Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Lee, a Chinese American, chose the evangelical faith as a teenager, in part to better fit in with her peers. But as she immersed herself in evangelical organizations like Inter-Varsity Faith, she found her religion conflicted with her leanings toward progressive politics. In this very timely book, Lee writes as the journalist she is, but also with storytelling skill as she describes how the evangelical church is evolving because of the infusion of the young, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community. The book, which looks at conformists, skeptics, and radicals, interweaves personal narratives with history, theology, spirituality, and sociology. Lee is also present in the narrative, and, while her struggles with faith play a role, she remains a strong, informative, and objective voice throughout. This is one of those books that, regardless of a reader's innate interest in the subject, simply grabs you because it is so personal and honest. Yet the larger points Lee makes about religion in general and Christianity in particular will open many important conversations.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this braided work of reporting, storytelling, and personal reflection, journalist Lee, herself a former evangelical, explores progressive movements-for racial reconciliation, women's rights, and LGBTQ equality-within American evangelicalism. Unlike mainline Protestants, whose social engagement is integrated into denominational structures, evangelicals' efforts for justice seem to come in response to pressure from within, as leaders such as Lisa Sharon Harper, Soong Chan-Rah, Jennifer Crumpton, and Matthew Vines are emerging from conservative grassroots movements, working to connect their faith with their minority identities, and moving toward a more expansive understanding of evangelical faith. The road is not always easy for these self-declared "prophetic Christians"; for example, in order to earn and retain influence within evangelicalism, they tend to shy away from questions surrounding reproductive rights, despite promoting equality for women in the church. Additionally, in spite of larger church organizations' professed support for women in leadership, female leadership in evangelical nonprofits continues to lag well behind their male counterparts. The book's structure feels meandering at times, perhaps because it's tricky to define evangelicalism and to trace its progressive strains. This makes it difficult to accept the author's assertion that there are signs of a broadly accommodating evangelical future. Agents: Larry Weissman and Sascha Alper, Larry Weissman Literary LLC. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Review by Library Journal Review
With passion and humanity, journalist Jian Lee (Forbes, Slate) tackles one of the most controversial issues facing American society and politics at the moment. Jian Lee not only chronicles her own story of growing up a Chinese American Christian but includes narratives of people from all walks of life who have felt conflicted about their religion and who they are. This examination of humanity and culture shows how individuals are affected by the strictures of Evangelical Christianity-and how they are reclaiming it for their own. While it's clear what the author's political and religious opinions are, Jian Lee avoids pontification. The journalistic writing will appeal to readers of nonfiction; the personal nature of the content will offer solidarity to those who are struggling with their faith, and the examination of religion and politics will challenge readers searching for a different perspective. This volume offers insight into an often overlooked sect of American Christianity; here, Jian Lee has given women, racial minorities, and the LGBTQ community a voice. VERDICT This is a succinct, intelligent, personable accounting of an often misunderstood demographic.-Kathleen Dupré, Edmond, OK © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
