'I was a staunch atheist but reading medieval theology led me to Christ'
By 
Tony Wilson2023-08-30T15:01:00
Charlotte Gauthier wanted to save people from believing in God. Encountering the beauty of an ancient church building unexpectedly stopped her in her tracks
I was raised by my grandparents in a post-industrial town about an hour from New York City. By my childhood in the 1990s, Middletown had lost most of its former prosperity, though it still retained the many beautiful churches built in its heyday. My childhood was largely spent in the company of older people, and their stories about life during the war sparked a lifelong love of history. As a shy, serious child I mainly read history books and classic novels. Jane Eyre in particular gave me what grounding I then had in a mature Christian faith.
Related articles
-
ReviewsThe Eclipse of Christianity: A robust, prophetic and hopeful book
Rupert Shortt’s new book offers a solid critique of today’s secular culture and a penetrating analysis of the problems facing Christian faith today. But it’s also deeply hopeful about the future, says Paul Valler
-
Testimonies'I was a hopeless addict. But God never gave up on me'
Rikki Doolan spent years travelling the world, chasing meaning and fulfilment. Drugs and alcohol couldn't fill the void, and he found himself homeless on the streets of Manchester. That's when he stepped into a cathedral and everything began to change
-
TestimoniesFrom the worst slum to glorious salvation
Through the generosity of a teenager thousands of miles away, Dr Richmond Wandera was lifted out of extreme poverty. He’s now a church leader committed to leading his fellow Ugandans away from the prosperity gospel and toward biblical truth
More from Testimonies
-
Testimonies'Drink, drugs, sex, career, travel - I’ve tried it all. Nothing satisfies like Jesus Christ'
Calum Mackenzie grew up in a Christian family, but walked away from faith while at university. During the next 22 years he tried everything the world could offer, but nothing seemed to satisfy him. Until one day, a desperate expletive-laden prayer changed everything
-
Testimonies‘I thought Christians were fooling themselves, until I came out of that baptismal water’
A whirlwind of loss and lament was set in motion the day Mike Wallbridge’s then-wife left him for his best friend. But it was also the day that God’s transformative work in his life began. Although Mike was initially resistant to God’s calls to come home, God’s persistence proved greater
-
TestimoniesThe co-founder of Wikipedia has become a Christian. Here’s what convinced him
Decades of his own in-depth study combined with the testimony of “intelligent Christians” helped moved Larry Sanger from agnostic to Christian. In a lengthy blog post published this week, the Wikipedia co-founder revealed what changed his mind on God’s existence. Here’s what you need to know
- Issues
- Topics A-Z
- Writers A-Z
- © 2025 Premier Christianity
Site powered by Webvision Cloud