Alan Jamieson's latest book - an interview

Len Hjalmarson is a writer, pastor, student and software developer living in Kelowna, BC, in the heart of the vineyards and orchards of the Okanagan valley. Recently he interviewed Alan Jamieson, the Kiwi author of the book, Chrysalis. This is how the interview began. You can read the rest here.

Alan, it sounds like you wrote this book with a specific audience in mind.. those who have either left the “organized” church or those who for whatever reason feel they can’t pursue their journey within the church. Can you comment?

Alan: In this book I hoped to update and make more readably available the material in ‘Journeying in Faith’ and the 8 years Jenny McIntosh and I worked with people in faith (and church) pain. Chrysalis was written for those who leave organized church but also those who loyally stay when the lights have gone out within (Internal leavers). But there was also one other major reader in mind – the church leaders/pastors. I wanted to include them so they might understand, validate and be able to accompany people in the midst of faith transformations.

Perspective

As easy as it is for those of us who are white to look back and say, "That's a terrible statement," I grew up in a very segregated South, and I think that you have to cut some slack. And I'm going to be probably the only conservative in America who's going to say something like this, but I'm just telling you: We've got to cut some slack to people who grew up being called names, being told, "You have to sit in the balcony when you go to the movie. You have to go to the back door to go into the restaurant. And you can't sit out there with everyone else. There's a separate waiting room in the doctor's office. Here's where you sit on the bus." And you know what? Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had ... more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me.

- Mike Huckabee, offering his perspective on the preaching of Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

The interview this comes from can be seen on You Tube. or can click on the arrow in the screen below.