Faithful Politics Heather Cronk on Exvangelicals, Organizing, and the Future of Faith in Public Life
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Jan 24, 2026 
Heather Cronk, founder of Project 2112 and longtime community organizer who connects people who left evangelical Christianity. She discusses leaving fundamentalism, deconstruction, and how about 15 million Americans identify as exvangelical. Conversation covers LGBTQ treatment as a driver of exits, Christian nationalism’s misuse of faith, and organizing strategies to build accountability and healthier public engagement.
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From Conversion To Organizing
- Heather Cronk describes converting at 13, attending conservative college and Wake Forest Divinity, then deconstructing theology and discovering she was queer.
- That journey led her into nonprofit work and community organizing where her past skills translated into activism.
15 Million People Are Findable
- Heather found a large hidden population online and PRRI data estimating 15 million ex-evangelicals validated her organizing potential.
- She saw organizing as a natural fit because many ex-evangelicals already share skills and experiences useful for movement-building.
Deconstruction Isn't One Thing
- Deconstruction is broader than ex-evangelical; leaving evangelicalism can mean many outcomes, including remaining Christian.
- PRRI shows roughly half of ex-evangelicals still identify as Christian, so identity outcomes are diverse.