Braving the Truth, Rachel Held Evans
Braving the Truth, Rachel Held Evans
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Braving the Truth
Essential Essays for Reckoning with and Reimagining Faith

Bestseller

Author: Rachel Held Evans

Narrator: Sarah Bessey, Daniel Jonce Evans, Marni Penning

Unabridged: 11 hr 31 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperOne

Published: 02/24/2026


Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Held Evans inspired a generation reckoning with their evangelical upbringing and what faith is meant to be (or not be). This book offers a collection of her most impactful essays that still speak prophetically and profoundly today.The audiobook, read by Marni Penning, includes special appearances by Sarah Bessey and Daniel Jonce Evans.For a generation finding their footing in life after evangelicalism, Rachel Held Evans was one of the most trusted and beloved voices of our time. Stubborn in her hope, courageous in her questions, and devoted to inclusivity, her online writing was a sanctuary to the millions who read her words daily. Her death to a sudden illness in 2019 invoked a global outpouring of stories of her legacy and influence.Today, her words still speak, and now for the first time, fans old and new can experience her most viral and enduring essays in print—from those tackling patriarchy, white supremacy, and religious nationalism to those offering new interpretations of Scripture, freeing perspectives on doubt, and a better way forward. Braving the Truth is an anthology and keepsake collection letting readers borrow the bravery Rachel was best known for. Edited by New York Times bestselling author and Rachel’s dear friend Sarah Bessey, this special volume is interspersed with reflections from:

Shauna Niequist on the practice of braveryGlennon Doyle on the decision to "stay and complicate"Jen Hatmaker on LGBTQ+ allyship and affirming theologyLisa Sharon Harper on fighting white patriarchy in the churchMatthew Paul Turner on the freedom of the "slippery slope" of asking questionsKaitlin B. Curtice on solidarity, kinship, and "tending the spiritual fire"And more from Candice Marie Benbow, Micha Boyett, Cindy Wang Brandt, Alise Chaffins, Shane Claiborne, Monica A. Coleman, Shannon Dingle, Peter Enns, Kathy Escobar, Kathleen Gleason, Austen Hartke, Peter Held, Carol Howard, Kristen Howerton, Zack Hunt, Emmy Kegler, Kathy Khang, Mihee Kim-Kort, Rachel Kurtz, Tanya Marlow, Sarah McCammon, Mike McHargue, Scot McKnight, Brian D. McLaren, Mason Mennenga, Osheta Moore, Amanda Held Opelt, Matthias Roberts, Winnie Varghese, Matthew Vines, and Kelsey Hanson Woodruff

“If you want to understand the Church today, you need to understand Rachel Held Evans,” so writes Sarah Bessey. Thoughtful yet down-to-earth, immediate and timeless, this essay collection is a gift from the past to bring into the future—a treasury to revitalize, validate, embolden, and return to again and again.

About Rachel Held Evans

Rachel Held Evans (1981–2019) was the New York Times bestselling author of Inspired, Searching for Sunday, A Year of Biblical Womanhood, and Faith Unraveled. Rachel’s words about faith, doubt, and life were featured not only on her own blog but also in numerous publications, including the Washington Post, The Guardian, and the Huffington Post. She appeared on NPR, BBC, the Today show, and The View. She served on President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. She lived with her husband and two children in Dayton, Tennessee.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Melanie on February 24, 2026

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......more

Goodreads review by Melody on February 28, 2026

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......more

Goodreads review by Leslie on February 25, 2026

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......more

Goodreads review by Josh on January 21, 2026

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 mo......more

Goodreads review by Laurie on February 25, 2026

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......more