Interdisciplinary Book Reviews

  The Missionary Kids   By Holly Berkley Fletcher Reviewed By   Geoffrey W. Sutton The Missionary Kids Abstract In The Missionary Kids: Unmasking the Myths of White Evangelicalism (2025), Holly Berkley Fletcher combines memoir, oral history, and historical analysis to examine the lived realities of missionary children (MKs). Drawing on her upbringing in Kenya and interviews with other MKs, Fletcher challenges romanticized portrayals of missionary life by exposing the cultural dislocation, spiritual neglect, and emotional burdens often carried by children in missionary families. The book is structured around four parts: the myth of parents as martyrs, the imposed nature of missionary “calling,” the spiritual neglect of MKs in boarding schools, and the collective testimony of resilience and loss. Fletcher’s dual perspective as both historian and former CIA analyst enriches her critique of evangelical institutions and their impact on children. This work contributes to schola...

God Have Mercy:  A Look at Hays & Hay's  Perspective on LGBT Inclusion AMAZON CITE This post :  Sutton, G. W. (2025). God have mercy: a look at hays & hay’s perspective on LGBT inclusion Interdisciplinary Book Reviews. REVIEWER : Geoffrey W. Sutton Book Summary The Widening of God’s Mercy by Christopher B. Hays and Richard B. Hays is a deeply reflective and scholarly work that traces the biblical narrative of divine mercy as an ever-expanding force—one that consistently reaches beyond traditional boundaries to embrace those once excluded. Written by a father-son duo, the book is both a theological exploration and a personal journey, particularly for Richard Hays, who revisits and revises his earlier positions on sexuality and LGBT inclusion in light of a broader biblical vision. Central Thesis At its core, the book argues that the Bible presents a dynamic and evolving picture of God’s mercy—one that is not static or confined by rigid legalism, but responsive, comp...

From Condemnation to Compassion:  Rethinking Biblical Views on Same-Sex Relationships:  A Review of UnClobber CITE :  Sutton, G. W. (2025). From Condemnation to Compassion: Rethinking Biblical Views on Same-Sex Relationships: A Review of UnClobber. Interdisciplinary Book and Film Reviews. DOWNLOAD PDF REVIEWER: Geoffrey W. Sutton Book Summary UnClobber: Rethinking Our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality by Colby Martin is a highly acclaimed pastoral memoir of an evangelical clergyman who came out of his theological closet when his denomination’s doctrinal stance regarding homosexuality no longer made sense.  Christians have used six Bible verses to clobber same sex attracted believers into submission—or perhaps chased them out the door. Martin examines each of those texts and offers support for a view that frees queer Christians from condemnation so they may experience godly love and flourish in a Christian community. As we hop with him over hundreds of years of b...

  TheKingdom, The Power, And The Glory The Era of Evangelical America By Tim Alberta Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton Looking back, I see that the year 2016 marked the baptism of millions of evangelicals into the Republican faith they had been attending for decades. Massive numbers of white evangelicals voted for the 45 th US president. Today, the blended self-identities of faith and politics seem as strong as ever. Tim Alberta’s book, The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory illustrates the widespread wedding of white evangelical Christians and conservative Republican party members. ***** Tim Alberta, a journalist with deep roots in the evangelical community, provides a nuanced and critical examination of the movement. The book is part memoir, part investigative journalism, and part historical analysis. Alberta’s personal background as the son of a Presbyterian megachurch preacher in Michigan gives him a unique perspective on the subject. Alberta begins by tr...

  Assessing Spirituality & Religiosity: A Handbook Beliefs, Practices, Values, & Experiences The Assessment of Spirituality and Religiosity is a handbook for clinicians and researchers who explore this importance dimension of self-identity. More than 7 billion people express their spirituality as members of one of the world’s great religions. In recent decades, the assessment of religiosity and spirituality has filled journals with informative studies. This handbook aims to provide clinicians and researchers with a way to organize hundreds of these instruments. Reviews There are very, very few psychologists I admire as much as my long-time friend, Geoff Sutton. I emphasize long-time because I’ve had the opportunity to know Geoff and learn from him for almost 50 years. He’s a person of deep faith, psychotherapist, teacher, and independent scholar par excellence.  Assessing Spirituality & Religiosity: A Handbook , Geoff’s latest work, is near the pinnacle of his...

  Doubting Brian Faith After Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It By   Brian D. McLaren Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton Faith After Doubt reads like a spiritual memoir and, no doubt, many will find Brain’s ideas helpful. He writes well, and judging by various reviews online, he has met the needs of a lot of followers. For young thoughtful Christians doubt can be an unwelcome guest who stays too long and keeps returning as if doubt were oblivious to the not so subtle rejection of a hostile host. McLaren embraces doubt as a catalyst to spiritual growth. His welcoming attitude toward doubt may help those struggling to close the door. Some readers appear to have appreciated his four-stages of faith, which are frequently referred to in the book. Here’s a quick look. 1. Simplicity- Christians accept the simple faith they have been taught and many remain in that stage their entire life. 2. Complexity- Christians are learning abo...

                                                               Do I Stay Christian?    By Brian D. McLaren   Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton   “He’s an atheist now.” “She came home from that church in tears.” “We’re agnostic. We just don’t know.”   In the past decade, it seems like young adults have been fleeing church as if there was an active shooter in the sanctuary. I am privileged to remain friends with former university students on social media. I see some have left evangelical churches and some declare themselves atheists. I interact with older friends across the USA whose adult children have given up their evangelical beliefs. Some felt welcomed in mainline congregations but others appear to be in some vague spiritual place that I couldn’t quite locate.   Brian D...