Title: Stolen Grace: A Memoir: How God Rescued Me from the Jaws and Claws of the United Methodist Church
Author: Rev Errol E. Leslie
Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing
ISBN: 978-1638449515
Pages: 522
Genre: Christian Church Leadership / Christian Family & Relationships
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers
Hollywood Book Reviews
One of the hardest realizations a person can come to in this life is to realize that we are human, and as such are prone to imperfection, no matter how much we strive to be otherwise. The moment comes in our lives when we make a decision that turns out to be the wrong one, and that begins the path to redemption. Acknowledging our faults and knowing the need to make things right makes us human, and as Brendan Fraser once said, “I guess darkness serves a purpose: to show us that there is redemption through chaos. I believe in that. I think that’s the basis of Greek mythology.”
In author Rev Errol E. Leslie’s Stolen Grace: A Memoir: How God Rescued Me from the Jaws and Claws of the United Methodist Church, the author shares a heartfelt and personal story of his own redemption after a mistake in his personal life turned into a personal and professional nightmare. After a mistake on his part, the Reverend’s ministry is put into question and his status as a leader within the church is removed as a result of a false accusation, the author must go on a journey to learn the laws of the church and fight for the truth as he makes amends for the mistake that began this nightmare and forces the truth out of the darkness and into the light.
The author did a fantastic job of crafting the perfect balance of faith and religion-based discussion with personal experience within the Methodist church and the legal system as a whole. The painful and intimate way the author examines his own precluding actions and acknowledges his mistakes was a refreshing change of pace for a narrative of this stature, as the author was able to separate the wrongs done to him while still owning up to his decisions to enter into a relationship outside his marriage that led to these complaints with the church.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy non-fiction memoirs with a hint of religious and spiritual text, and personal stories of fighting for truth and justice. One thing which really stood out was the way the author was able to incorporate documentation and legal discoveries regarding the rights of those within the inner structures of the United Methodist Church. The way the author was able to give so much detail regarding the experiences he had within this process showcased the rarely seen behind-the-scenes stories of organized religions and the politics that go on behind closed doors.
Thoughtful, engaging, and haunting in its delivery, author Rev Errol E. Leslie’s Stolen Grace: A Memoir: How God Rescued Me from the Jaws and Claws of the United Methodist Church is a must-read book. The themes of redemption, forgiveness, and moving forward were well explored throughout this book, as was the concept of justice and the need to free the truth to really get a handle on how life is behind the scenes of an organization such as this. The author’s painful struggles and willingness to open up and share the mistakes and strives towards forgiveness they made while also fighting for his rights in the process made this such a powerful story to read!