Blake Chastain
writer & podcaster
Blake Chastain is the host of the podcasts Exvangelical and Powers & Principalities, and writer of The Post-Evangelical Post newsletter.Click the links to learn more about his work.
Hello - I'm Blake Chastain, host of the Exvangelical and Powers & Principalities podcasts, and writer of The Post-Evangelical Post newsletter.My first book, Exvangelical & Beyond: How American Christianity Went Radical and the Movement That's Fighting Back, will be published by Tarcher Perigee in September 2024.You can pre-order it from multiple retailers here, and learn more about the book by clicking here.I coined the #exvangelical hashtag alongside the launch of the Exvangelical podcast in July 2016. Since then, exvangelical conversations and communities have proliferated online across social networks like Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit."Exvangelical" functions as both a way to find others who have left white evangelical beliefs and communities behind, as well as a helpful frame for criticizing white evangelical institutions and practices. It is not a wholesale replacement of evangelicalism, but a shared starting point--it acknowledges that we are rooted in similar experiences, and celebrates the new and diverse ways people find to flourish.For a working definition of "exvangelical," please read my essay on The Post-Evangelical Post. For more of my story, watch the CBS Religion documentary Deconstructing My Religion on the CBS website. The trailer is embedded below.
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My debut book will be published on September 24, 2024!
From Tarcher Perigee:A pioneer of the “exvangelical” movement examines how toxic right-wing beliefs took over American Christianity—and why people are leaving the church and speaking out against it"With the rise of Trumpism, the American evangelical movement has more political influence than ever—yet at the same time, people are leaving Christianity in record numbers. Why are so many people walking away from the right-wing religion they were raised in, and what are they doing to overcome the past?Writer and podcaster Blake Chastain is uniquely positioned to understand this phenomenon. Raised evangelical, he went to a Christian college intending to become a pastor—until he found himself unable to reconcile his faith with the prejudice and even abuse he saw being done in God’s name. He created the popular hashtag #exvangelical and the hit podcast of the same name, and soon became part of a growing movement of people walking away from toxic religion and using the unique tools of the internet to speak out, find healing, and build new communities.In Exvangelical and Beyond, Chastain delves into evangelicalism’s deep roots in American politics and society, and explains why and how so many Christians—and ex-Christians—are forging a new path online. Blending history, personal narrative, and incisive analysis, this is a must-read for anyone who has left the church, is deconstructing their own faith, or simply wants to understand religious culture in America."
I graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2005 and Northwestern University in 2012.I have been podcasting since 2016. I am primarily interested in how belief motivates individuals and groups, how beliefs change, and the role of technology in society. I live in Illinois with my family.To stay up to date with all my writing and podcasting, subscribe to my newsletter.
The Exvangelical podcast launched in 2016, and features interviews with authors, musicians, and people from all walks of life who were committed to evangelicalism, but one day had to leave. These personal stories demonstrate the difficulty of finding a new sense of self & community after leaving evangelicalism - and illustrate both the broad trends (like religious trauma and purity culture recovery) and idiosyncrasies of the process now commonly referred to as "deconstruction."
In August 2020, I launched season 1 of my new podcast, Powers & Principalities, which focuses on the systems and institutions that prop up white evangelical Christianity in America. Season 1 focused on white evangelicalism & Christian nationalism.
Press appearance and interviews of Blake are tracked on exvangelicalpodcast.com - follow the link below.Appearances on other podcasts are tracked on Podchaser.Links to selected writing are below.
Selected Writing
I have spoken at Wild Goose Festival, held live podcast events, and been interviewed on MSNBC. To invite me to speak at your group, event, or gathering, use the form below.
Click on the icons below to follow Blake across the social web.(Pro tip: if you want to see what I'm up to on the regular, follow me on Twitter or subscribe to my newsletter.)