This book was part memoir and part journalistic investigation into the exvangelical movement. It was interesting and tender and relatable in so many ways.

I loved the audiobook!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Macmillan Audio for an ARC of this audiobook.


I thought the cover and the subject matter were interesting for this book, and so I requested it as an ARC.

The author does a good job of telling her story of becoming disillusioned from the church she grew up in.

She did a wonderful job telling her story and reading this audio book.

In "The Exvangelicals" by Sarah McCammon, the author explores the journey of leaving the evangelical church, a path taken by many disillusioned former believers. McCammon, once deeply entrenched in the evangelical culture, reflects on her own upbringing and the complexities that led her to question and ultimately leave the faith.

The book offers a sensitive and honest examination of the issues surrounding evangelicalism, drawing from McCammon's personal experiences and interviews with others who have similarly transitioned out of the church. Through her humility and candor, McCammon fosters a dialogue rather than passing judgment, making readers who have grappled with confusion and disillusionment feel seen and heard.

While primarily targeted at those familiar with evangelicalism, the book also serves as an informative resource for those curious about the culture. However, its unflinching observations may be challenging for those deeply committed to evangelical beliefs.

McCammon delves into various sensitive topics, including the intersection of evangelicalism and politics, sexual identity, race, gender roles, and abuse, which may serve as triggers for some readers. Yet, she handles these issues with care and thoughtfulness, offering a nuanced perspective on the complexities of leaving the evangelical fold.

Overall, "The Exvangelicals" provides a compelling insight into the experiences of those who have left the evangelical church, offering empathy, understanding, and a platform for dialogue on a deeply personal and often misunderstood journey.

Narrated by the author, I thought Sara McCammon did a great job of conveying her story. I felt more connected to the story through her voice, especially as someone who is trying to understand the pull of Evangelicalism without ever having been religious. Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC.

Important and comprehensive, the book provides both an overview of the exvangelical movement and a personal account of what deconstruction looks like for an individual, and the myriad ways... family structure, world view, friends, etc.... that it shifts a core component of who we thought we were. I think this would be a helpful read for people both in the midst of deconstruction and people who know others who are going through it. Accessible and thorough.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

"The Exvangelicals" by Sarah McCammon offers a relatable narrative of deconstruction for individuals who grew up within western evangelical culture. Through personal anecdotes and insightful analysis, McCammon delves deep into the complexities of faith and identity, which is sure to resonate with anyone who has navigated a similar journey of questioning and growth.

Beyond individual experiences, the book sheds light on the broader cultural, social, and political impact of the evangelical church, examining the ways in which evangelicalism has shaped and influenced various aspects of society, from its role in shaping political ideologies to its impact on interpersonal relationships and community dynamics.

Overall, "The Exvangelicals" provides a poignant and thought-provoking exploration of faith, culture, and identity. It's a compelling read that offers valuable insights into the complexities of navigating belief systems within the context of modern society.

This was a very interesting and political memoir about people who leave the evangelical church. I was surprised that it felt more like an investigative or political book than a memoir, but I really enjoyed that. The examination of the influence of evangelicals in America was fascinating.

Still irritated with myself for not getting this review up sooner! Immediately upon finishing I had a copy secured for our library, and one for my home library. Five stars, all the stars! Somehow, some way, McCammon manages to touch on so many reasons that people journey/are journeying out of the (predominantly white) American evangelical churches and culture. Without being bogged down but still managing to pack so.much.stuff. into one title, McCammon is insightful, thoughtful, and reaches into the historical. Phenomenal work—thank you, Ms McCammon, for such a well-written, thoughtful book for fellow travelers.

My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to preview this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

THE EXVANGELICALS by Sarah McCammon is a relevant resource for those wanting to either understand the recent exodus from the white evangelical church or to connect with an individual who can sympathetically relate, if that was your experience. This is an excellent primer, part memoir, part historical account.

Unlike some in power who want to castigate those who leave as doing so to spiral into unhealthy practices, McCammon understands the nuance of leaving due to hypocritical leaders seeking power over character. She articulates aspects of my own journey and thought processes. I continue to be a person of faith, but I felt a little spiritually homeless for many of the reasons articulated here.

