Progressive Christian author Rachel Held Evans dead at 37
By Storm Gifford, New York Daily News
Christian blogger and author Rachel Held Evans, who spoke openly about contentious religious issues and her place within her church, died on Saturday.
Evans, 37, died in a Nashville hospital after being placed in a medically induced coma due to extreme flu-like conditions. After a severely adverse reaction to antibiotics and sustained seizures, doctors discovered swelling in her brain.
Her husband, Dan Evans, posted a mournful tribute Saturday on her website.
"This entire experience is surreal. I keep hoping it's a nightmare from which I'll awake," he wrote.
"I feel like I'm telling someone else's story ... Rachel's presence in this world was a gift to us all and her work will long survive her."
Rachel Evans began her blogging career around the same time she received the 2007 Tennessee Press Association's award for Best Personal Humor Column.
Her writing explored virtually every controversial evangelical issue, including abortion, patriarchy and evolution. Her e-book "A Year of Biblical Womanhood" appeared on The New York Times' bestseller list.
In 2014, she announced she was quitting evangelicalism, exhausted by "wearing out my voice in calling for an end to evangelicalism's culture wars." Soon after, she joined an Episcopal church.
Her final blog post appeared on Ash Wednesday, March 6. "Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return. Death is a part of life," she wrote. "My prayer for you this season is that you make time to celebrate that reality, and to grieve that reality, and that you will know you are not alone."
Fellow Christian author Jen Hatmaker offered condolences on social media.
"Beloved woman of valor. You ran a beautiful, faithful race. We are crushed. Well done, good and faithful servant," Hatmaker posted on Twitter.
In addition to her husband of 16 years, Evans leaves behind two young children.
Her husband, Dan Evans, posted a mournful tribute Saturday on her website.
"This entire experience is surreal. I keep hoping it's a nightmare from which I'll awake," he wrote.
"I feel like I'm telling someone else's story ... Rachel's presence in this world was a gift to us all and her work will long survive her."
Rachel Evans began her blogging career around the same time she received the 2007 Tennessee Press Association's award for Best Personal Humor Column.
Her writing explored virtually every controversial evangelical issue, including abortion, patriarchy and evolution. Her e-book "A Year of Biblical Womanhood" appeared on The New York Times' bestseller list.
In 2014, she announced she was quitting evangelicalism, exhausted by "wearing out my voice in calling for an end to evangelicalism's culture wars." Soon after, she joined an Episcopal church.
Her final blog post appeared on Ash Wednesday, March 6. "Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return. Death is a part of life," she wrote. "My prayer for you this season is that you make time to celebrate that reality, and to grieve that reality, and that you will know you are not alone."
Fellow Christian author Jen Hatmaker offered condolences on social media.
"Beloved woman of valor. You ran a beautiful, faithful race. We are crushed. Well done, good and faithful servant," Hatmaker posted on Twitter.
In addition to her husband of 16 years, Evans leaves behind two young children.
