Wholehearted Faith is an honest look at our ever evolving faith and knowing that it's not just ok, but necessary for growth. This book is a gift Rachel Held Evans gave to us after her death, thank you to Jeff Chu for making this happen. Rachel was someone who pushed back on her faith in the most beautiful of ways and has brought us along on the journey. Beautifully written, deeply impactful. A read that can be taken in small chunks here and there, as I did, or a read straight through.
Thank you to HarperOne and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book beautifully explores the concept of Wholehearted Faith, a faith that doesn't shy away from doubt but rather embraces it. It's a faith that compels us to pour out our lives because of our unwavering trust in the God of love.

Within these pages, you'll find a profound discussion on the radical act of loving our enemies, embracing a posture of 'thick skin, tender heart.' Rachel dives into the idea of experiencing a heart transformation, drawing inspiration from Ezekiel 36, all the while expressing the depths of our emotions and finding solace in the Psalms as a guide to prayer. She encourages us to explore new ways of praying, distinct from the rigid rituals of the Pharisees, and challenges us to confront the troubling presence of white supremacy within Christianity.

Rachel's insights touch upon various facets of church and faith life, from the importance of observing Sabbath rest to the significance of baptizing her children. She delves into the concept of shalom-peace and reflects on the idea of telos-endings. She candidly shares her experiences with online critics and offers glimpses into her beautiful family.

This book is not just a tribute to Rachel and her family but also to us, her readers. It's unclear whether it was Rachel herself or Jeff Chu who took the time to lovingly mention several relatives, but it's a gesture that brings us closer to the beloved Rachel. Her spirit lives on within the pages of this book, as it does within all of her literary works.

This book is great if you’re a fan of Rachel.. I have read some of her work in the past and was excited to read this one as well. I quickly realized it wasn’t for me, but I do think that it was well done and I couldn’t tell what Rachel had written and what Jeff had written, Overall, I’d say it’s worth the read if you’re a fan of Rachel Held Evans.

Wholeheared Faith is a gift. It's hard to describe what it feels like to hold it in your hands. Knowing that Rachel died before she could finish this book and that Jeff stepped in to finish it as an act of love to her and to us, makes the words on the pages even more special.

This book is for all of us. Those who live with faith and those of us who wrestle with our faith. Whether you have read ever book Rachel Held Evans has written or this is the first book of hers you have picked up, you will not be disappointed.

The publisher made a copy of this book available for review. This is my honest opinion.

I have been reading Rachel Held Evans books for longer than I have been a Christian and to say that she was and is an instrumental and vital part of my faith is undeniable. I avoided finishing this book for a long time because if I never finished it, I could always tell myself that there was more out there that I hadn't read of hers yet. But I have finally finished this and it is as much a masterpiece as her previous books, perhaps more so knowing the other hands that went into its creation and loving crafted her words to their final form after her death. This is both a love letter to Christianity, and in a larger way to faith as a whole, and Rachel herself. I am grateful I finally finished it (crying, of course) and so sad that it is over. But Rachel's books have a way of changing and adding layers and sometimes even improving on the second, third, and fourth reads and this is one I think I will be returning to over and over again. So grateful for her voice even in death.

QOTD: What’s one thing you did that brought you joy this weekend?

@rachelheldevans was part of a vanguard of progressive-Christian women who fought to change the way Christianity is taught and perceived in the United States. Before her much-too-early passing, she penned (most of) this last book, that friend and fellow progressive Christian voice @byjeffchu finished.

Reading this felt like a long walk through the woods on a warm sun-drenched day with a good friend that just gets it. While she did all of the talking, or writing in this case, I felt so heard. It was bittersweet to have this last back and forth with Rachel, and I’m tremendously thankful for the @thenewevangelicals book club to navigate it with.

“It would be dishonest for me not to say I am a Christian when Christianity is the story I will wrestle with forever.”

#rachelheldevans #wholeheartedfaith #thenewevangelicals #bookclub #deconstruction #deconstructingfaith #progressivechristianity #progressivechristian #exvangelicals #jeffchu #evolvingfaith #christianbooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #instabooks #socksunday #sundaysocks #bookishmerch #bookcovers #bookphoto #bookblog #bookclubsofinstagram #exevangelical

Rachel Held Evans was such a wonderful writer before her untimely death. She was able to express her journey of faith in relatable and thoughtful ways. This book continued this, and I would recommend to anyone who is or who has struggled with their faith. Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

This was a bittersweet read for me. It's a fantastic book. It's well-written, insightful, open, honest, humorous at times, and I'm so glad I got to read it. But it was a sad read as it was published after the author's tragic, untimely death. I'm so glad the world got a few more insights from Rachel Held Evans, and I will definitely read this book again.

Rachel Held Evans had a way of deconstructing faith without making it feel shameful. She asked tough questions and dug into her research to find answers. This book was published after her death, with the help of her dear friend, fellow writer, and editor Jeff Chu. I actually think this is one of the best books about faith and Christianity that I've ever read. As someone who has questioned a lot of the things that I learned while growing up in the church, it was comforting to read that I wasn't alone, and that it was actually healthy to interrogate the belief system in which I was raised. After being gaslit my whole adult life for my skepticism when it came to organized religion, this book was the catharsis that I needed to find peace in where I've landed. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans and Jeff Chu is an extraordinary book that shows the potential depths of faith in God. God is big enough for our questions and He is not threatened by them. This book is one to read again and again because there is much to be gained here. So much to ponder and I know that I have not finished considering it. I highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

It was painful to read this book knowing it was published posthumously. The book itself was exactly what my heart needed to read. Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to read it.

Wholehearted Faith was absolutely beautiful. A long awaited book, with Rachel's last written words, describing what it means to live a life of faith wholeheartedly. Every single page was filled with such wisdom. I bought a copy for my shelf, so I can mark this one up and read it over and over again!

I listened to the audiobook, read by Evans's husband Dan, Sarah Bessey, Kaitlin Curtice, Nadia Bolz-Weber, and others. I've now ordered a physical copy of the book so I can underline all the gorgeous lines and truths. What a prophetic voice we lost.

Wholehearted Faith came about as a labor of love; after Rachel Held Evans died unexpectedly, her husband Daniel gave her unfinished manuscript to Jeff Chu and asked him to finish it. Chu was able to convey the essence of Rachel, and I can't begin to delineate which words were original to Rachel and which ones were written by Chu.

The opening words from both Daniel and Jeff had me in tears, and then I was ushered into Rachel's words. This work is a testament to living fully, wholly into faith, into not compartmentalizing but instead incorporating our faith into how we live our lives and make sense of the world.

It was bittersweet to read this, as it was a gift to again encounter Rachel's words, but saddening to know this was the last time I would get to read a new work from Rachel, a woman who made no small impact on me.

In addition to this advanced reader copy, I also preordered the audiobook, the chapters of which are read by dear friends of hers, and that, too, was a gift to experience.

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

What a beautifully written book by the late Rachel Held Evans. It was hard (nearly impossible) to make it through a chapter without tears falling because of how true the words written are in our world today. This is a book that I have on my list and shelf to read each year, as I feel it is filled with a number of great reminders as well as truths about who we are as beloved people of God-things we often forget so easily.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of RHE, as well as anyone who is needing to be reminded of how loved and precious they are.

This was so bittersweet, knowing these are the last thoughts we’ll get from Rachel. There was so much goodness to be found in this book and I’m so glad to have had an advance reader copy sitting on my kindle - this will definitely be one I buy the physical copy of to sit on my bookshelf beside her other works.

I highlighted often and found myself thankful she could put words to questions and feelings I’ve encountered on my own faith journey.

What a wonderful read to finish on Christmas Eve Eve and to head in 2022 pursuing a wholehearted faith.

Of course, this book is special all on its own because it's the last Rachel Evans book. I loved this book and I'm glad I got to read it.

Wholehearted Faith
by Rachel Held Evans; Jeff Chu
Pub Date 02 Nov 2021 | Archive Date 28 Dec 2021
HarperOne
Biographies & Memoirs | Christian | Nonfiction (Adult)




I am reviewing a copy of Wholehearted Faith through HarperOne and Netgalley:






Rachel Held Evans was widely recognized for her theologically astute, profoundly honest, and beautifully personal books, which have guided, instructed, edified, and shaped Christians as they seek to live out a just and loving faith.




When Rachel Held Evans died at the young age of 37 in 2019 Rachel was working on a new book about wholeheartedness. With the help of her close friend and author Jeff Chu, that work-in-progress has been woven together with some of her other unpublished writings into a rich collection of essays that ask candid questions about the stories we’ve been told—and the stories we tell about our faith, our selves, and our world.





Wholehearted Faith is for the doubter, dreamer, seeker and the sojourner those who long for a sense of spiritual wholeness as well as those who have been hurt by the Church but can’t seem to let go of the story of Jesus. Through theological reflection and personal recollection, Rachel wrestles with God’s grace and love, looks unsparingly at what the Church is and does, and explores universal human questions about becoming and belonging. An unforgettable, moving, and intimate book.



I give Wholehearted Faith five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I’m sad to think that I’ve read Rachel’s last work. A work that is pieced together from her final writings, her friends, her husband, her blogs, her precious works. I loved reading Wholehearted Faith because I love Rachel’s heart, and her brain, and her love of scripture. I love the way she searches for truth but keeps her hands open for new thoughts and perspectives. It was good to read and remember Rachel’s legacy. I’m thankful for her constant candor and bravery.

I’ve read all of RHE’s books and follow Chu on socials. Her voice is missed in this world, and the gift of Chu’s and Rachel’s family collaboration in bringing this last title to us means more than I can express. Chu managed to bring Rachel’s voice to the forefront and seemingly—though I know it wasn’t—effortlessly weaves together this collection, and he is to be commended for that.