This is a must read for anyone who has left or is thinking about leaving the evangelical church. This is a very well researched book by a journalist for NPR who had left the evangelical church after being raised in it. The book had so many interviews with people who have left the church...religious trauma, purity culture, the 2016 election/Trump, treatment of LGBTQ+ people, etc. It definitely made me feel like I am not alone.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy of the book.

If there is one book this year that anyone who has not grown up in an Evangelical household should read before November's election, it is this one. I say this as the wife of an Exvangelical who has spent the last twenty plus years married into an Evangelical family and I. Had. No. Idea. I thought I understood the culture. I thought I understood my husband's upbringing and have been a strong support system for his deconversion. But I had no idea. I had no idea the relentlessness of pushing a religious-political idealogy that was meant to be spread on a national, if not global scale. I had no idea how pervasive and abusive the purity culture was towards both boys and girls, nor how widespread the lack of knowledge towards sex was, although in hindsight, explains a lot. I only recently learned that my children's sweet, sweet grreat-grandparents were segregationists and reading how entwined the teachings of racism and white supremacy were within these churches up until very recently now makes a lot more sense, although I still vehemently disagree with the prevailing attitudes.

I loved how McCammon breaks down the chapters into easy to digest information that fully and accurately describes the reality of growing up in the Evangelical movement. Her personal anecdotes are well balanced with clearly well documented research and interviews. She has given ample opportunities as well for the other side to refute claims as well. There is so much to unpack that I will be talking about what I read with my husband and both sides of our family (Christian and secular) for years to come. My only complaint is that because there is a lot of current event references, that the book will become dated too soon before it can reach the audience breadth that it deserves.

Here is the thing. No one knows. No one outside of those who grew up with the teachings of Dobson, Falwell, and the Pearls understand. That is why reading this book is necessary. For Exvangelicals themselves, the stories, the abuse, the alienation and inability to ever just be yourself will be nothing new. But for those of us that grew up in secular households, or even in other religious sects need to understand what the bigger picture is with the movement and how this has been planned for literally generations.

This book is not for the Exvangelicals. It is for the rest of us. Those of us who love, and hold, and cry and scream with the Exvangelicals after a family event, those of us who do not understand how churches can endorse someone like Trump and still cast out someone from the community for identifying as LGBTQ+, or those of us are confused as to how we got to where we are so quickly. This book is for us and we need to take it seriously before it is too late.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sarah McCammon, and St. Martin's Press for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book because a Bible College professor of mine had recommended Rachel Held Evan’s book Searching for Sunday Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church and this book seemed similar. I could relate to many of the stories McCammon told about growing up in an evangelical church in the 80s & 90s. The discussion of purity culture was very interesting for me & reminded me of how hard it is for people growing up in that to figure out sex in marriage given we are told it’s not ok and then the act of marriage makes it ok. It made me sad to read stories of intolerance towards others and it made me so grateful to have grown up in a Christian home with parents who modelled loving others despite differences. I am glad that exvangelicals still love Jesus even though they may not attend church any more and have found ways to love life outside the bubble.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.

I was very interested to read this book about those people who have left evangelical Christianity. I did not grown up in an evangelical Christian family, I did go to a Southern Baptist Church and there are many parallels to what is covered in this book. McCammon, a journalist, describes her own evangelical upbringing and it is very much a fear-based version of Christianity that I recognized. I appreciate the compilation of stories shared here, and examples of specific childhood religious experiences. Some of her memories brought forth a sense of déjà vu, yet I did not really connect with the rest of the book. I thought it leaned a little unnecessarily political at parts. I would say that if leaving the evangelical Christian community is something you connect with or are interested in knowing more about, then definitely pick this one up. If those subjects aren't in your wheelhouse, you may find this one a little dense. I'd also like to note that I think I would have actually preferred this book as an audio book versus a digital galley and would recommend trying that format if you like audio books.

I finished this book yesterday [3.17.2024] and 24hrs later, my head is still spinning, my heart is hurting and I am in full-trauma recovery-mode. I am afraid that I will be unable to write a full review for this book simply because every time I try, I burst into tears and the whole trauma-cycle starts again.

I knew going in that this book would bring up some unpleasant memories for me in regards to my time in the evangelical church [from age 10, when we moved in with my grandparents until I finally left for good in 2014], but had no idea just how deep this book would touch me or how intense my memories were of that time; I am pretty sure that anyone who has had an experience similar to mine will totally and completely understand and would react in a similar way.

