It has been 10 months since I last posted a blog on my Merton Website. For several years I had posted 2-4 blogs per month and then I just stopped. A few of you regular blog readers have asked me “Why?”, and I can only say “I’m not sure.”
Some realistic reasons come to mind: (1) I have stopped watching national news so I am out of touch with world events, local politics, and anything actually which doesn’t have a connection to Kentucky college basketball. (2) As I age closer to my final breaths on this earth, I have placed my focus on helping those clients who have hired me as their attorney—I still have over 50 client cases in my office. (3) My three siblings and I are seeing more and more funerals these days than we ever did before.
And then the news hit two weeks ago that revered Christian author Philip Yancey has confessed his eight-year adulterous sin. Since I and several of my closest friends knew Philip and Janet Yancey during our time at LaSalle Street Church [LSC], we have been commiserating and agonizing over the 1/6/26 headline fromChristianity Today: “Author Philip Yancey Confesses Affair, Resigns from Ministry.“
I have read at least ten of Philip’s books. I was on a pastor search committee with him at LSC. Philip and I were two of the regular adult ed teachers for several years at LSC. While his classes always attracted 50-100 attendees, my Elementary Hebrew Class drew 4 students, and truth-be-told, they and I were sad to be missing Philip’s class!!!
When I called him one afternoon to discuss our committee’s work, Janet answered the phone and said, “Steve, you know that he is in his office now and cannot be disturbed” – a signal to me and the world of how serious Philip was about his ministry of writing. It was his job, he was his own boss, he set his hours of work, and he demonstrated great discipline in not being disturbed during his “office writing hours”. I have often repeated that afternoon phone call encounter with Janet to others as exemplary habits of a great author whom we all respected and tried to emulate.
I know he was not perfect, sinless, or without flaw. He was human after all. I had one instance of strong disagreement with him in our LSC pastoral search committee. But until last week’s news broke I never ever thought that he was capable of being unfaithful to Janet.
Philip’s ministry of writing amazing, helpful, and inspiring books cannot be diminished by the author’s imperfection. “The Jesus I Never Knew,” “Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud,” and “Prayer, Does it Make Any Sense?” are just three which have greatly blessed me. (I could easily name five others.) Has there been a more prolific author of Christian books in the 20th century? I pray that his books will minister to millions for decades or centuries, especially since new readers will likely be unaware of his imperfection.
Philip did not have to make his confession publicly; he could have confessed quietly and privately to Janet. In his shoes I might have done the private confession only.
So…drum roll please. We are told in God’s Word: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” [James 5:16, NLT]. Philip, your confession just may be the “best seller” volume of all of your writings. I am disappointed by your sin. I am amazed at Janet’s public forgiveness. I am inspired by your public confession. I pray for your and Janet’s healing. So now you know Why I Still Respect Philip Yancey.
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