‘A Hole in the World’: Book Review
This year, I made a resolution to write a review for every book I read and post it to my blog. Here’s book No. 1.
-jaebyrde
I loved Rachel. She taught me how to appreciate the humanity and God’s grace in response to it inside of our holy Scriptures. She showed me the historical context of the written Word and how our traditions have been passed down to us.
She pointed out the flaws in religion—exposed hurts, abuse, and flagrant misinterpretation—yet always returned to the beauty and necessity of our fellowship.
She allowed herself to doubt, to question, and to still not understand the depths of a God who is wholly Other and beyond the reach of our human intellect.
Yet her faith was strong. Her determination to love like Christ was committed.
Most importantly, she taught me the importance of the reverence of God.
When Rachel Held Evans suddenly died several years ago, it felt as if a close friend had died. Not much older than me, with two babies, she died from a complication from the flu. I still grieve over her loss, as does her sister.
The contemporary church does a horrible job at giving space to those who grieve. It attempts to share trite adages to bandage wounds that provoke wails and despair.
This hasn’t always been the case.
In “A Hole in the World,” a brilliant ode to her sister’s legacy and study, Amanda Held Opelt shares her own story of grief alongside examples of how Western culture has historically made room for grief and, therefore, healing and acceptance.
A Prodigal Daughter 