Circle of Hope

""Lyrical, probing, and deeply reported, this is an extraordinary account of the fraught interplay of faith, community, and values. Eliza Griswold has produced a multigenerational group portrait that is compassionate yet unblinking and will resonate with anyone who aspires to chart a righteous path through this messy, mixed-up world."" -- Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Empire of Pain ""Eliza Griswold is a dazzling reporter: ever observant, wise, sympathetic, and honest. And in this spellbinding book, she not only immerses herself in a radical religious community but also reveals its fracturing in real time, raising questions about the nature of faith and justice and what binds us as Americans."" * David Grann, author of The Wager * ""With patience, intelligence, and compassion, Eliza Griswold traces the history of a Christian community and its leadership as they struggle to remain faithful to a radical vision through times of immense stress. A sharply contemporary book, painfully honest, stubbornly hopeful."" * Archbishop Rowan Williams, author of Passions of the Soul * ""That rarest of books: an examination of the sacred and spiritual realm captured with humor, humanity, and style."" -- Susan Orlean, author of On Animals ""Set against the backdrop of race, sexuality, and belief, Circle of Hope is a deeply captivating and sometimes troubling dive into a world of faith and frustrations often hidden by the political, antagonistic, and triumphalist projections of American Evangelicalism."" * Anthea Butler, author of White Evangelical Racism * ""Circle of Hope is a rare and astonishing trek into the fractured soul of America, as told through the deeply reported and beautifully rendered story of one church's crucible."" * Andrea Elliott, author of Invisible Child * ""Circle of Hope is an act of courage, vulnerability, and creativity―all things that make Eliza Griswold's seasoned voice once again strike with strength."" * Danté Stewart, author of Shoutin’ in the Fire * ""This is a lucid, tough, sad, heartening, and ultimately very wise book. It will be a beacon and warning to anyone caught up in this country's social turbulence."" * Christian Wiman, author of Zero at the Bone * ""A story of both truth and grace, Circle of Hope traces in devastating detail how justice and kindness give way to the pursuit of power. The result is a searing reflection on the state of American religion, and on the challenges of holding together against the forces pulling us apart."" * Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne * ""I devoured this book. It made me examine the cost of centering my own self-regard, the need to see oneself as a 'good person.' Eliza Griswold is a master of immersive journalism. I cannot recommend Circle of Hope enough."" * Nadia Bolz-Weber, author of Accidental Saints * ""With the deftness and empathy that only Eliza Griswold can provide, Circle of Hope offers a portrait of real people trying to live out an authentic faith in a rapidly secularizing world. It should inspire us to continue to live up to our highest ideals, regardless of all the setbacks that come as a result."" * Ryan P. Burge, coauthor of The Great Dechurching * ""Eliza Griswold's intimate portrait of one congregation introduces characters who are real enough to unveil something of the mystery of how a group of broken people who don't live up to their ideals can, despite themselves, become good news."" * Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, author of Revolution of Values * ""Riveting . . . A fascinating inquest into the death of a church that doubles as a compassionate case study on the insufficiency of good intentions."" * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *