Exvangelical and Beyond

How American Christianity Went Radical and the Movement That's Fighting Back

By: Blake Chastain

Narrated by: Blake Chastain

A pioneer of the “exvangelical” movement examines how toxic right-wing beliefs took over American Christianity—and why people are leaving the church and speaking out against it

With the rise of Trumpism, the American evangelical movement has more political influence than ever—yet at the same time, people are leaving Christianity in record numbers. Why are so many people walking away from the right-wing religion they were raised in, and what are they doing to overcome the past?

Writer and podcaster Blake Chastain is uniquely positioned to understand this phenomenon. Raised evangelical, he went to a Christian college intending to become a pastor—until he found himself unable to reconcile his faith with the prejudice and even abuse he saw being done in God’s name. He created the popular hashtag #exvangelical and the hit podcast of the same name, and soon became part of a growing movement of people walking away from toxic religion and using the unique tools of the internet to speak out, find healing, and build new communities.

In Exvangelical and Beyond, Chastain delves into evangelicalism’s deep roots in American politics and society, and explains why and how so many Christians—and ex-Christians—are forging a new path online. Blending history, personal narrative, and incisive analysis, this is a must-hear for anyone who has left the church, is deconstructing their own faith, or simply wants to understand religious culture in America.

©2024 Blake Chastain (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Highly readable....A timely exploration of evangelicalism’s influence and how former believers find meaning beyond it."
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“An insightful exploration of faith, identity, and activism in a nation at the crossroads of religious fervor and social change...At once alarming and hopeful, this is a book that every American must read, regardless of religious affiliation.”
—Reza Aslan, New York Times bestselling author of Zealot

“Blake Chastain created the #Exvangelical hashtag. In doing so, he created a category in which millions of people now gather, commiserate, heal, and learn. By giving us Exvangelical and Beyond, Chastain continues this legacy....This is more than either a personal history or a scathing polemic. It’s a blueprint of a movement—and a call for change.”
—Bradley Onishi, author of Preparing for War

“Chastain has been the thoughtful commentator and mindful observer I have turned to in my often desperate searches online for a counternarrative to American evangelical religiosity that...told me my Black, queer, and trans body had no place in the body of Christ....Blake stands out as a trustworthy narrator of these times....This book, this thinker, and this movement’s story are worth your time, attention, and heart.”
—lenny duncan, author of Dear Church and Dear Revolutionaries

“This book is an essential addition to the current conversation about not just evangelicalism but American religion, politics, and culture today.”
—David P. Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics, Mercer University

Wondering why people are deconstructing? Read this

"Exvangelical" has been one of my favorite podcasts for years and this book is such a natural extension of Blake's work. It's great. He does such a fantastic job of breaking down the journey, background, and potential future so many exvangelicals have had. The book shines brightest in his commentary of present day evangelicalism and how it has distorted into a Trumpian monstrosity and why so many of us decided to leave. Not because we no longer believed, but because still WANTED to believe but saw nothing recognizable it what the evangelical church was quickly becoming. It is worth a listen. Especially for anyone out there who still identifies as evangelical and is trying to understand why your friends are "deconstructing" this book is WELL worth your time.

Excellent insight into a religion some of us looking from the outside.

This book clarified and ratified some many view and ideas I had about the Evangelicals. I’m not a religious person but was raised Catholic, and as the author I started asking questions in college, while taking a class that explain all religions. What separates evangelicals is their thirst for power. Monetary power, racial power, and power over people’s lives. This book is great. Faith is good but That Evangelical religion is a cult and I see it as evil.

Crazy how relatable so much of this truly is!

I'd been looking forward to this book since Blake announced it on his podcast. It was worth the wait!
There are moments that it really soars - where he's talking about his own personal experiences or the experiences of others. When it gets down and dirty and personal with how evangelicalism has affected folks, that's when the book is at its most powerful. When it goes into history lessons, that's where I found myself tuning out a little bit, even though I understand it's important to have historical context for why things are the way they are. Explaining history isn't as much his strong suit as it is when he talks about his own life.
All the same, I found so much of this very relatable to my own life in a validating way.
Thank you for writing this, Blake!