In the Land of Believers: An Outsider's Extraordinary Journey Into the Heart of the Evangelical Church

A great book by someone who was quite brave to really find out what happens inside a group who they didn't really agree with. If you are a non-believer and always wondered what life is like inside the world of the believers, and why they seem as they do. This is a wonderful way to find out.

The older I become the more I think human nature remains the same. For all of our talk and self-given kudos I don't think we've come very far at all in attacking bigotry and prejudice. What we pass for enlightenment is merely a change in scapegoats. Nowhere is this truer that in the area of religion. Conservative Christians are vilified in way that would be unacceptable of other groups. They, in turn, vilify liberals, just as strongly. This is the backdrop for Welch's new book, In The Land Of Believers. Few people will be able to read this book without wrestling with their own prejudices. Welch admittedly tells her story through her own filter, but at least she attempts to tell the story to the best of her ability, which is pretty good. It doesn't matter if you are conservative or liberal, she will treat you with sensitivity, while shining a powerful beacon of light on your own cultural smugness. She can do this, because she puts her own cultural arrogance in the open for the world to see. Welch has a greater understanding of evangelical Christianity than she had before, but her understanding is still tainted. Jerry Falwell was a controversial figure within evangelical circles, just as he was outside of evangelical circles. No single evangelical church can be a very good representative for all evangelical churches. She seemed to recognize that as time went on. The reader will strongly disagree with parts of this book, while agreeing with other parts. That is because Welch's goal is to plant her feet in the no man's land between two opposing ideologies. This is a book you should read. It may help increase communication and start the path toward making respect popular again.

As a tree hugging agnostic liberal (similar to Gina) I was very interested to see what her experience taught her and in that vein, could teach me. I learned so much from her experience. I think the most important part of the book for me was her humanization of a culture that I previously looked down upon with academic disdain.

The author, as a thinking liberal American, was naturally put off by the more narrow, hateful stances of evangelical Christianity. In an effort to find out how a religious group could hold such diametrically opposite views of "Love the sinner, hate the sin", she went to the top. She joined Jerry Falwell's Thomas Road Baptist Church, in Lynchburg, VA, to see from undercover, "What made them tick." This book chronicles her experience. The book is exceedingly well-written, and is a page-turner, to boot. As a fellow thinking, liberal American, who is evangelical, but an Obama Democrat, I was anxious to see what she would find out. I do not want to spoil the experience for other readers. However, I can say she was very fair. Her worries that her friends in the church would be unhappy with her "betrayal" should be unfounded, because she is quick to point out their good qualities, in all their diversity. She is always honest. There is nothing not-to-like about this book.