This book also reads as a who's who in recent evangelical circles: Joshua Harris, Jeff Chu, Tyler Huckabee, Sarah Bessey, Rachel Held Evans, Beth Moore, Abraham Piper, Russell Moore, and others are referenced.

The audiobook is narrated by the author; people are often drawn to authors reading their own work, and as McCammon also worked as a journalist for NPR, she is well qualified to narrate her book.

(I received a digital ALC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

I didn't get a chance to read this before it was archived. Rating for the cover and description. Look forward to reading it when it is out.

I’ve needed this book my entire life.

I spent my childhood and most of my teens attending conservative churches that veered deeply into Evangelical and Christian Nationalist beliefs. In fact, a college in my hometown (where I now reside) has a very special mention regarding it’s commitment to being a pillar of white nationalism in the evangelical Christian faith.

So much of this book reflected my own experiences with purity culture and repressing my Queerness until years after I had left the church, and the ways I have seen evangelicalism negatively impact the lives of so many of those I love and care about.

McCammon does not allow the exvangelical movement to stand unquestioned. She thoughtfully examines how those who leave the denomination must be careful to unpack our own personal bad habits and socialization so that we don’t rebuild those toxic power structures in our secular or other denomination lives.

There were so many moments that I found laugh-out-loud relatable: SPOILER the moment Sarah’s mother tells her that if you love Jesus enough you don’t need oral sex; many of the tales of mishaps during dating; and the line about an interviewee who has mastered the art of faking an understanding of popular culture references. END SPOILER

Other moments made me pause the audiobook in order to reflect and sit with the guilt, anxiety, and fear that permeated so much of my childhood. McCammon quotes a VBS song that made me spiral for a brief moment, realizing the fullness of what it meant to instruct children to sing songs about fighting in “the lord’s army.”

As someone who has left the faith and has built strong relationships with many secular and religious folks, I also deeply appreciated McCammon’s candidness about her interfaith marriage and appreciation for the comforting familiarity of Judaism.

I am so thankful to the author and to McMillan Audio for the chance to review the advanced review copy of the audiobook release. I know that I’m going to return to the passages in here in the future for further reflection and unpacking. Sarah McCammon does an incredible job of documenting the ways that growing up evangelical uniquely messes you up in such an honest, cathartic, and relatable manner.

This was one of my most-anticipated books of the year, and the audiobook did not disappoint. Sarah expertly weaves personal anecdotes with a more general and extremely thorough examination of what it meant and what it felt like to grow up religious in the 90s. I was especially fascinated by her ability to maintain a loving attitude toward her parents despite their extreme disapproval as she left the church- and even their refusal to attend her second wedding. I highly recommend this book to anyone who was raised within the periphery of this cultural moment.

The Exvangelicals by Sarah McCammon is hands down going to be one of my favorite books for this year. If you've ever experienced disillusion from the white American Christian church, then you will relate to McCammon's raw, personal story of growing up in the evangelical sphere and eventually her departure from it.

McCammon bravely shares about her childhood growing up in an evangelical community as well as her family relationships and how that has affected her outlook on life and the church. She was raised in a solidly conservative Christian home and attended Christian school from elementary through undergrad. It wasn't until she became older and more aware in the world that she realized her experience of reality did not match what her fundamentalist Christian faith taught her.

This book includes many interviews with others who have had similar encounters with the church in America and how it has shaped their lives. I listened to the audiobook, and it listens very much like a journalistic podcast, which I enjoyed. McCammon did her research and provided some history about the evangelical church sprinkled throughout the book, too.

I personally related to this book as someone who has experienced the disillusion with church that erupted in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, responses to COVID, and the evangelical church's staunch defense and support of Donald Trump. I, too, have been forced to revisit my values and beliefs, especially those that were molded out of a Christian fundamentalist, biblical literalist theology that I just don't think holds up under scrutiny. It is uncanny how similar McCammon's childhood and life story are to mine. I commend her for her bravery in sharing such personal details as well as for her diligence in researching and writing this much needed piece. Anyone who is going through a similar crisis of faith will appreciate her take and feel seen when they read The Exvangelicals by Sarah McCammon.

