Blessed are the wonderers with the courage to live into the questions.

After Doubt by theologian and pastor A.J. Swoboda explores how faith can endure and mature through seasons of deconstruction. Writing from both pastoral and academic perspectives, Swoboda examines the cultural and emotional forces that lead many—especially former evangelicals—to question or abandon their beliefs. Drawing on Scripture, church history, and his own experience, he invites readers to view doubt not as a destination but as part of a lifelong process of discipleship. The book offers a balanced approach that honors intellectual honesty while calling readers back to embodied, rooted faith within Christian community. It is particularly valuable for those seeking to rebuild belief without rejecting the richness of Christian tradition.

Faith After Doubt offers a developmental approach to understanding spiritual change. Drawing on theology, psychology, and his experience as a pastor, McLaren outlines four stages of faith—Simplicity, Complexity, Perplexity, and Harmony—to show how questioning long-held beliefs can lead to maturity rather than loss. Readers encounter practical insights for navigating deconstruction, reconstructing a faith grounded in love, and moving beyond rigid certainties toward deeper spiritual integration. This book is especially relevant for those transitioning out of evangelicalism or traditional church settings and seeking a framework for continued spiritual growth.

A Faith of Many Rooms by Debie Thomas offers a deeply personal and theologically rich exploration of what it means to belong when one’s faith has grown too small for the house it once lived in. Drawing on her journey from Indian-American evangelical roots through seasons of doubt and transition, Thomas invites readers into a “roomier” Christianity—one that allows for questions about sin, salvation, gender, and identity without forcing a return to old dogmas. She argues that the gospel itself is expansive and that our inherited faith traditions are only one room in a much larger dwelling. TThis book is ideal for readers who have left or are rummaging through evangelical spaces and are looking for a faith that is inclusive, honest, and rooted in both tradition and transformation

Set against the backdrop of her hometown of Dayton, Tennessee—the site of the historic Scopes “Monkey Trial”—Faith Unraveled traces Rachel Held Evans’s journey from evangelical certainty to a more open, questioning faith. Using the cultural legacy of that trial as a metaphor for the tension between faith and science, Evans reflects on how she learned to reconcile doubt, reason, and belief. Through engaging storytelling and thoughtful theological reflection, she explores topics such as biblical interpretation, evolution, and the fear of questioning within conservative Christianity. This book is ideal for readers navigating the space between inherited beliefs and a more intellectually and spiritually honest faith.

I’ve Got Questions by Erin Hicks Moon is a candid and compassionate invitation to those whose faith no longer fits the mold they inherited. Drawing from her journey through evangelical roots and deep questioning, Moon guides readers through a spiritual practice of lament, curiosity, and honest dialogue—with God and with oneself. She offers tools for understanding the good, the bad, the ugly (and the just plain bizarre) of one’s faith origins, giving permission to set new boundaries and rebuild with integrity. Ideal for anyone wrestling with inherited religion, longing for authenticity, and ready for a faith formed by questions as much as answers.

Leaving Church is Barbara Brown Taylor’s reflective memoir about her decision to step away from ordained ministry and rediscover a life of faith outside the institutional church. Drawing from her years as an Episcopal priest, Taylor offers a deeply honest account of vocation, burnout, and the tension between spiritual calling and religious structure. The book explores themes of identity, rest, and the sacredness of ordinary life, inviting readers to consider how faith might flourish beyond formal roles or traditional expectations. It’s particularly meaningful for pastors, ministry leaders, or spiritually inclined readers discerning how to remain connected to God while reimagining what “church” can mean.

Out of Sorts by Sarah Bessey blends memoir, theology, and gentle pastoral reflection to explore what it means to lose and rediscover faith in the midst of change. Bessey writes candidly about her own shift away from evangelical certainties, touching on topics such as evolving views of Scripture, the role of women in the church, and belonging outside traditional religious structures. Rather than prescribing answers, she models how faith can be rebuilt through vulnerability, community, and continued engagement with Jesus. Readers will encounter a narrative that is both deeply personal and theologically grounded—ideal for those who find themselves “in between” beliefs and want language for holding grief, curiosity, and hope together.

Searching for Sunday chronicles Rachel Held Evans’s journey of leaving and rediscovering the church through the lens of the seven sacraments—baptism, confession, communion, confirmation, marriage, vocation, and anointing of the sick. Written with her characteristic warmth and honesty, Evans reflects on the disillusionment many millennials feel toward organized religion while still yearning for belonging, grace, and sacred community. Through personal narrative and theological reflection, she reimagines how ancient Christian practices can speak to contemporary questions of doubt, inclusion, and faith renewal. This book is ideal for readers seeking hope and connection after disconnection from traditional church life, offering a vision of faith rooted in story, ritual, and the shared table.

In The Sin of Certainty, biblical scholar Pete Enns challenges the assumption that faith depends on absolute theological correctness. Through close readings of Scripture, personal narrative, and humor, Enns reframes faith as trust in God’s presence rather than confidence in one’s answers. He explores how biblical figures themselves wrestled with uncertainty and invites readers to see doubt as an authentic form of devotion. This book is ideal for readers emerging from evangelical contexts who want a biblically informed, intellectually honest path toward a more relational and resilient faith.