Gaslighted by God Reconstructing a disillusioned faith

Writing instructor Brooks (Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution, 2021, with Claire Bellerjean), the coauthor of more than two dozen books, takes on the disconnect between expectation and reality when hurting Christians turn to their church for comfort and instead find shame and rejection. Like shell-shocked soldiers, disillusioned believers are all too often accused of moral failure simply because they express doubt and pain when life feels unfairly overwhelming. Brooks faults Western Christianity for creating a narrow, transactional view of God that is contrary to Scripture. She thoughtfully revisits familiar characters and makes exegeses of key Bible passages, casting them in a fresh light that supports her arguments. Brooks thoroughly examines her provocative premise in literary chapters that unify a laundry list of complaints leveled by struggling believers, ending with a strong call to action for the faithful, leaders or not, to minister with compassion and grace. Complemented by discussion questions and a Scripture index, this compelling discourse is both academic and accessible, a strong entry to current discussion on the subject.