I DO think that everyone should be reading this book, especially if you did not grow up in evangelicalism and have friends that did, as it will help you understand them a little more, and if you currently have friends who are the whole evangelical-political spectrum, because it will help with all of that as well. It is a well-written, eye-opening [even for this exvangelical], and at times, very painful to read [I imagine it will be so for non-evangelicals as well], and deeply profound and personal and I am so grateful to the author for being both brave enough and transparent in writing this book. Talking about life within the evangelical church and the damage it did, is extremely difficult for most of us [and I cannot imagine trying to sort my emotional thoughts and distress into a book], and I admire her ability to do just that.

I do wish I could garner my emotions to write more here - I often find when people can do that, it helps others as they are navigating an unfamiliar landscape, but at this moment, I just cannot. Maybe a day will come where things will be less traumatic for me and I will be able to add to this review; we shall see. Until then, know that I too am among the survivors of trauma at the hands of the evangelical church and that I see you, the other survivors, and join you in the struggle for healing and moving forward. May we all find peace and healing.

The audiobook for this was excellent. The author narrates and it was particularly helpful to have her own voice telling her own story and I highly recommend listening to this book [with the book open and a highlighter and notebook at the ready] to get the full experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah McCammon, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a fan of Sarah McCammon's work for a while, since my days doing religion and politics polling, so I knew I'd want to read The Exvangelicals. She weaves together her own story, the stories of other exvangelicals (a diverse group of exvangelicals), data, and political and social analysis, and covers a lot of ground in terms of issue areas that evangelicalism has touched in the last few decades. I know I'm pretty close to the target audience for this, but I think it's an important read for people who are interested in politics, or who lived through the 2016 election and can't quite understand how the evangelical right claims to have moral high ground and still embraced (and embraces) Trump.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC of The Exvangelicals in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this title.

This was a weird case where it feels like I've read a lot of the primary sources/recommended further reading from the back material of the book. I think this does a great job of giving an overview of what this movement is, the reasons it's seen a rise in the last few years, where it's at now, and a little bit of a view to where it's going/what needs to happen next. As someone familiar, I'd like a little more of the latter, but this is very much a primer if you're curious and a good starting point before diving into further info elsewhere.

This was incredible to read. As a person with similar experiences, I felt so seen and heard. And I found it incredibly helpful to see the biggest reasons for deconstruction broken down topic by topic. This is a great read if you either want to commiserate with others that have deconstructed, or if you need a little help putting your journey into words for the people around you that want to convince you that you’re crazy.

Wow this book covered so much and all of it important topics within religion and the misinformation and control around the teachings. I loved the balance of having multiple interviews alongside the author’s personal experience. The research was well done and you could tell the author put time into getting this correct.

I didn’t grow up in a religious household but I was raised by religious parents and can see a lot of this in my household and more within the last few years. This book is going to do well to connect those who have left religion or aren’t religious enough for their family.

Very informative read for anyone!

Such a strong young woman. Breaking away from a church that you have been raised in, that your family and friends , many who are still part of, takes alot of strength. I was raised Catholic, and in many ways I can relate to some of what she is detailing in this book. But this is a whole other kettle of fish. Your whole life is based on church teachings, I say brainwashing, where you are given little choice but to fall in line.

Its very frightening to me, the power of these churches. This book is so informative and goes a long way in explaining the evangelicals worship of Trump and his agenda and theirs. If you are curious this is a good book to read because the author was part of this movement and had the courage to leave.

The narration was clear and concise. Well done.

While I thought this was interesting, well researched, and well written, I have no personal experiences in or leaving evangelicalism. Readers who are looking for information and empathy on that topic will likely find a lot in this book to take in. Readers, like me, who are curious about the topic from a more "cultural viewpoint" area will also find lots here.

Anyone who is exvangelical themselves or is close to someone who is probably won't be learning much from this book, to be honest. Still, there are some wonderfully poignant personal stories that make it well worth reading. I appreciate how detailed the research is in this book, and I like the included reading/listening list for further information. This book is best for people who know very little about American evangelicalism, and want a broad overview of the cultural and political aspects and don't want to get into the weeds with theology.

