God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America By Lyn Lenz

Abstract

God Land is a gritty, insightful tour guide into some of the realities of the American Midwest. In this highly read-able book, journalist Lyz Lenz provides her reader with a window into her own lived experiences as an Iowa transplant, a victim of sexist evangelical church cultures, a divorcee and a mother—a woman entangled with broader cultural histories of white Protestant America, nostalgia, and loss in the heartland. Lenz’s own personal history is enriched with her sharp insights into vexing issues of white privilege, the ongoing pervasive male patriarchy in churches, and the longing for community. God Land is also a book that beautifully portrays the enduring pull of faith, and how churches remain important places for community building, love, and belonging.