Q & A

Q: What inspired you to write this book?

After the publication of my book, Witness to Dignity: The Life and Faith of George H.W. and Barbara Bush, I received correspondence from around the world from people in all walks of life who conveyed a similar reaction. People wrote to tell me that inspired by George and Barbara’s story, they had gone back to church, re-engaged in worship, began practicing prayer and Bible study—one even wrote to tell me he had entered Lutheran seminary! What inspired them? Not a sermon I preached, but the witness of two people who possessed all the world has to offer and yet in the end knew that their faith was their most important gift.

Q: How did you choose the individuals you interviewed?

As I share in the book, for every one person who agreed, there were probably five who declined (all, for the most part, kindly, I should add!). But I read and researched a great deal, and of course I already knew a few of these individuals personally (Gary Sinise, Sam Waterston, Amy Grant, James A. Baker III, Jim Nantz)—and it was my hope not to choose “perfect” people, but people who had, in some way, been a bit worked over by life, and yet continued to hold fast to their faith through it all. I did not want folk who used their faith as a platform to further their reputation or their career—but people who drew on their faith for all the facets of life.

Q. Did you encounter any resistance to any questions you asked?

No. In fact, I was frankly amazed how personal and in depth some people were willing to go. Someone will have to read the book to see what I mean here, but more than one said, “This is the first time I have ever told this story,” or “Your readers may be a bit surprised by this.” Q: Were you surprised by anything your subjects shared? Perhaps that each person was so transparent and so approachable. I was also surprised, I think, at how much time each person was willing to give. And, well, almost everyone has stayed in touch.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from this book?

I am a Christian, and everyone in this book—in their own way—is a disciple of Jesus, so I offer the following from a Christian perspective—Jesus offered these sobering words, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul,” (Mark 8:36-37). Frankly, I think all the world’s major faith traditions offer a similar teaching—the work of tending to one’s soul, a gift of God for sure, is the most important work of all.

Q: Did any common themes emerge across the interviews?

Yes, in the conclusion of the book, I offer a series of common themes—among them, humility, generosity, faithfulness.... these are wonderful people who have done wonderful things, but the Source for those wonderful things—connects them all.

Q: Why do you think these stories are important right now?

We see people of all faiths, including my own, in deep division with one another—and within their own faith traditions. And yet the tenets of the great world religions are, frankly, pretty simple—life is gift, receive it gratefully, live generously, love others. Look at our nation today . . . look at our world today . . . one can only surmise that we need more, not less, love. My tradition says that love itself, and the very expression of it, is God (I John 4:8). We need love, we need God . . . and we need that now.

Q. You begin with the interview with Dr. Francis Collins and end with Dr. Jane Goodall. Is there a reason you begin and end with scientists?

Yes—Dr. Collins, in part, came to faith by his own empirical investigations of the origin of humankind and the intricacies of the DNA strand (there’s more to it than that—the “beginning” seemed like a good place to start!). As for Dr. Goodall (or “Dr. Jane,” as she asked me to call her), well, her take on what happens when this life comes to a close—is alone worth reading the book!