Non-Fiction Saturday: Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber

As part of our Non-Fiction Saturday feature, Emerson Clauss is sharing his thoughts on another intriguing book. This New York Times best-selling author has written what some would call an unexpected and surprising book as unorthodox as she is. 

Review by Emerson Clauss

ACCIDENTAL SAINTS by Nadia Bolz-Weber is a most interesting book.   It is an easy read; it will pull you in and tweak every emotion you might have, some you weren’t even aware of.

Nadia, at first glance, the least likely (looking) pastor, shares some of her background, stories starting and maintaining a most unconventional church, her strange collection of misfit congregation and will make you laugh as you take it all in.  And this is not a book for just the religious or the disenfranchised; although that seems to be the origin and strength of her church, aptly called:  “House for All Sinners and Saints”.  The stories are human stories, ones that everyone can appreciate.

Without preaching here, Nadia’s book is brash, funny, sometimes vulgar… but always riveting.  I found myself wanting to help her at each turn, as part of this weird church.  You begin to feel like a part of her congregation, setting up tables and chairs for a night of meaningful discussion, some laughs and some plain old “shootin the shit”….

And, as you start reading this, and after looking at her picture on the book jacket; you can only imagine when she approached the church hierarchy to be commissioned her own church, how the heads were spinning, at first.  When she speaks of that same process and of her followers, you begin to understand where Nadia gets her strength and her faith to be doing what she does, with the congregation she collects along the way.   It’s downright inspiring.

I will admit, before reading this book, I had heard her interviewed on a radio show.  She was funny, irreverent and irresistible.  That sent me right out to find and read this book; a small part of her story.  

During the course of reading, I really felt inspired by her outreach and her brutal honesty about that work; her first instincts (which are sometimes not what a pastor would say or do), and the fact she is not perfect and lets us inside her world to see how she copes and which little voices she listens to and acts upon.

Refreshing is what I would call Nadia, her story, her work and her followers.  I found myself wishing I lived closer to her church and could attend; although she probably would lump me with those “straight people” she is not sure what to do with.

We could all learn a few things from this story and Nadia’s work; important lessons about grace, forgiveness and shedding prejudices we all have, to some degree.   To start with, go ahead and read this most enlightening and entertaining book.

To contact Emerson Clauss about this or other reviews email him at: ejclauss@gmail.com

ACCIDENTAL SAINTS: Finding God in all the Wrong People (Hardcover)
Author: Nadia Bolz-Weber
Publisher: Convergent Books
Publshed: September 2015
Length: 224 pp
Source: Purchased

Book Review: Infidel

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of the bravest women I've read about. This memoir of her life as a Muslim woman born in Somalia and raised by a very religious, honored family was incredible. Her father was considered honorable for his beliefs and the work he did to help Somalis during civil wars. This woman is only 5 years younger than me. I found myself comparing my life to hers throughout the book and it left me feeling so grateful for my life here in America. While I was growing up in a loving, carefree household with all the freedoms this country offers, she was living in a poor, war-torn country where she was beaten regularly by her mother and relying on family clan members for food and money. Once she was beaten almost to death by a Quran teacher because she had the audacity to question things she didn't understand. One of the main points she has tried to get people to understand is that contrary to what most Muslims believe and want others to believe is the Muslim religion is not a peaceful religion. It is born out of fear and submission, especially for women and children. They teach that if you do not believe as they do, you are an unbeliever and should die. Being an unbeliever or an Infidel is the worst thing in their culture. They are raised to fear Allah. Hirsi Ali finally came to terms in her 20's that she didn't want to worship a God that allowed women to be beaten and sexually mutilated for the sake of remaining pure. Pure from what? was her question. Why should man have to improve on what God made? She considered it blasphamy. She couldn't worship a God that allowed such things. God is supposed to be loving, not feared. For speaking out against these practices while living as a refugee and later as a Dutch citizen and Parliament member in the Netherlands, her life was threatened many times. In November 2004, Dutch filmaker Theo van Gogh (nephew of Vincent van Gogh) was murdered in broad daylight in the streets of Amsterdam for working with Hirsi Ali to make the 10-minute short film depicting the abuse of the women of Islam. The film is called Submission. Attached to his body was a death threat against Ayaan. She was immediatly put into hiding for months in the United States. Even today living in Washington D.C. she has constant security. This book enlightened me on the Islamic culture. I knew very little of it and their beliefs. She answered my questions while eloquently telling the story of her life. I have a much better understanding now and I am grateful for her writing this book and being so candid. The topic of Islam is so current in the world today and I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand it better. I found that the further I got into the book, I literally couldn't put it down. To watch the short film Submission click here.