Books

This book shows how, over roughly 75 years, white American evangelicalism traded the Gospel’s heart for a rugged, militarized cultural ideal—masculine heroism, nationalism, and power politics—shaping support for figures like Trump and fracturing both church and nation. This is by far my favorite book on how American Christianity has been transformed.

Exposes how faith is twisted into a weapon for cruelty, exclusion, and political power. With sharp humor and moral urgency, it challenges Christians to reject hate-driven religion, reclaim the teachings of Jesus, and defend democracy from movements that confuse domination with discipleship.

Confronts the damage caused by reading Scripture through fear, power, and proof-texting instead of Jesus. With clarity and grace, it invites readers to relearn the Bible through context, humility, and Christlike love—so faith forms people who reflect Jesus, not weaponized religion.

The Naked Gospel strips Christianity back to its core: Jesus plus nothing. Andrew Farley challenges performance-driven faith, religious guilt, and rule-based discipleship, inviting readers to rediscover grace, freedom, and the finished work of Christ without churchy additives.

Journalist Tim Alberta digs into how parts of American evangelicalism drifted from gospel shape into political zeal and cultural power worship. A gripping, honest look at faith entangled with extremism that forces readers to wrestle with what it means to follow Jesus instead of an agenda.

Journalist Tim Alberta digs into how parts of American evangelicalism drifted from gospel shape into political zeal and cultural power worship. A gripping, honest look at faith entangled with extremism that forces readers to wrestle with what it means to follow Jesus instead of an agenda.

Obery Hendricks dismantles right-wing evangelicalism’s claim to Christian faith, arguing its political entanglements, moral contradictions, and cultural power plays often betray the gospel’s core. This provocatively honest critique forces readers to discern Jesus’ message from modern distortion.

John Dickson takes us through 2,000 years of Christian history, refusing both rose-colored myth and cynical dismissal. He shows how followers of Jesus have done good and harm, challenging believers to reckon honestly with our past and return to the gospel’s melody rather than our own power plays.

Andrew Farley takes the promise of grace and rips the mask off religious performance. He shows how chasing rules, rituals, and self-effort leaves believers exhausted and distant from Jesus. This book challenges you to live by the Spirit, rest in Christ’s finished work, and leave religion behind.

This book refuses the sugar-coated church myth and the cynical dismissal of all church. Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer show how power, fear, and toxic culture have harmed Christ’s body and how a “tov” church — a goodness culture of grace, empathy, justice, and truth — reflects Jesus instead of ego.

Growing up in the infamous Westboro Baptist Church, Megan Phelps-Roper learned hate early and loudly. Through Twitter conversations and personal doubt, she slowly walked away from extremism, family, and certainty. Unfollow becomes a raw story of dismantling hate, finding empathy, and wrestling toward love.