Braving the Truth: Essential Essays for Reckoning with and Reimagining Faith

by Rachel Held Evans

Braving the Truth has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.

Genres: Nonfiction, Faith, Religion, Christianity, Essays, Spirituality, Theology

416 pages, Hardcover

First published February 24, 2026

About the author

Rachel Held Evans was a New York Times best-selling author whose books include Faith Unraveled (2010), A Year of Biblical Womanhood (2012), and Searching for Sunday (2015). Hailing from Dayton, Tennessee—home of the famous Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925—she wrote about faith, doubt and life in the Bible Belt.

Rachel was featured in The Washington Post, The Guardian, Christianity Today, Slate, The Huffington Post, The CNN Belief Blog, and on NPR, The BBC, The Today Show, and The View. She kept a busy schedule speaking at churches, conferences, and colleges and universities around the country.

Reviews

[Melanie Briscoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars! Rachel Held Evans is probably one of my most favorite writers of all time. She died on May 4, 2019 way too soon and left a hole in the world … a hole in my heart! I have been anxiously awaiting the publication of this book! Sarah Bessey, Rachel’s husband and a bunch of contributors put this masterpiece together- a collection of Rachel’s blog posts. I knew I would love rereading her words and remembering the crisp freshness of her honest faith that helped shape my own. But I wondered how it hang together- would this volume of blog post seem disjointed as a whole? No it absolutely did not! Sarah Bessey is one hell of an editor- or should I say quilt master seaming it all together! What I didn’t know I would experience is the words of so many other wonderful thinkers peppered throughout sharing brief reflections of how RHE’s work impacted them! Wow what a treasure this volume is! Thank you Daniel for sharing her with us again! Thank you Sarah Bessey for your amazing work bringing RHE and her dynamic, life giving, hopeful words to us again! I am forever grateful!

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for book club. A beautiful collection of RHE's blog posts with thoughtful (and sniffle-inducing) commentary from friends and family. I've met many of the contributors, making it hard to separate these extremely personal words from what I know of the people writing them. Depending on your relationship to the material and people involved, your experience might not be as moving as mine was. But if these are your people, you will appreciate this book as the special gift it is.

[Haley Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly wonderful and emotional read for me. I never followed Rachel in her blog days nor had I read any of her books up until this one. I had heard whispers of her but somehow got the vibe that her ideas were a "slippery slope" back in my early hardcore evangelical days. When I began my own deconstruction within the last 2 years, I had her book "Searching for Sunday" (and still do) in my Kindle wishlist. When I saw this book was to come out, I immediately preordered it. And I'm so glad that this was my first real exposure to Rachel - revisiting and journeying through where she started as a blogger and hearing others reflect on the impact her writing had on them in real time as they read her regularly released blog posts. It felt like I was reliving and almost reprocessing some of those years of my life and she referenced and talked about the events occuring in the church, our country and the world.

I am very grateful to Sarah Bessey for collecting and organizing these special writings of Rachel for this book. I'm so glad this was my first Rachel Held Evans exposure and I look forward to reading the rest of her books!

[Brittin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I am a Christian, because the story of Jesus is still the story I'm willing to risk being wrong about."

So many feelings reading this posthumous collection of essays by Evans and reflections/contributions by friends and family (edited by Sarah Bessey). This is my 5th book by Evans and I don't think I've ever felt more grateful for her work and life, and deeply saddened that she is no longer with us.

Her writing is honest and brave and insightful. It is filled with wisdom and humility and humour. It is relatable and inspiring and generous. She built a bigger table and invited all to partake.

"I'm not telling you not to be angry. I'm telling you not to give up hope."

Audiobook: 11h 31m

[Melody Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all miss RHE. God knows we do. It’s a light to have a “new” book out with her name on the cover.

As described, this is a collection of her blog posts. It also includes a lot—a lot—of “reflections” by her friends and peers. Honestly, and I hate to say this, it’s too many and most of them lack any substance. A few are worth your while. I can’t imagine the task Sarah Bessey had ahead of her when she began this collection; she has selected a strong sample of RHE’s writing, but the reflections are enough to take off a star—a note for readers to manage your expectations when it comes to that half (!!!) of the book.

