Nancy French on Love, Trauma, and Partisan Politics

Apr 10, 2024

Best-selling author and investigative journalist Nancy French discusses love, trauma, and partisan politics with Russell Moore. They explore her experiences with abuse, the power of love in healing, ghostwriting for high-profile families, shifts in political culture, racism in America, and the impact of personal relationships. Their conversation also covers adoption, online discourse, and the work God can do through connections.

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INSIGHT

A Memoir That Defies Expectations

Nancy French calls her memoir a rare mix of dark material and sharp literary voice that surprised even close friends.
Russell Moore compares it to Joan Didion, Hillbilly Elegy, Flannery O'Connor, and Frederick Buechner for its power and humor.

ANECDOTE

Telling Her Parents And Receiving Blessing

Nancy told her parents about the book after writing it as if they would never read it, then sought their blessing.
The conversation deepened mutual understanding and allowed them to reconcile painful decisions from the past.

INSIGHT

Faith vs. Institutional Failure

Nancy loved church as a child but abuse by a Vacation Bible School teacher removed its shine and provoked long disillusionment.
Writing the memoir let her see God's hand throughout her life, separating God's faithfulness from institutional failure.

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"God is never going to betray you—even if the church does.”

So says Nancy French, best-selling author and investigative journalist, on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. French, who is known for her groundbreaking reporting on abuse at one of America’s largest Christian camps, joins Moore to discuss her new memoir, Ghosted.

French talks about growing up in the Bible Belt, where she was sexually abused as a child by her Vacation Bible School teacher. She and Moore discuss the importance of righteous responses to people who have been harmed, the ways institutions too often cover up abuse, and how all of this shows up in partisan politics.

Their conversation highlights the power of love—specifically in the case of Nancy’s marriage to David French—in healing from trauma. Moore and French also talk about French’s experiences ghostwriting for high-profile families such as the Palins and the Romneys. They talk about shifts in political culture, the state of racism in America, and what it’s like to be part of a church family that is primarily made up of people outside of one’s ethnic culture. Their conversation also touches on adoption, online discourse, and the incredible work that God can do through personal relationships.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Nancy French
David French
Ghosted: An American Story by Nancy French
Joan Didion
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance
Flannery O’Connor
Frederick Buechner
“They Aren’t Who You Think They Are” by David French and Nancy French
“What it’s like to experience the 2016 election as both a conservative and a sex abuse survivor” by Nancy French
Curtis Chang
“The Four Horsemen: Contempt” (The Gottman Institute)
The After Party

Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com.

Special offer for listeners:

Russell Moore will join friends David French and Curtis Chang in Washington, DC, for The After Party LIVE! on April 19. As a faithful listener to the podcast, we’d love for you to join us and use this $20 off offer just for listeners! The After Party is a free six-part video curriculum designed for people and pastors alike, and offers “a better way” for Christians to engage in politics. Learn more and buy tickets here—we’ve saved a seat for you!

Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today.

“The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper

Host: Russell Moore

Producer: Ashley Hales

Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill

Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens

Audio engineering by Dan Phelps

Video producer: Abby Egan

Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton

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