Evolving in Monkey Town

Memoir by Rachel Held Evans

What, another memoir? I know, I agree, I wanted to read a novel next but this one was on my nightstand and overdue at our public library (which is super awesome and doesn't charge late fees, but I try to be an upstanding citizen and return books on time. I'm a guilt monger that way).

The title of this book is weird, but clearly explained in the opening pages. Rachel Held Evans uses the controversial word "evolve" to describe her idea that Christianity and Christians do and must change. Rachel grew up in Dayton, Tennessee, site of the Scopes Monkey Trial which debated evolution versus creation. She uses her proximity to this historical event as a springboard to discuss her personal evolution from a non-questioning conservative Christian to a question-asking, don't-label-me follower of Jesus without all the trappings that the postmodern church has instilled. She calls it a crisis of faith, but to me it seems more like a coming of age.

And that is the basis of my main reaction to this book. Because Rachel grew up in the Bible Belt amongst very conservative Christians, the ideas that evolution may be right, that homosexuality may not be a sin, that Jesus represents social justice as well as salvation...those were all foreign to her. Questioning what she learned as a child does cause her to have a crisis of faith, because she believed theology was more important than actual relationship with God. I didn't have that problem. I'm not saying I'm more enlightened, just lucky, I guess, that I have a background of God-first, rules-second kind of Christianity. Having a feminist Christian mother probably helps. And while I have developed some ideals of my own that are different from most of my family (I vote mostly Democrat now--gasp!), I would call that growing up.

A small side note on this book is that she takes a trip to India, which she clearly says is to visit her missionary sister despite the vogueishness of such a trip. It reminded me that Anne Lamott describes a visit to India in the last book I read, which reminded me of Eat Pray Love. Aren't those kinds of trends interesting in literature? Maybe I need to take a soul-searching vacation to write about.

Now for some book club business-y items (don't tune out, it's good stuff):

The novel I just started reading looks kind of intense, so it'll likely be a while before I'm done. If so, just to keep you interested, I may be posting the first few pages of MY novel. That's right, the one I've been hinting at writing. I just went to a conference where other writers critiqued my first page and I want to get some more feedback after I make revisions. Be on the lookout!

Also, a question for those of you who buy books for children or teens: how do you determine what is appropriate content for them? I struggle to find books that are at the reading level of my voracious, book-gobbling seven-year-old but still not too mature for her sweet little mind. I also recently lent Water for Elephants to a 7th grader, feeling a little hesitant about the sex scenes and drinking, but she was the one who recommended The Night Circus to me. This is a new issue for me, one I am feeling my way through, and I would appreciate any signposts you can put up for me. Thanks.