Laura Zielke Blog
Menu
  • πŸ’Ž About
  • βœ’οΈ Blog
  • πŸ“•&🎬 Reviews
  • ❣️ Favorites
  • ⬇️ Downloads
  • πŸ“² Contact
Menu
Book Review: Inspired by Rachel Held Evans

Rachel Held Evans: More than Inspired

Posted on May 4, 2019June 17, 2019 by Laura Zielke

When I learned of Rachel Held Evans’ untimely passing this afternoon, my heart broke. It broke for her husband. It broke for her toddler and baby. And it broke for the world.

Our world is hurting, and an increasing number of Christians are awaking to the fact that their most sacred compilation of documents (a.k.a. the Bible) has been misappropriated for centuries to justify antisemitism, slavery, genocide, abuse, and more.

Rachel Held Evans

Unwilling to abandon the faith, many search for answers from those who have gone before them. Those who have not only deconstructed their faith, but also re-constructed it on a more firm foundation than bibliolatry.

Rachel Held Evans was a woman on a mission. She decided to share her faith journey publicly via her blog, then books, then speaking engagements. Her wish for any discussion that would ensue was simple:

“May it be lively. May it be civil.  And may it honor the One who prayed that our unity would reflect the sweet harmony of the Trinity…because the world indeed is watching.”  

Rachel Held Evans

As Rachel re-evaluated her conservative religious beliefs in light of modern biblical scholarship, she was transparent with her doubts and courageous in finding ways to follow Jesus wholeheartedly amidst criticism from all sides.

Rachel's voice still matters, and the impact of her words will inform faith discussions for generations. Click To Tweet
Click to buy Inspired by Rachel Held Evans
Click to purchase

Rachel Held Evans was a gifted writer whose faith journey mirrored my own, though she was more brave than I. She skillfully, articulately, and publicly detailed her struggles with the fundamentalist approach to Scripture on her blog, in her books, and everywhere she was invited to speak.

Being a woman Bible scholar in such a divisive world, she endured incredible cyber-bullying from hyper-evangelicals whoβ€”even while she was laying in the hospital in a medically induced comaβ€”arrogantly tweeted their condemnation of her views and “prayers” for her salvation. Unreal.

If you’re struggling to hold on to your faith or curious about why people rely on ancient writings to inform their 21st century decisions, I’d like to recommend that you read Rachel’s most recent NYT Best Seller, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again. It’s well-written, easy to understand, and filled with insights that will inform your understanding of the Bible.

You might disagree with her perspective; however, I challenge you to read it anyway. If you only read books written by authors who affirm what you already believe, you could be missing out on important conversations which can deepen and inform your faith. I highly recommend it.


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are β€œaffiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: β€œGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The above Rachel Held Evans quote was excerpted from Heaven, Hell, and Rob Bell on her blog.

Facebook Comments

You might also be interested in:

πŸ“ƒ CERTIFICATION

πŸ—‚οΈ CATEGORIES

  • Book & Movie Reviews
  • Journey to Authenticity
  • Favorite Resources
  • Journey Notes (Random)
  • Devotionals & Downloads
  • Journey into Ministry
  • Scholarly Articles (locked)

πŸ“š BOOKS & AUDIO

Currently Reading

Recently Reviewed

πŸ“ RECENT POSTS

  • Book Review: “Leading for Justice” by Rita Sever
  • Book Review: “Everyday MAGIC” by Mattie James
  • Book Review: “Decolonizing Wealth” by Edgar Villanueva
  • Book Review: “A Hole in the World” by Amanda Held Opelt

✨ INSTAGRAM

lauralzielke

What did Jesus say to Martha when she warned him o What did Jesus say to Martha when she warned him of the potential stench at her brother's tomb? 

"Don't worry about a thing, 
'cause every little thing
gonna be alright."

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

πŸ”— Tap the link in my bio
β€” OR β€”
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
DAY 21 πŸ΄β˜• MARTHA When we first meet Martha, DAY 21 πŸ΄β˜• MARTHA

When we first meet Martha, she is busy entertaining a house FULL of guests.  Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus live together in the town of Bethany which is located less than two miles from Jerusalem.

We have no idea how old any of them are; however, there are a few significant clues in the Gospels which indicate they were people of means. πŸͺ™πŸͺ™πŸͺ™

Martha is an extrovert who has the gift of hospitality and delights in opening their home to friends and family. Some of her favorite frequent visitors include a traveling teacher/healer (Messiah?!) named Jesus and his 12+ disciples. 

Subscribe to the @ValiantWomenoftheBible email list to learn more. Each day during Women's History Month, and I'll send you a brief bio of a woman (or three) mentioned in the Bible. You'll be amazed at how much you learn.

