“I was hoping for a hate-by-hate play-by-play,” Abbie Wells writes in The Daily Planet, “and that’s what this book offers.” She’s referencing Separation of Church and Hate, actor and comedian John Fugelsang’s “grating screed against the Christian right” [Kirkus Reviews]. In it, he seeks “to reclaim the Bible from far-right groups, and restore Jesus’ message of love,” Practical Resources for Churches observes. He “actually makes this seem genuinely uncomplicated,” James Cosby of popmatters.com reckons, “and that’s why this book is such a success.”
True, “Fugelsang’s unrelenting irreverence, flat-falling witticisms, and peppering of profanity” colours him “as an unserious author,” the Kirkus Reviews’ critique warrants. But, “His own deeply held respect for Christ’s message is evident in every chapter,” TheHumanist.com affirms, while popmatters.com attests, “Fugelsang is remarkably respectful of those he debates”; what’s more, “he clearly knows the Bible inside and out.”
Hailing this book as a “potent debut,” Publishers Weekly points out that “the author’s blend of theology and humour energizes his thought-provoking talking points. Christians looking to push back against fundamentalist teachings will find plenty of ammunition in this acerbic and accessible treatise.” USA Today summarizes: Fugelsang “delivers a deeply irreverent and biblically correct takedown of far-right Christian hatred.”
Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-fleecing Frauds
By John Fugelsang
Avid Reader Press, 2025