Bestselling Christian author Philip Yancey has confessed to an eight-year “sinful affair with a married woman” who is not his wife.
The 76-year-old Yancey served as Christianity Today’s editor-at-large for 30 years. His books have sold more than 15 million copies. His titles include “What’s So Amazing About Grace?,” “Disappointment with God,” and “Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?,” and “The Jesus I Never Knew.”
In 2023, Yancey shared that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He has been married to his wife, Janet, for 55 years.
Yancey shared his extra-marital confession with Christianity Today in an email.
“To my great shame, I confess that for eight years I willfully engaged in a sinful affair with a married woman,” Yancey wrote.
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“My conduct defied everything that I believe about marriage,” he continued. “It was also totally inconsistent with my faith and my writings and caused deep pain for her husband and both of our families. I will not share further details out of respect for the other family.”
The well-respected author explained that he has confessed his sin “before God and my wife” and has committed himself to “a professional counseling and accountability program.”
“I have failed morally and spiritually, and I grieve over the devastation I have caused,” Yancey admitted. “I realize that my actions will disillusion readers who have previously trusted in my writing. Worst of all, my sin has brought dishonor to God. I am filled with remorse and repentance, and I have nothing to stand on except God’s mercy and grace.”
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Yancey said his focus is on “rebuilding trust and restoring my marriage of 55 years” and that he is retiring from ministry.
“Having disqualified myself from Christian ministry, I am therefore retiring from writing, speaking and social media,” Yancey said. “Instead, I need to spend my remaining years living up to the words I have already written. I pray for God’s grace and forgiveness—as well as yours—and for healing in the lives of those I’ve wounded.”
