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Tapestry

Tapestry at 25: the atheist evangelical minister known as "Adam"

This is an interview that Tapestry producers have never forgotten. In February 2011, listeners heard the distorted voice of a man on a payphone who went by the codename “Adam.” His real identity was a secret because he was an Evangelical minister who had stopped believing in God. Also, an update from "Adam".
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When Tapestry first spoke to "Adam", he withheld his name and asked that we disguise his voice. (Shutterstock )

The man Tapestry listeners knew only as "Adam" grew up in the Bible Belt, in Tennessee. His path was clear from the time he was fairly young: "Adam" became an evangelical minister and, for a time, all was well.  Imagine his surprise when he realized he had lost his faith – had stopped believing in any kind of God, after a lifetime as a committed Christian.

When Tapestry spoke to him, he withheld his name and asked that we disguise his voice, to guard against any possibility that his atheism might be discovered by his family – or his employer, the church. 

Our conversation with "Adam" was first broadcast in February 2011; it's one that Tapestry producers have never forgotten. This interview was honoured with a gold medal at the New York Festivals, an international competition of the best in radio. It was produced by Tina Pittaway and Nicola Luksic.

 In 2016, after years of secrecy, "Adam" shared his real name – Carter Warden – during a speech at the Freedom From Religion Foundation's conference. 

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