Overall, it’s worth your time—it is RHE—but it’s okay to skim most of the reflections.

*ARC via NetGalley

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed rereading some of RHE’s original blogs, but the 30+ reflections on her became a little much.

[Michelle Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

God I miss her.

[Chris Perrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes this is essentially just a collection of Rachel Held Evan’s blog posts. If you followed her online, you may not have much reason to check this out. But while I loved all of her books, I only occasionally read her blog, and so this collection was much appreciated. No matter the topic, Rachel’s compassion, honesty, and humility shines through.

Braving the Truth is an interesting time capsule of what we’d now call the deconstruction movement from 2010-2019 (with the majority of the essays being from the earlier part of the decade). It was occasionally hard to read how hard she tried to maintain connection with the evangelical community of her youth, knowing now how much more intensely conservatives would lean into nationalism and patriarchy in the 2020s. I would love to read her thoughts on the current state of the American church even though I know it would’ve broken her heart even more.

This collection also includes numerous (perhaps too many) reflections from other writers and thought leaders who were impacted by Rachel’s writing. Many are moving but eventually the praise becomes redundant. But then I would be more than willing to share my thoughts of my brief encounters with her and the impact she has had on my theology so I understand why so many want to share.

Braving the Truth releases 2/24/26. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Em theglitterybookworm_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i dove into this for my prose lit hunt of 2026 and while the essays were far too short and not ‘prose-y’ enough, i still appreciated this and will be converting Rachel into an impromptu example!

[Debra Hines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Held Evans has had a tremendous impact on me through her books and blog posts. Her untimely death at age 37 left the world without an important voice in the progressive Christian community. Her belief that Christianity is less about correct belief and interpretations and more about living a life of love and inclusion while grappling with doubt resonated with me and helped clarify my own beliefs. How lucky we are to have this book, edited by her friend and fellow Christian writer Sarah Bessey, that compiles many of her most influential blog posts, as well as reflections from her friends and other progressive Christian writers. How RHE is missed, but through her books (Searching for Sunday and Faith Unraveled are my favorites) and writings, her inspiration and message lives on. Well done, good and faithful servant.

[Leslie Smittle · Rating 5 out of 5]

RHE was such an inspiration to me from the earliest days of unraveling my faith. This book is a masterpiece and I'm thankful for the work Sarah Bessey put into making sure the best of her blog was put into book form. Time and again I thought how timeless Rachel's words were/are. My hope would be for church going persons to pick this book up, read it, and let the words change you for good.
*Side note: I would recommend the physical book for this one as the editor notes are narrated by Sarah, but the asides provided by Sarah are narrated by the same narrator as the rest of the book which makes it hard to differentiate between the two.

[Sarah Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I often wonder what it would have been like to stumble upon RHE's writing while she was alive - to be a part of her online community. While I missed out, I am so grateful to have found her wisdom later in life. No matter the form of her writing, there is always something that challenges me (for the better of my community) or makes me say, "oh wow, I now have language to describe [an experience I went through]" ... to feel empowered to doubt, question, debate and find joy in my faith. Loved this collection of her blog writings - makes me want to read " Searching for Sunday" again.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t really follow Rachel in her blog days, but have found her works since her death in 2019. This collection of excerpts and blog posts was encouraging, convicting, and inspiring. My experience of growing up evangelical in the Bible Belt so closely mirrors Rachel’s that so much if her writing hits places of my heart not many people can access. She understands the racial tensions of the biblical south as someone who has lived it, and also the near-holy subtext of a well-timed casserole.

I was deeply moved by this work and will no doubt revisit it again and again.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, in the 2010s, RHE was a teacher, spiritual leader, and prophet. I held several of her books dear as they helped me question and dive into my relationship with God and religion. Her writing helped me define for myself what faithful study looked like and what roles in church and community I was called to serve. A late adopter of most technologies and platforms, I didn’t really follow blogs and missed out on that era. I am so grateful to the curators and reflectors in this book and for RHE’s writing that continues to ring true today.

