Testimony
- History & Biography
- Ethics, Culture & Social Issues
- Publisher: Brazos Press (Baker Publishing Group)
- Published: 2023
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Publisher's Description
"Ward is consistently clear-sighted and perceptive as he charts a genuinely fascinating personal and spiritual evolution."--Publishers WeeklyJon Ward's life is divided in half: two decades inside the evangelical Christian bubble and two decades outside of it. In Testimony, Ward tells the engaging story of his upbringing in, and eventual break from, an influential evangelical church in the 1980s and 1990s. Ward sheds light on the evangelical movement's troubling political and cultural dimensions, tracing the ways in which the Jesus People movement was seduced by materialism and other factors to become politically captive rather than prophetic. A respected journalist, Ward asks uncomfortable but necessary questions, calling those inside and outside conservative Christian circles to embrace truth, complexity, and nuance. He recounts his growing alarm and grief over the last several years as evangelical conservatives attacked truth, rejected personal character, and embraced authoritarianism and conspiracism. He shares his search for a faith that embodies the values he was taught as a child. Ward's experience and reflections will resonate with many readers who grew up in the evangelical movement as well as all those who have an interest in the health of the church and its impact on American life.
Endorsements (5)
“With raw honesty, deep insight, and a self-deprecating sense of humor, Jon Ward offers an insider’s view into the White evangelical world in which he was raised. Rubbing elbows with prominent figures and seemingly destined to take up the mantle of leadership, he instead chose to walk away from it all. Through his eyes we see the inner logic of that world, what draws people in and what drives people away. Testimony will be illuminating for those who have walked this path and for those struggling to understand the world of conservative evangelicalism from the outside.”
“In Testimony, Jon Ward dissects the cultural world of evangelical Christianity from an insider’s perspective while employing his skills as a journalist to question its ethos and impact. He narrates an experience that will feel deeply familiar to many evangelicals and then goes on to illuminate the contours and context of the movement as many within it embraced Trumpism. Testimony demonstrates the power of truth—no matter who it comes from or where it leads. This book will make you ponder, discuss, and testify about your own journey and beliefs.”
“An illuminating work that shines light into the fissures of spiritual abuses in the church and that documents Jon Ward’s journey as a Christian to move forward and find a better way. This honest exposé allows healing in us, and his journalistic insights bring a generative path toward the new.”
“Jon’s meticulous reporting has always brought nuance and life to his writing about politics; his thoughtfulness about faith is the secret weapon he’s now sharing with the world. He appreciates the complexity of belief and the deep human desire to connect to something larger than ourselves. Even as he recounts his disillusionment with conservative Christianity, Jon remains a witness: someone who seeks and documents the truth, even when that means turning his sights on himself. This book is honest, vulnerable, scrupulous, and surprising; a must-read for anyone seeking to navigate the fault lines of our polarized moment.”
“Jon Ward’s Testimony is the book I have been waiting for. I suspect there are millions more like me who will resonate with Jon’s powerful witness. And while the book holds important and meaningful content, it also functions in an atypical way; it is an antidote to loneliness and heartbreak. To read it is to participate in a circle of trust where you are not alone, you’re not going crazy, and all is not well. This is a form of setting things right—a move toward healing. Any words on a page that can achieve this good goal are worthy of our attention and gratitude. I’m listening and grateful.”
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