A Memoir Event in Portland

Last year in Portland, I attended an author event at a local bookstore featuring a memoir titled “Burning for God: Fear, Shame, Poverty, and the Establishment of the Christian Right.” The author, Josiah Hesse, shared his story of a challenging upbringing within a small, rural evangelical community in Iowa.

The event described his memoir as a depiction of his “dark and difficult childhood,” which certainly piqued my interest.

Honestly, I suspect that his agent or editor sensed just how eager mainstream publishers were for critical takes on the Christian faith.

As a child, Hesse was warned by church elders about eternal damnation for his sins—a notion that clearly troubled him.

By the time he was a teenager, he distanced himself from his church and family. He ultimately forged a path to success as an author and journalist, now focusing on exposing the Christian right.

A Tour and a Transformative Message

During his national book tour, Hesse appeared on various interviews, including one with National Public Radio.

Unsurprisingly, the mainstream media embraced his book. There’s an appetite for striking critiques of Midwestern evangelicals, especially when an author emerges from what they view as oppressive circumstances into progressive liberalism.

When Hesse arrived at the bookstore, his presence was unexpected. I had no preconceived notions about his style, but a rockstar-like shag haircut, a pristine white shirt, a dazzling black dinner jacket, and a sophisticated cravat caught me a bit off guard.

Honestly, I wondered if he arrived by yacht. He exuded a certain charm that reminded me of performers. It felt a little surreal.

Understanding the Author’s Roots

As he took the stage to begin his talk, Hesse shared that he grew up steeped in evangelical Christian beliefs.

He described his younger self as sensitive and imaginative—traits that often led to feelings of isolation in his environment. His parents? Devout evangelicals. His father, particularly, was fixated on “end times” prophecies and the Antichrist.

Upon reaching his teenage years, Hesse’s sense of alienation intensified. It was perhaps further complicated by his burgeoning interest in wearing high heels and experimenting with his mother’s clothing.

Embracing His Identity

And yes, Hesse identified as gay. There’s nothing wrong with that, right? Like many young men in a similar position, he eventually moved to the nearest major city, which in his case was Denver.

In Denver, he relied on various odd jobs and writing gigs. Bit by bit, he honed his craft, ultimately landing a literary agent and publishing a book titled “Runner’s High” with a prominent publisher.

Listening to him, he came across as quite cheerful. The emotional baggage of his upbringing didn’t seem to weigh him down. He was just being himself—successful and openly gay.

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Family Dynamics

What struck me was Hesse’s portrayal of “breaking up” with his family—not as severe as I expected. He talked about visiting home, spending time with his father, and reconnecting with old friends whenever possible.

This made it an interesting and relatable narrative.

But the questions lingered: where were the depictions of harmful Christians? The trauma? The abuse? The scars?

The crowd in Portland seemed a bit restless and perhaps even let down. They were likely looking for the darker side of Christianity, but it wasn’t quite there.

Going Off-Script

I hadn’t read the book, so I lacked context, but Hesse cited various statistics throughout his talk.

These statistics appeared aimed at soothing his audience’s anti-Christian sentiment, painting Trump as a villain and conservatives as primitive. Christians, according to him, were often brainwashed or predatory.

But I couldn’t help but find that hard to swallow. Hesse came off as a genuinely intelligent individual—not overly political or resentful of his background. He didn’t seem to harbor hate toward his family, town, or former friends.

Like many talented individuals, he simply distanced himself from his rural roots, found love in Denver, and began writing with a sense of freedom.

The Formula for Success

It seems likely that Hesse, or perhaps his literary team, recognized a market for works that critique and vilify Christianity.

There’s an inclination for narratives that confirm stereotypes of “small-town Christians being synonymous with bigots or racists.”

The formula typically involves:

• The author experiencing mistreatment in their local community.
• Breaking free from those prejudices to connect with enlightened, educated liberals.
• In this new environment, they blossom into their true selves: gay, non-binary, or otherwise diverse.
• Happiness ensues.

Josiah Hesse’s book likely fits into this mold. (Similar to “Educated” by Tara Westover, which follows a similar path.)

Did he adhere strictly to this formula? Mostly. Hesse’s overall vibe was one of contentment. His writing career seemed promising, he was touring nationally, and he looked quite dapper.

And undoubtedly, his publisher was satisfied: another book reinforcing the narrative that educated individuals align against the Christian Right while framing that faction as an ongoing threat.

However, the irony lies in the fact that when one delves into the “dangerous Christian right,” they might simply encounter a genuinely nice small-town community where discussing the Christian Right may lead to blank stares.