[Tiffany Mathews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Held Evans was the voice that made me feel like it was okay to be who I was even when my real life spaces insisted I should be less curious, have a different definition of love, or see my doubt as failure. I needed this most during the time she was working on her blog. Her blog led me to Searching for Sunday, and then to each of her other books. However, it was these initial posts that started my journey back to myself. To have them compiled here, to see the way her work resonated with others, it continues to remind me of all the people out there who are invested in the expansiveness of what it means to be human.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!

[Jody Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching collection of blogs, written by a young woman (who has since died tragically and suddenly) as she wrestles with what she has been taught in church and what she has read in the Bible. Each blog is brutally honest. They are full of empathy, love and questions as she stuggles to reconcile the world we live in with her Bible teaching. She clearly loves the Word, loves the Lord and loves her family and friends.

[fleegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed every essay. And the contributors’ essays were sweet to read too.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I got to know Rachel just a little bit better through her blogs and the thoughts people who were part of her life in some way. I did not want it to end and felt teary about it. So much wisdom and willingness to be vulnerable - so much love.

[Briony2181 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like a visit from an old friend. I am so thankful we had Rachel Held Evans with us on this earth, even though she was taken far too soon. It was so wonderful to sit with her words again for a bit.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gift Rachel Held Evans was to this world.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of essays/blogs by the late Rachel Held Evans is an absolute treasure. It’s hard to believe just how relevant and groundbreaking her words continue to be after several years regarding everything that goes along with an evolving faith. I found myself in tears, nodding my head, and truly felt seen as I took little bites of this book about reimagining faith. Loved.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

How was this my first reading of RHE? Her attitude and posture are SO admirable and needed. I'm so inspired and encouraged by how she asked questions and engaged with people she disagrees with. She modeled humility and grace in a rare way. This was a great introduction to her work and I'll definitely be seeking out more of her writing.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Braving the Truth by Rachel Held Evans is a collection of her most impactful essays (they’re essentially her previous blog posts) in print for the first time, collected by Sarah Bessey, Rachel’s close friend and an author in her own right. And interspersed with Rachel’s writings are reflections from her friends, fellow writers, teachers, and colleagues.

This book serves as both memorialization of Rachel’s previous online writings as well as a tribute to her legacy with guest essays. It really doesn’t read like a book because, well, it really isn’t a book in the traditional sense.

Rachel Held Evans was a Christian author and blogger. She passed away suddenly in 2019. She is known for being raised evangelical, wrestling with her faith (a lot of it publicly both online and in books), and emerging as a “progressive” Christian. Her books are some of my favorite Christian nonfiction, most of them written as part theological discussion and part memoir. At times it feels like Rachel wrote down the exact words I needed to hear and they resonate with me so much.

Is this my favorite book of hers? No, not at all. But—I love that I can read more of Rachel’s words. I love that I have more of her words to hold in my hands. I love that I can sit with her writing for just a little bit longer.

I do wish the dates were listed at the start of each essay. It’s hard to know what current event it was referring to sometimes. I found myself flipping to the date at the end when starting each one just to get a bit more context.

Most of these essays had me nodding along, made me feel seen, or just struck a chord with me. And other essays had me vehemently disagreeing with her to point of wanting to slam the book shut and walk away. But regardless of my level of agreement with each essay, they all had me thinking, questioning, and reflecting. Which I think is, quite literally, the entire goal. Rachel tended to write out a lot of her own thoughts and questions and reflections, which encourages us to do the same.

I didn’t enjoy very many of the guest posts. But I appreciate the insight they all gave of just how big of an impact Rachel had on so many people, besides just me, during her relatively short life. If you’re a fan of Rachel Held Evans, then this book is definitely worth getting, if for no other reason than to get a bit of closure. If you’ve never read anything by her before then I’d recommend you start with one of her traditional books before this one.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many folks who went to college with Rachel, if my husband and I had read her blog with an open heart instead of skepticism (as we were taught to do by many profs and leaders in our churches) it's possible that my family would all have had a decade and a half less of church hurt to mull over now.

A reminder of how prophetic and brave she was to be both the voice of dissent and because of it, a champion for humanity.

