For many, it's tough to imagine being fired from your job and divorced by your wife just for questioning the existence of the Lord. It happened to Jerry DeWitt, though--he lost everything the night he lost his faith. In Hope After Faith, a memoir written with the help of Ethan Brown, DeWitt chronicles how he went from praying for hours on end, speaking in tongues and idolizing Billy Graham to the conviction that there is no God.
As you read, it may strike you DeWitt isn't the easiest guy to like. He filches change from the communion plate to buy himself Cokes, he hides in his car for two weeks to avoid his detested day job in sales (even though he and his family are in dire financial straits) and involves his long-suffering wife and child in the Gospel Assembly Church, Des Moines, Iowa--a sect that made DeWitt question his faith so much that they ultimately fled in the dead of night. DeWitt never attended seminary; one wonders his evangelical and pastoral failures played a role in his shift to atheism.
But that's just gravy on this chicken-fried steak of a memoir. DeWitt's imperfections only make for a more authentic and compelling read as he traces his journey from nearly fanatic Christian to doubting atheist. And the slice-of-life look at religious life in rural Louisiana he provides can be only described as fascinating. Whether one disagrees with DeWitt's stance or finds oneself nodding along, Hope After Faith is a richly detailed, nakedly honest story that will resonate with many. --Natalie Papailiou, author of the blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend