Love is the most excellent way

I’ve just finished reading In The Land of Believers: An Outsider’s Extraordinary Journey into the Heart of the Evangelical Church by Gina Welch. Gina, a secular Jew, goes undercover in Thomas Road Baptist Church (Jerry Falwell’s church) in order to learn what Evangelicals are really like. Gina went undercover because she felt she wouldn’t get to know Evangelicals unless they believed she was one of them.

I found the book very readable. Gina is a keen observer of details and an excellent writer. I enjoy stories and was glad Gina chose to share her experience that way. Her reflections woven into the chronological narrative helped me understand what was going on inside her without overly interrupting the flow.

A central tension of the book is created by Gina wondering if/when/how she should tell the Evangelicals she’s spending most time with that she’s not actually a believer. This as much as anything kept me reading: I wanted to know if she did eventually come clean and if so, how they reacted.

From the title it sounds like this is a book about what Gina learned about Evangelicals. It is; but equally, it is a book about how spending time with them changed her. And it’s not just her attitudes about Evangelicals which change. Gina adopts some of their ways and finds herself happier as a result.

I found it hard not to be critical of Gina for pretending to be an Evangelical. However, it was clear she was not pretending in order to take advantage of anyone. And when she realizes she’s developing friendships close enough that it’s inevitable her pretense is going to hurt some people, she is genuinely sorry.

If this book gives you a sense of déjà vu, you’ve probably read (or at least heard about) The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose. Kevin spent a semester undercover at Liberty University (Jerry Falwell’s university) for similar reasons to Gina. I can’t compare the two books very well since I’ve only read some reviews and one excerpt from Kevin’s. It does sound like there’s overlap in what Kevin and Gina experienced and learned. They both let go of Evangelical stereotypes and were open to their own lives being challenged and changed . Gina’s experience clearly affected her deeply – perhaps more deeply than Kevin’s, since hers lasted a couple of years rather than just a semester.

If you’re an outsider open to going beyond Evangelical stereotypes or an Evangelical interested in a respectful outsider’s experience, I think you’ll enjoy this book. It’s due out next week – March 2nd.