I love thinking that she would be thrilled with my 4 star rating and glad to discuss the points where we might still disagree.

[Asa Swain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the selections from Rachel Held Evans blog posts from 2010-2019. I found the commentaries by her friends and colleagues repetitive and underwhelming.

[Erin Isgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a million reasons, I wasn't a big blog reader during the years Rachel Held Evans was writing and I've never been on Twitter, so I missed so much of her formative time as a thinker in the public square. I have loved her books, which I came to after her tragic and unexpected early death, and I'm so grateful to now have the opportunity to read so many of her posts that shaped and guided and challenged and formed a generation of Christian thinkers.

I also loved the dozens of reflections included from authors, pastors, activists, and others who shared which words and ideas from Rachel most impacted and influenced and inspired them. It brought me such encouragement to learn that Rachel was so generous with her platform, inviting those who typically are excluded from the conversation to not only join it, but lead it, recognizing how much she, and all of us, have to learn from those on the margins. And those who embraced Rachel's warm welcome, to a person, came to call her a true friend.

Through her prophetic words, Rachel lives on and her memory truly is a blessing.

***

[After confessing a multitude of behaviors of the American church that she is ashamed of]

"But I am not ashamed of the gospel.

"I am not ashamed of this scandalous news, whispered first by pregnant Palestinian teenager whose dream for the world shattered the proud and lifted up the humble.

"I am not ashamed of the carpenter anointed to restore sight to the blind and set prisoners free, or his ragamuffin band of fishermen and tax collectors and zealots, his friendship with prostitutes, his strange ways and long stories, his challenge to the religious, his radical notion that women are human.

"I am not ashamed of the good news that we have it backwards:
Privileged are the poor, the peacemakers, the merciful, and the suffering. Cursed are the rich, the full, the merciless, the hateful.

"I am not ashamed that when God strapped on sandals and walked among us, God fed the hungry, wept with the mourning, touched the untouchable, turned water into wine, cracked jokes about religion, obeyed his mom, defended the defenseless, bantered with children, forgave his enemies, and reminded us that the whole point of it all is to love God and love our neighbors well. That's it.

"I am not ashamed that when God strapped on sandals and walked among us, God rode a donkey instead of a war horse.

"I am not ashamed of the good news that we don't have to wait around for the right leader or the right government because there's a new and better kingdom growing in us and around us, a kingdom that welcomes all to the table.

"I am not ashamed of the good news that Jesus is Lord and
Caesar is not.

"And I am not ashamed of the very good news that when God strapped on sandals and walked among us and endured the very worst this world has to offer, the very ugliest inside of us, God looked upon it all and said, 'Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.'

And I am not ashamed of the very good news, first shouted by another unlikely woman in another garden, and then echoed through the centuries in every corner of the earth, that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead! Risen indeed, we say, even when we're not
quite sure we believe it.

"I am not ashamed of this great cloud of witnesses, kicking up dust ahead of me on the path. They are hermits and homemakers and sinners and saints and pilgrims and poets and mothers and activists and peacemakers and friends. They bind up wounds and stand up to bullies and offer rides and listen well and make meals and let things go and work hard and fail sometimes. But they keep telling the story--this story that sets both the oppressed and the oppressors free, this story that may even save me.

"I am not ashamed of love. Love casts out fear; love knits us together; love conquers all.

"I am not ashamed of the church. She is a survivor, after all, a work-in-progress, a stubborn bride-to-be. The gates of hell will not prevail against her, they say. So I guess I better quit hedging my bets.

"I am not ashamed because there are all these little mustard seeds scattered across our broken, shameful world, some of them just now swelling and splitting underneath the dark soil; others breaking through the surface with a garish flash of green; others meandering toward the sun, desperate for light or rain or some sort of trellis; others growing slow and steady into tall shade tress with limbs like arms wide open to the world, welcoming the birds of the air to nest in their branches.

"I am not ashamed because my roots are deep and the sky is tall, and there will always be some place to grow.

"I am not ashamed because I am not alone."

