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A review by kstep1805
Nothing to Prove: Why We Can Stop Trying So Hard by Jennie Allen
3.0
Picked up this book around the same time as Present Over Perfect. This is another book looking to address the soul crushing weariness white women in America are experiencing. As opposed to a more liberal Christian perspective, this is from a moderate Evangelical perspective. I’ve read another of Jennie Allen’s books and I know she has a heart for God so I was willing to wade into this book knowing I probably wouldn’t throw it across the room.
And I didn’t. But it did highlight for me how much my faith has diverged from Evangelicalism. While she tries hard not to do so, faith for Evangelicals is work. It’s a subtle difference that I had a hard time really wrapping my head around, something felt wrong, but I couldn’t quite spell it out. It comes down to our view of how we interact with God. For evangelicals, we control God through our faith. So this whole book was about how we’re enough as long as we do the right beliefs. I really don’t think she meant it like that but that is the foundation and can’t escape that message.
There were good inspiring parts, too. Where Present Over Perfect seemed to advocate for isolationism, Allen specifically called for doing the hard social justice work. This is a message that is hard to come by in evangelical circles and one I appreciate that she pushes, social justice is the heart of God’s work.
And I didn’t. But it did highlight for me how much my faith has diverged from Evangelicalism. While she tries hard not to do so, faith for Evangelicals is work. It’s a subtle difference that I had a hard time really wrapping my head around, something felt wrong, but I couldn’t quite spell it out. It comes down to our view of how we interact with God. For evangelicals, we control God through our faith. So this whole book was about how we’re enough as long as we do the right beliefs. I really don’t think she meant it like that but that is the foundation and can’t escape that message.
There were good inspiring parts, too. Where Present Over Perfect seemed to advocate for isolationism, Allen specifically called for doing the hard social justice work. This is a message that is hard to come by in evangelical circles and one I appreciate that she pushes, social justice is the heart of God’s work.