One of the outward features of American Christianity, and especially its evangelical style, is that it takes itself far too seriously. This is a culture that loves to argue and debate and act intellectually but hates to laugh, especially at itself. And the people in these spaces have what you might call "humor atrophy." Their funny bone has no meat on it.
That said, there are a few out there who buck this trend. And they are rare. They are religious satire saints.
Becky Garrison is one of them.
I first learned about Garrison when the publishing company I worked for subscribed to The Wittenburg Door. Like so many who worked for high-minded para and mega institutions of Christianity, reading the articles and seeing the hilarious illustrations in The Door was a secret indulgence, if not an outright joy.
The Door ceased print publication in 2006 (though you can still join its Facebook Pageand subscribe to its Substack posts). And the world is different now. We're all more dispersed. Even evangelicalism as a movement is not what it once was (for better or for worse, or worse to more worse).
But Garrison is a writer, and she keeps on writing. She herself has dispersed into new communities bringing her journalistic skills to covering craft culture including beer, wine, spirits, cider, cannabis/CBD, psychedelics, the regional festival scene, and the rise of secular spiritual communities in the Pacific Northwest. See her latest book, Distilled in Washington: A History. Garrison is also the author of numerous other books, including about one of her ancestors and someone who stands in the legacy of early American Christianity in Roger Williams's Little Book Of Virtues.
Regardless of finding amazing new places to hang out, that spiritual connection for Becky is still there. It's still a part of her writing.
Garrison's forthcoming 2026 title from Lake Drive Books brings not just a satirical but also a journalistic and analytical pen to what she would sum up as the culture of narcissism in American spiritual communities. Don't worry, she won't just pick on deserving evangelicals and fundamentalists (is there a difference?), she goes beyond them—which stands to reason as evangelicals are ironically more a reflection of worldly and profane culture than anyone wants to admit (can anyone say "Jesus Walmart"?).
Currently titled Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Field Guide for Spotting Spiritual Narcissists, Garrison hopes to arm us all with a handy guide to identify spiritual narcissism in our midst (and not just the famous ones), as well as obtain the tools to not only survive but thrive when confronting these destructive energies.
I am looking forward to this book!
Please, help me welcome Becky Garrison to Lake Drive Books, which you can do by following her on Instagram and Facebook, and even by subscribing to The Wittenburg Door on Substack.
David Morris, Publisher
https://lakedrivebooks.substack.com/p/lake-drive-books-welcomes-journalist
