Using social networks to broadcast her message, novelist Anne Rice declared “I quit Christianity” yesterday.

From the comments section to our Facebook page, a number of GalleyCat readers responded to her controversial comments. Gabe Lyons, the author of the forthcoming book, The Next Christians—The Good News About the End of Christian America defended Christianity in a message for Rice (pictured).

Lyons wrote GalleyCat: “The good news about many younger generation Christians (who’d agree with Anne by the way), is that they aren’t defined by political activism and moral grandstanding. The next Christians live with a humble posture and are embracing the issues their faith’s originator would support. They care about more than just abortion and gay marriage; they want to work on restoring every corner of the earth through promoting justice, fighting poverty, caring for the lonely, opposing nuclear weapons, curbing environmental destruction and so on. If Anne Rice was exposed more to this kind of restoration-minded Christian, she might even re-evaluate her position.”

One reader replied to Rice’s negative views of organized religion: “Can someone tell her you can be Christian without being the sort of ‘Christian’ under [Rice's] narrow definition? I know a minister who gives his political views as ‘liberal, like Jesus was.’ Christianity is a bit more diverse than this.”

Another reader responded: “Congratulations Anne, I think it’s great. And all of the hateful responses from the ‘Christians’ just confirms that you were right in publicly disavowing your faith. Be strong against the hate in the name of god.”

Chris Offutt wrote: “Her relationship with religion is not my business. Nor is it remotely news.”