Wednesday 8 May 2019

Rachel Held Evans

I've just now heard the shocking news of Rachel Held Evans' death.




She was a shining light, a courageous warrior for truth, and one of Christ's faithful soldiers and servants on this earth.

We hold into the light of God's love and mercy her family coming to terms with this sudden loss.

None of us can ever know how many days of life will be ours, but if we manage to make even a fraction of the difference her life and contribution made, our time here will have been worthwhile.

May she rest in peace and rise in glory.



8 comments:

Rebecca said...

Warren Wiersbe, Rachel Held Evans, Jean Vanier...an interesting assortment of Christian influencers called Home within a week's time. I believe they have only begun to "speak"...

Pen Wilcock said...

The name Warren Wiersbe is unfamiliar to me, but yes, it always feels unsettling when there's a wave like this of lights passing on.

Fiona said...

It's such sad news, isn't it. Thank you for being such an encouraging, affirming voice in this post, Pen - I've read some very disheartening pieces by other Christian writers, expressing very contrasting sentiments, since Rachel's death. I'm so glad you're an admirer of her work - somehow I thought you almost certainly would be. As you say, she has made a substantial and significant contribution over the past decade or so with her writing and her heart and compassion for others. May Rachel rest in peace and rise in glory.

Pen Wilcock said...

Amen. She has offered insights of clarity and truth into a religious status quo characterised by privilege, blindness and self-interest. I honour her and regard her work with deepest gratitude.

Jen Liminal Luminous said...

I have been deeply upset by Rachel's death and only recently found out that there were people posting nasty things about her and her death....appalling show of behaviour. And those people need to ask themselves if they can really call themselves a Christian and what that says about Christianity to the wider world.

I think I am shocked more than anything that this could happen, without there being a catastrophic accident, it seems like it all started from a simple case of flu, in someone so young... I'm finding it hard to put it all into words right now

Pen Wilcock said...

Yes, some strains of viral flu can even in modern times still be swift and lethal it seems. Perhaps what us ordinary people can take away from it is a reminder that life is precious, and that we have to live every day as if it were our last. Rachel revealed vital truth in her dying as well as in her living.

Anonymous said...

I read quite a bit of Rachel's blog, but never got round to reading any of her books. I'm going to order Searching for Sunday now.

She was only 37!!! So much to live for still. Leaving behind a grieving husband and two tiny children. That's when I really feel death to be the enemy. A DEFEATED enemy, in Christ, but it stings when someone is so young. It's quite different when someone is old, lived a full life and is, frankly, ready to let go of this world.

Rachel was an important voice. May she rest in peace, and rise in glory.

- Philippa xxx

Pen Wilcock said...

https://www.hmd.org.uk/resource/we-remember-them-by-sylvan-kamens-and-rabbi-jack-riemer/

xx