Less and less Christian demographically, America is now home to an ever-larger number of people who say they identify with no religion at all. These non-Christians have increasingly been demanding their full participation in public life, bringing their arguments all the way to the Supreme Court. The law is on their side, but that doesn't mean that their attempts are not met with suspicion or outright hostility. In Our Non-Christian Nation, Jay Wexler travels the country to engage the non-Christians who have called on us to maintain our ideals of inclusivity and diversity. With his characteristic sympathy and humor, he introduces us to the Summum and their Seven Aphorisms, a Wiccan priestess who would deck her City Hall with a pagan holiday wreath, and other determined champions of free religious expression. As Wexler reminds us, anyone who cares about pluralism, equality, and fairness should support a public square filled with a variety of religious and nonreligious voices. The stakes are nothing short of long-term social peace.
WINNER OF A GOLD MEDAL IPPY AWARD IN THE “RELIGION” CATEGORY!!
Buy Our Non-Christian Nation at Stanford University Press or IndieBound
"A zesty, opinionated assessment of how non-Christians should actually behave....With curiosity and openness, Wexler performs the action that he advocates: that is, making heard a 'cacophony' of voices in public life so that different viewpoints get brought to the fore."
—Dan Friedman, Los Angeles Review of Books
"[T]his book was written for the general public, which often struggles to understand the jurisprudence surrounding religious freedom. Even professors of religious studies often need help in this area....Wexler's writing makes this book ideal for getting undergraduates interested in these issues."
—Joseph Laycock, Journal of the American Academy of Religion
"A fascinating read, and a wonderfully hopeful one...For anyone who feels marginalized as a pagan, nonbeliever, or just not a Christian, it's a manifesto for effective and often hilarious resistance."
—Houston Chronicle
"Wexler's greatest strength is his ability to describe current case law in readily digestible terms, making his work an ideal resource for undergraduates interested in religion and American politics. . .[T]his work can serve as an ideal entry point into important classroom conversations regarding the place of religions, especially minorities, in American law, as well as how both public and legal discourses have shaped the role of religion in American life."
—Savannah Finver, Religious Studies Review
"Wexler...has made a timely, at times funny, and compelling piece of reportage looking at a variety of religious groups, as well as a strong argument for the importance of a pluralistic society."
—The Boston Globe
""[An] artfully presented, quite accessible, guide to major legal issues faced by minority faiths in America...recommended for all interested in such topics."
—James T. Richardson, Nova Religio
With the amazing Lucien Greaves of the Satanic Temple at Brookline Booksmith
With Penny Lane, director of “Hail Satan” (and many other awesome films) at the Strand in New York. Click on the link to watch the full event.
Reading at Kramerbooks in DC, one of my all-time favorite bookstores
Speaking at Third Place Books in Seattle—I’ve had a couple of great readings there!
Speech at the 2021 Freedom From Religion National Convention
Lecture at the Annual American Humanist Conference in 2019
Ted talk-ish version at Emory University
Lecture for the Greater Boston Humanists in 2023 called “Tiptoeing Toward Theocracy”
Conversation with the head honchos at Freedom From Religion Foundation
Lecture for the MIT Secular Society in 2022, this time it’s “Skipping Toward Theocracy”