That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You by Rachel Held Evans (posthumously completed and edited with help from her husband Dan Evans and close friends) is a warm, honest, and deeply human collection of essays and reflections released in early 2026.
What the Book Is
This is not a traditional memoir or a single narrative. Instead, it’s a beautiful, conversational book built around the many questions Rachel Held Evans was asked throughout her life — especially the hard, honest, and sometimes uncomfortable ones she received from readers, audiences, and even her own children.
The book is organized around real questions people asked her, such as:
- “Why do you still believe in God?”
- “How do you talk to your kids about faith when you have so many doubts?”
- “What do you do when the church hurts you?”
- “How do you keep going when you feel spiritually exhausted?”
- “What does it mean to love people who believe very different things?”
Rachel answers these questions with her signature blend of vulnerability, humor, scholarship, and grace. She doesn’t offer neat, tidy answers. Instead, she shares her own wrestling, her evolving faith, her failures, and the things she still holds onto even when she’s not sure.
The tone feels like sitting across the table from Rachel over a cup of coffee — thoughtful, funny, kind, and willing to say “I don’t know” when that’s the honest answer.
Key Themes
- Living with uncertainty and doubt while still choosing faith
- The importance of asking good questions (and letting them change you)
- Grace, doubt, and belonging in spiritual communities
- Parenting, marriage, friendship, and grief
- What it means to be honest about your faith journey in public
Tone & Style
The writing is warm, accessible, and deeply personal. Rachel’s voice — intelligent, self-deprecating, compassionate, and witty — shines through on every page. Even the more difficult or painful sections are handled with gentleness and hope. The book feels like a loving farewell and an invitation to keep asking questions rather than demanding final answers.
Who Should Read It
- Fans of Rachel Held Evans’ previous books (A Year of Biblical Womanhood, Searching for Sunday, Inspired)
- Anyone who has ever felt spiritually exhausted, doubtful, or disillusioned with church
- Readers who appreciate honest, non-dogmatic writing about faith
- People who love thoughtful memoirs and essay collections
In short, That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You is a tender, wise, and deeply human book from one of the most beloved voices in progressive Christianity. It’s a collection of honest answers to hard questions — full of doubt, hope, humor, and grace. Even though Rachel is no longer with us, her voice feels very much alive in these pages.
Many readers say the book feels like a final gift from Rachel — an encouragement to keep asking questions, keep seeking truth, and keep showing up with love even when the answers aren’t simple.
It’s a beautiful, comforting, and thought-provoking read. Highly recommended for anyone on a faith journey that includes doubt, questions, and a desire for honesty.