Introduction to ‘The Exvangelicals’
Sarah McCammon’s ‘The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church’ offers a riveting combination of memoir and reportage, documenting the lives of those who, like her, have ventured beyond the evangelical fold. Growing up in the Midwest during the ’80s and ’90s, McCammon was immersed in a world governed by strict religious tenets that shaped every aspect of her life.
The Struggles of Evangelical Upbringing
McCammon recounts the constant fear of eternal damnation that loomed over her childhood, describing sleepless nights haunted by the thought of unforgivable sins. The evangelical framework of her upbringing included a nondenominational church and a Christian school, which reinforced expectations of an obedient and ‘pure’ life, banning premarital sex and dating until marriage.
She also delves into personal challenges, such as the alienation of her surgeon grandfather after he revealed he was gay and the shock of her first encounters with secular peers. These formative experiences highlight the internal conflicts faced by those questioning their faith.
Political and Social Dimensions
McCammon’s experiences as a journalist, particularly during her coverage of the 2016 Trump campaign and the reproductive rights beat for NPR, provide a broader context for the exvangelical movement. Her insights reveal the political machinations within the evangelical community and the growing disillusionment among young people, driven largely by the fervent support of Trump within evangelical circles.
Life After Evangelicalism
Describing the journey of exvangelicals as one fraught with ambivalence, McCammon emphasizes the search for self-acceptance and a broader understanding of the world. This journey often entails losing the comfort and community of their evangelical past while grappling with new identities and beliefs. Particularly poignant is her depiction of the LGBTQ community’s search for acceptance in a world often hostile to their existence.
‘The Exvangelicals’ enriches the discourse on faith in 21st-century America, shedding light on the delicate balance between liberation and loss experienced by those who leave the evangelical church.