πŸ”— Tap the link in my bio
β€” OR β€”
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
What did the prophetess Anna say "to all who were What did the prophetess Anna say "to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem"?

"At last..."

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

πŸ”— Tap the link in my bio
β€” OR β€”
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
DAY 20 🌟 ANNA We first meet Anna at the same p DAY 20 🌟 ANNA

We first meet Anna at the same place we could have met her any other day in the previous 60+ years of her life: the Temple in Jerusalem. 

Anna is the only named woman in the New Testament who is called a prophetess, and she has a pretty amazing encounter about 40 days after Mary of Nazareth delivers her firstborn son. 

Subscribe to the @ValiantWomenoftheBible email list to learn more. Each day during Women's History Month, and I'll send you a brief bio of a woman (or three) mentioned in the Bible. You'll be amazed at how much you learn.

πŸ”— Tap the link in my bio
β€” OR β€”
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
What did Mary say to her son when she was nudging What did Mary say to her son when she was nudging him to reveal a bit of himself to the world?

🍷 "They're out of wine!" 

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

πŸ”— Tap the link in my bio
β€” OR β€”
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
DAY 19 🌟 MARY OF NAZARETH When we first meet M DAY 19 🌟 MARY OF NAZARETH

When we first meet Mary, she is at her home in Nazareth in Galilee. We don't know exactly how old she is, but we do know she is old enough to be betrothed (like engagement on steroids) to a man named Joseph and old enough to get pregnant. 

While the story might be super familiar, there are a couple insights I hope you'll pick up on that maybe you haven't noticed before. 

Subscribe to the @ValiantWomenoftheBible email list to learn more. Each day during Women's History Month, and I'll send you a brief bio of a woman (or three) mentioned in the Bible. You'll be amazed at how much you learn.

πŸ”— Tap the link in my bio
β€” OR β€”
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
What did Elizabeth say when her relative, Mary, ar What did Elizabeth say when her relative, Mary, arrived for a surprise visit?

πŸŽ‰ "This baby is having a party in my womb!"

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

πŸ”— Tap the link in my bio
β€” OR β€”
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
DAY 18 πŸ‘ΆπŸ½ELIZABETH When we first meet Eliza DAY 18 πŸ‘ΆπŸ½ELIZABETH

When we first meet Elizabeth, she is at home waiting for her husband, Zechariah, to return from his special time of service at the Temple in Jerusalem. Both she and her husband are descended from priests, but they themselves have no descendants...yet! πŸ˜‰

Subscribe to the @ValiantWomenoftheBible email list to learn more. Each day during Women's History Month, and I'll send you a brief bio of a woman (or three) mentioned in the Bible. You'll be amazed at how much you learn.

πŸ”— Tap the link in my bio
β€” OR β€”
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
What did Queen Esther say before she ignored prope What did Queen Esther say before she ignored proper palace protocol and bravely broke the Law of Persia appearing before the king UNINVITED? ☠️☠️☠️

"If I die, I die."

Sign-up for the "Valiant Women of the Bible" email list and learn about 31+ women mentioned in the Bible. One woman per day for 31 days during Women's History Month (March) only.

πŸ”— Tap the link in my bio
β€” OR β€”
Click here to subscribe: sendfox.com/valiantwomenofthebible

#womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #valiantwomenofthebible
Load More Follow on Instagram

❣️ FAVORITE TOPICS

adult coloring apostasy Authenticity Bible Black Lives Matter book review brave Call to Ministry Christmas coloring crucifixion devotional Doing hard things Ephesians History Holy Spirit Homeschooling Human Trafficking humor idolatry Jesus journaling Leadership MBTI Parenting Paul peace Personal Development Personality prayer racial reconciliation Racism reinterpreting history Resurrection self-care sex addiction Spiritual Disciplines spiritual growth theology trust United States Waiting white fragility women Women in Leadership

🐧 PENGUINS

Facebook 815Fans
Twitter 521Followers
Instagram 823Followers
Post 100Post

LEGAL STUFF

Privacy Policy
Disclaimer

WHAT I’M READING

Currently Reading

Recently Reviewed

Recent Posts

  • Book Review: “Leading for Justice” by Rita Sever January 28, 2023
  • Book Review: “Everyday MAGIC” by Mattie James October 16, 2022
  • Book Review: “Decolonizing Wealth” by Edgar Villanueva August 17, 2022
  • Book Review: “A Hole in the World” by Amanda Held Opelt July 17, 2022
  • Book Review: “The 1619 Project: Born on the Water” by Nikole Hannah-Jones and RenΓ©e Smith June 19, 2022
Β© 2016-2022 A2Z Marketing. All rights reserved. Questions? Comments? Write to laura@a2z-marketing.com