I found this to be a thought provoking book. As a member of a traditional evangelical church, ( not of the born again or Pentecostal variety) I was certainly interested in this topic.
There were many things of which I relate described by the author and some of the exvangelicals she interviewed. The major thing that struck me was the movement of the evangelical church towards a marked political focus. This was not a thing that I experienced in my younger years in the church. Our church held fast to a separation of church and state, which I feel is a very good thing both for government and the church. I have experienced a significant change within the church in the more recent era beginning with The Tea Party movement years and further exacerbated by the Trump era. This has been hard for me, and I appreciated much of what Sarah and some of the others who were quoted shared about their struggles. I have as well much concern about this move to insert religion into politics.
As a Christian, I did have some issues with some of the more extreme reactions to evangelicalism. I can certainly see how people have been terribly hurt by the church and family, but I think sometimes people chose a radical reversal as a response. This saddens me see as it may be embracing a response as a reaction rather than a belief. The world is sometimes a hurtful place and that includes religion and churches. I can't lump God into this category even as I question religion's theology. Some of that may come from age or acceptance of the flaws of all religions, and some from the benefits and blessings I have received through faith and a community that supports me in general. I found that there were others who as well chose to retain faith even in the removal of their presence from evangelicalism. I think this is very individual and a part of finding our way within our accepted boundaries. For me, I need God even if I sometimes question the church. I felt Sarah did a good job of sharing from all walks without forcing the reader to accept any one truth for themself.
This was clearly a personal story but as well a piece of journalism relating to the topic through the inclusion of many voices. As such, it was a good book to read about the topic and will certainly provide a look into the increasing challenges facing the evangelical church. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

What I liked:

- this was super interesting. I haven’t read anything by an ex-evangelical before, and I really enjoyed getting a peek into this author’s life.
- I liked how the author tied in the implications of evangelicalism and Uber conservative politics. Her stories from her time writing on the campaign trail were impactful.
- as someone who grew up in what I’d call “purity culture lite”, I liked to hear how purity culture has had lasting implications on people’s lives, well into adulthood.

What didn’t work for me:
- my mind wandered a bit during parts of this that I found a little dry, but overall I really enjoyed this memoir.

Sarah McCammon examines the evangelical church and those that have left in The Exvangelicals. This book is both a history of evangelicalism, the move of some in the community to leave, as well as a memoir about the author's experiences in that community.

Coming in to this book, I was not aware of the term exvangelical, and I mostly picked this up as I knew McCammon's work in political in NPR, primarily during the 2016 campaign. I vaguely knew about her history as an evangelical, and she was primarily tasked with covering the GOP presidential campaign.

I appreciated that she was upfront that this was focusing on the white evangelical church. The term exvangelical is really about white folks leaving. When the author spoke with Black congregants they did not identify with the term, especially as many would not even lump them in with evangelicals.

She charts how politics and the 2016 election was a turning point for the church, where people either leaned in or left. People started saying the quiet parts out loud and the church became more explicitly political.

An important note that she touched on was the trauma that many who grew up in the church dealt with and how it was often minimalized. And like much complex trauma (physical and emotional), many need therapy to process. She also highlights how different evangelicals deal (or don't deal) with family they leave behind. I also appreciated how McCammon lays out the reasons why she left the church. Her relationship with her grandfather who was ostracized from her family was particularly moving. While I did not learn a lot new about evangelicals, this book did highlight an interesting and diverse subset that I do not hear a lot about.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

Phenomenal! Sarah McCammon’s The Exvangelicals is so well written that one races through the pages, all the while amazed by her accomplishment of the seemingly impossible: she has authored an enjoyable read that effectively informs and establishes the urgency and relevance of the post-evangelical movement, a contemporarily complex, emotionally charged subject, and she delivers with care and without diatribe.

In The Exvangelicals, McCammon converts controversy, division and disillusionment into an insightful and literate call for self-examination and compassion. This is a title that should be shelved widely across our arbitrary divisions, as it is a contemporary history book, a memoir, a spiritual quest, a letter of encouragement to both believers and seekers, and a graceful yet steely reminder of the horrors inherent when harmful acts are performed in the name of holy intentions.

The tone is serious, the message that we must all do better, be better, whatever our path chosen, underlies all, yet somehow McCammon's mix of referenced sources and thoughtful commentary, with her personal and professional experiences interwoven throughout, have the reader feeling an often elusive inspiration: that with willingness to change (and the actual effort to do so), there just might be hope for us all.

The Exvangelicals also has an extensive further reading list, by topic, and enthusiastic use of endnotes that readers who wish to expand their understanding further will appreciate.

An essential read (and wonderful hand-selling opportunity), regardless of reader age, faith, race, gender, or any other subgroup or division we humans may use, now or in future, to separate ourselves from one another.

Thank you to Shelf Awareness for the ARC I received and read to write this review, and to NetGalley for the ERC and audiobook I received thereafter. I eagerly await this title’s release date this month, as I have personally preordered yet another iteration for the finalized further reading list plus endnotes and to support Sarah McCammon’s valuable contribution towards informed compassionate change.