This memoir follows the author’s life from growing up Evangelical, to grappling with some of its tenets to becoming an Exvangelical. She does a great job of outlining this religion and provides balance between less harmful and more harmful beliefs. Her awakening to some of the harmful beliefs is representative of how many struggle at some point with their own faith-based following. Whether Evangelical, Exvangelical, or religious background, this book is relatable and a good springboard to meaningful faith-based conversation. Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

This was such a cathartic experience for me. Read this if you grew up in the evangelical church and need to know you're not alone, or if you didn't and just want to better understand what the experience was like. Either way, I think this book will have something to say to you. Exvangelicals, keep sharing your experiences. There is nothing more powerful than realizing that what you went through was not okay and that you are not the only one.

The Exvangelicals is an in-depth look at the history of the Evangelical movement in the United States. Sarah McCammon does a great job putting history with her own exploration of truth and understanding. I felt deeply connected to this book and McCammon's perspectives being raised within the same time frame in the midwest and raised by a family that I do not see eye to eye with in relation to faith.

I really appreciated this book that’s part memoir and part nonfiction exploration of the reasons people are leaving evangelical churches. As a lifelong Lutheran, this isn’t fully my experience, but some aspects were similar to my childhood faith formation.

Ms. McCammon is uniquely qualified to write on the subject because her parents were devout members of an evangelical church, and she’s a journalist reporting for National Public Radio. She grew up in Kansas City so I felt a connection as a fellow Midwesterner.

Blending personal experiences with facts and statistics kept me engaged in ways I haven’t found in other books on the topic. The author’s narration of the audiobook was like having an interesting conversation with a new friend.

The book includes a fair amount of political discussion so reader, know thyself.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for the review copies of this thought-provoking book.

This was a really powerful read. A person's relationship with religion and faith is such a deeply ingrained part of who they are and Sarah really got to the heart of what a generation is now working through in deconstructing evangelical christianity and coming to terms with the current direction of the evangelical faith group as a whole.

There were so many parts of this book that gave me deep nostalgia. Starting with the fact that both myself and the author have the same first and middle name - based on the Bible and given by parents who are deeply evangelical and fit much of the description of their generation that is portrayed in this book. Beyond our names, there are many experiences that the author discusses in the upbringing of this generation that were very familiar and brought another perspective for consideration and validated a lot of what I myself have been working through.

I think this book really gave me a feeling of being seen and not alone in the journey that I'm on in reckoning with my upbringing, grounding myself in my faith and dealing with feelings of disappointment and hurt associated with the current evangelical landscape. I also struggle with how to raise my children and really appreciated the different book recommendations that popped up through the narrative in this book.

The audiobook was very well done - I enjoyed hearing the author read her own work. Sarah did a great job narrating in a way that kept me engaged and not distracted. This was a pretty quick read - I read it over the course of a day - and it definitely gave me a lot to think about and continue to work through. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC of this book. All thoughts are my own!

Growing numbers of people raised attending evangelical churches have become disillusioned with the apparent disparity between the church’s teachings and the current conservative Christian culture. In this memoir, the author recounts her growing up years and what she was taught by her parents and her conservative evangelical church. She discusses the growing movement of people who refer to themselves as “exvangelical” who question how current conservative politics are influencing Christians to seemingly abandon the teaching of Jesus Christ.
I agree with another reviewer who commented that the author is “preaching to the choir”. Most readers are probably drawn to the title (as I was) because we have similar upbringings and currently sometimes have difficulty seeing the “Christ” in the word “Christian”. It is disheartening to see conservative believers being blindsided by the very “un-Christian” rants made by narcissistic politicians who support former President Trump. Unfortunately the people who could be enlightened by this book will not read it although it is well written, interesting and the audiobook is narrated very well.

This book is described as "part memoire, part investigative journalism" as McCammon herself was raised in, and left the White Evangelical church.
It was an interesting look at what it was like to be raised in this religion, as well as some of the reasons people leave. I guess I just expected more, this book did not tell me much more than I already knew, there was nothing shocking, or new.

It kind of just felt like this book skimmed the surface of many topics, without getting deep into any.