Theology in the Raw From Conservative Christian to Post-Evangelical with Jonathan Merritt
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Jan 5, 2026 Jonathan Merritt, a Vice President at Simon & Schuster and acclaimed author, shares his evolution from conservative Southern Baptist to post-evangelicalism. He discusses the gifts and burdens of his upbringing, highlighting the importance of community and scripture. Merritt explains his preference for the term 'post-evangelical,' emphasizing humility in faith reconstruction. He also touches on navigating family dynamics after coming out, promotes loving across theological divides, and reflects on the resilience of religion amid national polarization.
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Gifts And Costs Of Evangelical Upbringing
- Jonathan Merritt values the Bible knowledge and sense of purpose he gained from evangelicalism.
- He also recognizes its burdens, like a transactional view of God, that he's actively worked to change.
Transcend And Include Rather Than Reject
- Merritt uses "post-evangelical" to escape grievance-driven "ex-evangelical" postures.
- He aims to transcend but include gifts of his tradition while remaining hopeful about Christianity.
Don't Get Stuck In One Phase
- Move through construction, deconstruction, and reconstruction without getting stuck in any one phase.
- Remain humble and keep listening to critiques from both directions as you rebuild faith.