The Exvangelicals was a balance between being McCammon's memoir and a study in how those raised in the evangelical church are impacted. While McCammon shares a bit about her upbringing in the church, she also bridges the gap by quoting others who are dealing with their break from evangelical churches. She speaks with those who are still Christians and those who have left Christianity altogether. I found her perspective to be interesting. She acknowledges the positives of the evangelical movement, but also loops that in to explain why it contributes to the trauma of leaving the church or "deconstructing" as many call it.

This was a very tough book for me to read. Not because of the writing; the writing was interesting but efficient, and well-organized. Not because of the writer's tone; the author is a reporter from NPR and did a great job of being neutral and even-handed when discussing experiences other than her own. In the same vein, the author was warm and personable when discussing her history in the Evangelical subculture. It was tough because I know people who have suffered greatly because of living in that subculture. I knew a lot from what they had shared, but really, I had no idea.

Ms. McCammon has a well-organized arc to the story she tells; it parallels her experiences growing up as an Evangelical in Kansas. She details what she was taught, how she was treated, what was expected of her, and what she honestly believed at the time. Adding to that, she brings in complementary experiences of others and other factual material, such as direct quotes from home schooling material published by Bob Jones University. Factual assertions are end-noted and are of solid material. This is not a book in which the author cites their own material as a source; I just suffered through one of those. No, this is a journalistic work worth reading.

The one thing that struck me like a lightning bolt when partially through the book is that some Evangelicals lie a lot. Certainly not every person, BUT the leaders will tell the people they lead whatever they need to to control their behavior. It's all about POWER. McCammon reaches this conclusion and I think it is dead-on. My experience with terribly damaged 20-somethings who left, and with their domineering, abusive evangelical parents (now 70ish) COMPLETELY fits with what Ms. McCammon has written. I was frequently nauseous as I worked out mysterious past events that I personally witnessed using information in the text. And, one of those parents I know is a pathological liar in addition to being abusive... and so, the puzzle pieces drop into place. I wish I had a time-turner or a time machine; I would absolutely have put a stop to the purported abuse to which this new information gives supporting evidence.

Thank you to Sarah McCammon for her bravery in writing this; and also to her, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an uncorrected e-galley of the text of this book. Thank you. As usual, St. Martin's Press has provided a spotless galley; such a joy to read compared to others. I have received nothing for my review and have given my honest opinion of this work.

I am withholding a formal review until St. Martin's Press & its subsidiaries take accountability. #speakupsmp

Thought provoking book.

Sarah McCammon writes a book that is partially a memoir of her own experiences surrounding evangelicalism, and partially an examination of the people who are leaving the evangelical church, their reasons for doing so, and where they are now with their faith. She speaks very critically (and rightly so in my opinion) about James Dobson and Focus on the Family, which was the preeminent authority figure during the 80s-early 2000s, right at the time I was personally growing up and then raising my children. McCammon also touches on topics such as science, the end times, politics (primarily white nationalism and the evangelical adoration of Donald Trump), and what it truly means to walk away from evangelicalism. It is a community, it is a family, and many who have walked away have lost the support of their family and community.

There is so much food for thought and discussion in this book. While I agreed with a good amount of it, I disagreed with some of it--and that's okay. When you are raised in and participating in evangelical Christianity, it is almost unheard of to ask questions, to disagree, to examine things from a different point of view. McCammon encourages people to look at what is being preached about, taught, and espoused and critically think about things with perspective. I think this book would be an excellent jump off point for those who want to wrestle with issues surrounding the Christian church. I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author and as she is a reporter with NPR, her narration is skillful.

I related to this book more than I thought I would. Although I currently attend an evangelical church in a predominantly white area, I feel as if things have changed in my church over the past ten years. The current pastor of my church is pragmatic and scientific, he examines the Bible in light of science, not the other way around. He never speaks of anything political from the pulpit other than the broad mention of praying for our leaders. This isn't to say I think it's a perfect church, there are definitely issues and things I struggle with personally, but due to what I mentioned above I have not felt like I needed to become an "exvangelical" as this author writes about.

I know this book already has its critics, and I'm sure that's to be expected when you are saying things that challenge the status quo of a powerful organization. I have long said that the basis of my faith is to love others, period. I have struggled and lost friends over that point of view, simple as it is. If you have any experience with the evangelical church, I encourage you to pick this book up and use it as a springboard for self examination and discussion. Because if your God can't take the questions, is it really God?