A Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study by Jen Hatmaker

Hatmaker is a friendly, charming, and well-spoken woman.Īnd the title of her interview fits this de-conversion theme perfectly: “Changing Your Mind about the Bible: A Survivor’s Guide.” As many know, the main issue Hatmaker changed her mind about is that she now fully affirms the LGBQT lifestyle as consistent with biblical Christianity.īut Hatmaker’s journey in this interview should be seen in light of larger trend. This interview has been making the rounds, and I can see why.

I’ve seen and written about a number of de-conversion stories over the years, but I was particularly reminded of the power and influence of these stories when I listened to Enns interview Hatmaker. Whatever they embrace, it is no longer that version of Christianity. They were all once what we might call traditional, evangelical Christians-and have now come to see the error of their ways. What all these folks do share is the same background. Ehrman moved from fundamentalism all the way to agnosticism, with no desire to retain the label “Christian.” In contrast, those like Bell would still consider themselves “Christian” in some fashion. Of course, each of their stories is different. Modern examples of those in the de-conversion business are well known: Bart Ehrman, Rob Bell, Peter Enns, and (as we shall discuss below) Jen Hatmaker. They just have to help these Christians realize they are mistaken and lead them to the truth. In their minds, they’re missionaries to the “lost” in every sense of the word. Indeed, many of these de-conversion stories are told with the kind of conviction, passion, and evangelistic zeal that would make a modern televangelist blush. Rather than just quietly leaving their old beliefs and moving on to new ones-something that would have been more common in prior generations-a new guard seems to have made it their life’s ambition to evangelize the found. Part of this is due, no doubt, to the technology that makes them more available, whether through podcasts, blogs, or other forms of media.īut it’s also due to the fact that many of those who de-convert have realized a newfound calling to share their testimony with as many people as possible. In recent years, however, these de-conversion stories seem to have taken on a higher profile. Christianity has never had a shortage of people who were once in the fold and then left. Of course, there have always been de-conversion stories throughout church history-if one would only take the time to dig them up and listen to them. A person simply shares his testimony of how he once thought like you did but have now seen the light. And their purpose is to convince them that their outdated, naïve beliefs are no longer worthy of their assent. De-conversion stories are designed not to reach non-Christians but to reach Christians.

A Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study by Jen Hatmaker