A transformative collection of prayers that shows a pathway to a place where rage and anger are not barriers but bridges to a more profound relationship with God
In this groundbreaking collection, priest and social media dynamo, Elizabeth Ashman Riley, carves out a sanctuary where unfiltered human emotions resonate with spiritual contemplation. Along with her extensive and diverse TikTok following, Riley destabilizes conventional norms of religious discourse, beckoning her audience to transcend superficial affirmations and engage profoundly and honestly with a higher power. Thematically organized, each section explores uncharted territories of one's spiritual journey, providing a haven for a comprehensive spectrum of human feelings in conversations with God—who, as Riley explains, is far more compassionate and understanding than often acknowledged. Addressing pressing contemporary issues ranging from racism and healthcare disparities to climate change and daily hurdles, Rage Prayers promotes a spirituality grounded in sincere dialog with a deity open to it all. Riley warmly encourages everyone to approach spirituality with their true selves, nurturing a deep connection that appreciates rather than stifles inherent human complexity. Regardless of one's level of faith, individuals will find a revitalized way to reach out to the divine through rage praying, a technique pioneered by a cleric who wants us all to question, express anger, harbor doubts, yet remain hope-filled in our spiritual endeavors.
Rev. Elizabeth Ashman Riley is a priest in the Dioceses of Olympia, fostering a diverse community both in-person and through her vibrant TikTok presence, where she connects with nearly 60,000 followers from various backgrounds. An alumna of Saint Mary's College of California, she has Master of Divinity from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley. Riley’s notable roles have included serving as a deacon at St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Associate Rector at Trinity Church, both in California. She has been a steadfast board member for organizations like Young Clergy Women International and Stanford's Episcopal Campus Ministry, focusing on fundraising and development initiatives. In 2022, her sermonizing acumen earned her the diocesan preaching award. She resides just outside of Seattle, WA.
Our spirituality does not only exist in positivity and there is something painfully beautiful in that honesty. Elizabeth captures all of our humanness in Rage Prayers and explores the side of ourselves that is often ignored from pulpits: lamenting. God is not scared of our pain. It is part of us all. Part of the divine. And should be part of our prayers. There is something in this book for everyone and I'm thankful to have these pages to return to on darker days.—April Ajoy, author of Star-Spangled Jesus
Elizabeth Ashman Riley boldy invites us to pray our whole truth, encouraging us to trust that God can handle it all. Through her personal stories of tumultuous times and a clear understanding of a more expansive theology than many of us received growing up, she helps to liberate us from toxic positivity and the pervasive fear that God is not present in the messiness of our lives. My hope is that people of all different faith traditions (and none!) read this book and explore how we can bring our whole selves to the divine.—Liz Tichenor, author of The Night Lake: A Young Priest Maps the Topography of Grief
With honesty and depth of faith, Rage Prayers invites the reader into an intimate and raw encounter with God. This book is the permission slip you need if you've ever worried God couldn't handle your deepest woes, or anger, or confusion. Riley's expressions of unspoken and too-taboo conversations with the Divine offer, as she herself puts it, ‘radical and ridiculous hope’ to ‘give way to something beautiful and true.’—Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail, author of God Didn't Make Us to Hate Us
I cannot tell you how thankful I am for this new resource. Like evil, rage is real. Sometimes it’s really all we have. This book comes from a seasoned, thoughtful, prayerful, compassionate, loving pastor and guide. Rev. Elizabeth Riley is, and has always been, a gift to those she pastors, and now she has given us this gift, Rage Prayers.—Rt. Rev. Gregory Rickel, VIII Bishop of Olympia, Resigned
