NPR Politics correspondent Sarah McCammon grew up in a white evangelical church that taught her to never question her faith. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her upbringing, how her faith was tested, and her decision to leave the church. She now reports on the Christian right and their support of Donald Trump. McCammon's book is The Exvangelicals. Also, Justin Chang reviews The Shadowless Tower. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
On the Ted radio hour, linguist Ann Curzan says she gets a lot of complaints about people using the pronoun they to refer to one person.
I sometimes get into arguments with people where they will say to me, but it can't be singular.
And I will say, but it is.
The history behind words causing a lot of debate.
That's on the Ted radio hour from NPR.
This is FRESH AIR.
I'm Tanya Moseley.
And today my guest is Sarah McCammon.
She's a national political correspondent for NPR, and she's written a new book called the loving Living and leaving the White Evangelical Church.
This book is a deep dive into the social movement of mostly young people who have left evangelical Christianity.
The book is also part memoir.
McCammon counts herself as an ex vangelical.
She grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, in the eighties and nineties and was taught to fear God and never question the faith.
Some of her first memories are in the church being saved at age two and baptized at eight.
But as McCammon grew older, she couldn't ignore how much of what she was taught was in contrast with her expanding worldview.
The 2016 presidential election of Donald Trump became a flashpoint where McCammon covered not only the growing support of Trump, but also the rising generation of young evangelicals who also feel disillusioned with the church and what they were taught about the world growing up.
In addition to being a correspondent, Sarah McCammon is also a co host of the NPR Politics podcast.
She covers the political, social and cultural divides in America, including abortion policy and the intersections of politics and religion.
Sarah McCammon, welcome to Fresh Air.
Thanks so much for having me.