn about the mystery of God themselves. She also uses various pronouns for God throughout: he, she, and they.

Rachel Held Evans died much too young. It was an indescribable loss for her children Henry and Harper and husband Dan, but also for a Christian community that needed to hear her inspired perspective on faith, doubt, and life. She was known for her honesty, humour, inclusivity, openness to evolving beliefs and dedication to diversity. Evans was best known for her popular blog and best-selling books, including New York Times best-seller A Year of Biblical Womanhood, Searching for Sunday and, most recently, Inspired. She also served on President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.