[Josh Olds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Held Evans died on May 4, 2019, following a sudden and severe illness. Evans was an “exvangelical” pioneer. Her first book, Faith Unraveled (then called Evolving in Monkey Town), detailed her deconstruction (was anyone calling it that back then?) from white conservative evangelicalism to a more progressive, more inclusive faith. She wrote a blog that became immensely popular as she worked through her new faith and gathered together a community of similar folks to walk the difficult journey with her. She had marshalled a movement that was progressing into a more loving Christianity and challenging evangelical power structures.

And then she was gone. A voice silenced way too soon. Three years into a first Trump presidency. One year before a global pandemic. Gone at a time we needed her the most. There was an unfinished manuscript—picked up and completed by Jeff Chu—published as Wholehearted Faith in 2021. But then…silence.

Braving the Truth breaks the silence. A collection of Rachel’s blog posts interspersed with commentary and reflections by friends, this posthumous compilation is a loving tribute to Rachel Held Evans and a beautiful reminder of her life, her work, and—I’m sure she’d say most importantly—her message. This book is a testament to Evans’ enduring legacy and the timelessly prophetic words she penned.

In some ways, this book is a time capsule into a much-different world. Many of the essays here predate the rise of Trumpism and confront a more genteel and less nationalistic evangelical conservatism. It’s a stark reminder for us, living in the throes of American Christofascism, that our current struggles did not begin and will not end with Donald Trump. To read words that are still powerful and prophetic today amid what feels like a much different socio-political context is jarring in a good way. Sometimes you read the Prophets and wonder “What if the people had listened?” I had the same thoughts when reading Braving the Truth.

Editor Sarah Bessey does a great job selecting essays that are evergreen, with those tied to specific events having an appropriate amount of context for readers who are coming to the essay a decade or so later. There’s also a bountiful selection of reflections and remembrances from friends and family that speak to how Rachel’s presence lives on through them and how their lives were affected by her person.

My worry going into Braving the Truth was that a book that is basically a series of blog posts was going to read like a series of blog posts and feel out of place in printed form. Whether it’s Bessey’s editing abilities or Evans’ writing style (it’s both, definitely both), I didn’t feel that it all. The movement through the book felt natural, the contributor sections showed that they had read and interacted with the section on which they were commenting. The whole thing radiates love. It radiates love from RHE; it radiates love for her. That a book curated from her writings almost seven years after her death can generate so much interest, attract so many contributors, and feel so powerful and personal is an incredible testament to who Rachel Held Evans is.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Rachel Held Evans; Sarah Bessey
What I appreciated about Rachel Held Evans is that when she found herself face to face with something that didn’t fit with her understanding of the Bible, she asked questions. I have learned from her commitment to ask questions, to research, to study, to discernment, and to allowing her faith to be continually reimagined. Rather than pretend that everything made sense and fit into a neat little box with a bow, Rachel explored topics that had been taught and accepted by her culture but that did not sit well with her. At great risk to her social standing, her position in community, and her acceptance in evangelical academia, she pursued the Lord while pursuing answers that were consistent with who she knew the Lord to be.
A frontrunner in the Christian blogging community, she lived her life with an academic generosity. Currently, in some circles, there exists the term “girl’s girl” which is someone who defends and supports the women around her. Rachel did not limit her interaction to women, but in a similar style created a space that was safe for many different wonderers – supporting, resourcing, and championing them. She normalized wondering, healthy discourse, and a removing of the mask of certainty.
She supported a gracious dialogue in her community and fostered an allyship among those who wonder, those who journey, those who had lost community by their wondering, and those who had never found welcome.
This posthumous collection of some of Rachel’s most widely known writings, was curated by her good friend Sarah Bessey. Different excerpts are followed by essays and reflections from other friends or family members. I have appreciated reading through these pages, remembering when I read them the first time and reflecting on how the words have shaped my own journey. I have appreciated the charity she extended towards those with whom she did not agree. I have also been encouraged by the courage with which she asked questions. This book is a gift to all who wander, to those who are curious about the Faith, to those who want to know the Truth, and to those who want to live in the love of the Father who causes us to wonder.
Thank you to #netgalley for the advanced reader copy
#Rachelheldevans
#bravingthetruth