Breaking Baptist
Peter Spicer
Imprint: Spicewrite
ISBN-13 : 978-0578801834
Paperback : 464 pages
Product dimensions : 6.14 x 1.05 x 9.21 inches
Weight 1.56 lbs:
Language: : English
Explore Authors mini review:
This gripping informative book about Evangelical Christianity is not only insightful, but riveting as Spicer details why he and many others believers eventually became disillusioned and left the fundamentalist movement. An absolute must-read.
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Where to buy:
Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Indiebound, Blackwell, Campus Book Rentals (CBR), Book Depository, Books-a-Million. Powells, Super Book Deals, Alibris, and many other fine retailers
About the Book:
For those wondering why fundamentalist and evangelical leaders are often immersed in scandal, how seemingly pious members of the Christian right can vote for immoral con artists and how America keeps moving further to the right while economic inequality soars, Breaking Baptist helps answer those questions. Author Peter Spicer grew up in a Wisconsin fundamentalist church (IFB), attended a cult-like IFB college in the state, has family ties to infamous politician Joe McCarthy and was a long-time evangelical before rejecting the Christian right. Yet those he left behind helped create our current society. The rise of Donald Trump did not surprise Spicer, a former journalist who saw it all in the Christian right: authoritarian spiritual leaders, racism, conspiracy theories and a hatred of government. He watched those at his scandal-plagued alma mater, Maranatha Baptist University, assist the Tea Party uprising in Wisconsin. This book is an eye-opening inside look at the Christian right and a call to action for those who support the working class, accept science, want to preserve the planet, believe in public schools and understand the need for good government.
Interview:
What inspired you to write Breaking Baptist?
The current state of politics in America inspired me to write, as many journalists pondered why seemingly devout people of faith simply do not care about politicians’ character and behavior. My experiences in fundamentalism and evangelicalism taught me that the Christian right supporting morally questionable politicians is not a new phenomenon.
This is a pretty heavy book at 464 pages. How long did it take to write?
Breaking Baptist took me about two years to write.
None of those I mention in the book are people I am close with or have spoken to since I left evangelicalism. I changed the names of fellow congregants, because their names are not important but their ideas are important in understanding the Christian right. Pastors and other leaders I mention by name, because readers need to understand how they are using their influence. I certainly am concerned that this book may anger those I discuss, but I try to be truthful and only name those who deserve to be held accountable.
I can see the amount of research and passion that went into the book and your message. What do you hope readers take away from Breaking Baptist?
I hope readers who have never attended fundamentalist or evangelical churches will understand the Christian right better through this book and that those who have rejected the Christian right will feel better about their decision to leave the movement. I also hope a few Christian right readers will change their minds and work to speak eloquently against conservative politics.