Soul by Soul

The Evangelical Mission to Spread the Gospel to Muslims

De: Adriana Carranca

Narrado por: Rebecca Mozo

A journey through the fault lines of contemporary religious wars

US-born Protestant evangelicalism has gone global to an extent of which many of us might be unaware. This book tells the story of Americans’ colossal mobilization to proclaim Christianity “to the ends of the Earth,” a movement that triumphed in the Global South, challenged the Vatican, then turned east in full force after 9/11 to spread the Gospel among Muslims. When the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq set off a wave of anti-American attacks and made the field too dangerous for US missionaries, thousands of disciples, particularly from Latin America, were mobilized to finish the task.

In Soul by Soul, journalist Adriana Carranca follows the pilgrimage of a missionary family from Brazil as they move to Afghanistan. Carranca brings us on a harrowing journey through the underground passages of the global evangelical movement as it clashes with the full force of militant Islamic groups in the Middle East and South Asia, where contemporary religious wars are being fought, soul by soul.

“A stunning achievement of both immersive reportage and rigorous research.... This is an extraordinary book.” —Eliza Griswold, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Amity and Prosperity

Compelling journalism

The first half of the book provides a strong historical overview of evangelical missions, while the second half dives into the challenges faced by missionaries in the 10-40 window. Carranca argues that the future of evangelizing Muslims lies in reaching migrants who are moving out of the Middle East. While I found her research both compelling and informative, the tone shifted toward political commentary in the latter parts. In the final paragraphs, Carranca contends that Trump’s 90-day Muslim ban and the January 6th breach of the U.S. Capitol have posed significant barriers to reaching Muslims with the Gospel. Her findings on the growth of Global South missionaries and the global shift in evangelicalism were insightful, but her critique of American politics, especially her disdain for Donald Trump, overshadowed the central theme of the book.

Surpassed my expectations

The stories are gripping and inspiring (though some are also heartbreaking). The author provides helpful broader context for the events. She is also fair and sympathetic despite not sharing the missionaries' beliefs, which I very much appreciated as a Christian reader. This book made a lasting impression on me.