Circle of Hope: A radical mission; a riveting crisis; the future of faith
On sale
6th August 2024
Price: £24.99
The Pulitzer Prize winner’s extraordinary portrait of one religious community – and what it means for us all
“Lyrical, probing, and deeply reported, this is an extraordinary account .” ― 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.” ― David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager
“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
Although most evangelicals have their sights firmly set on salvation in the afterlife, one extraordinary church in Philadelphia is designed to fight for progress and dedicated to social justice in this life. Over forty years, Circle of Hope grew from one family to four congregations battling for equality among the sexes, an end to racial discrimination, and offering hope to believers of all kinds – from outcasts to addicts – in its radical mission to improve the world.
Then, rocked by many of the same issues facing society at large, from MeToo to Black Lives Matter, Circle of Hope is forced to confront its own mistakes, plunging the community into existential crisis.
Building on years of deep reporting, Pulitzer Prize-winner Eliza Griswold paints an intimate portrait of pastors and church members’ desperate wrestling to find a way to remain together despite their dividing truths.
Through generational rifts, an increasingly politicised religious landscape, a pandemic and a rise in foundation-shaking activism, Circle of Hope tells a propulsive, layered story of what we do to stay true to our beliefs. It is a soaring, searing examination of what it means for a community to love, to grow, and crucially to disagree.
“Lyrical, probing, and deeply reported, this is an extraordinary account .” ― 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.” ― David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager
“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
Although most evangelicals have their sights firmly set on salvation in the afterlife, one extraordinary church in Philadelphia is designed to fight for progress and dedicated to social justice in this life. Over forty years, Circle of Hope grew from one family to four congregations battling for equality among the sexes, an end to racial discrimination, and offering hope to believers of all kinds – from outcasts to addicts – in its radical mission to improve the world.
Then, rocked by many of the same issues facing society at large, from MeToo to Black Lives Matter, Circle of Hope is forced to confront its own mistakes, plunging the community into existential crisis.
Building on years of deep reporting, Pulitzer Prize-winner Eliza Griswold paints an intimate portrait of pastors and church members’ desperate wrestling to find a way to remain together despite their dividing truths.
Through generational rifts, an increasingly politicised religious landscape, a pandemic and a rise in foundation-shaking activism, Circle of Hope tells a propulsive, layered story of what we do to stay true to our beliefs. It is a soaring, searing examination of what it means for a community to love, to grow, and crucially to disagree.
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Reviews
"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."
"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."
"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."
"That rarest of books: an examination of the sacred and spiritual realm captured with humor, humanity, and style."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"Riveting . . . A fascinating inquest into the death of a church that doubles as a compassionate case study on the insufficiency of good intentions."