RNS Weekly Digest: Philip Yancey, beloved evangelical author, retires after admitting affair

Philip Yancey, beloved evangelical author, retires after admitting affair

Philip Yancey, a beloved evangelical author and speaker, will retire from public ministry after admitting to a long-term affair. “My conduct defied everything that I believe about marriage,” Yancey, 76, wrote in a letter to Christianity Today. “It was also totally inconsistent with my faith and my writings and caused deep pain for her husband and both of our families.” Christianity Today, where Yancey had been a columnist and contributor for decades, reported the news of his retirement.   Known for his thoughtful and poignant books on faith, with titles like “What’s So Amazing About Grace,” “Disappointment with God,” and “Where is God When it Hurts,” Yancey’s writing connected with millions of evangelical readers, helping them wrestle with doubts about their faith and the hardships of life.  Religion & Politics Two events remember the 5th anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot, appealing to two divine truths Judge rules Americans United can't intervene in Johnson Amendment case With limits on campus protests, quieter vigils are the growing voice of protest Photos of the Week: Orthodox Christmas, Epiphany Worshippers gather on the eve of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas, hosted by the Ethiopian Jandereba Generation, at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP photo/Amanuel Sileshi) In Opinion Trump's foreign policy is a disaster for America and the world 'Marty Supreme' is a classic American Jewish dark comedy When the church, like an aquarium, is built for the predators And finally, New pipe organ signals rebirth of Episcopal parish after fire, flood and 'plague' The organ arrived from Utah on a warm August morning. Greeted by holy water, incense and slide whistles, it came in a 53-foot-long truck that was double-parked on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The Church of the Epiphany’s priests clambered up on the truck’s loading dock, tossed on stoles and blessed the long-awaited instrument. Their prayers were punctuated by the sound of confetti cannons shot off by about 30 parishioners. Then, for hours, children, adults and elders into their 90s hoisted pipes and boxes up flights of stairs to the church’s second-floor sanctuary. The biggest spectacle was the entrance of the 600-pound organ console, which parishioners and organ builders spent over 30 minutes wrangling up an external staircase. Support our responsible reporting on religion Forward this newsletter to a friend Make a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit newsroom here Or mail us a check: Religion News Foundation PO Box 1808 Columbia, MO 65205 Email membership@religionnews.com with a news tip or a comment Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Copyright © 2026 RNS, All rights reserved.