Redeeming the past
Book Description
When a letter bomb destroyed both hands and one eye of Anglican priest Michael Lapsley in 1990, it marked not an ending but a profound transformation. This powerful memoir chronicles the journey of a New Zealand monastic whose anti-apartheid activism in South Africa led to exile in Zimbabwe and ultimately to a devastating attack by suspected apartheid-era secret police.
Lapsley's story moves beyond personal tragedy to explore how profound suffering can become a source of healing for others. After returning to post-apartheid South Africa, he discovered his calling as what he terms a "wounded healer," using his own experience of trauma to help a nation grappling with the deep wounds of its divided past.
The narrative traces Lapsley's evolving understanding of the gospel's social implications and his growing identification with the liberation struggle. More significantly, it reveals how visible brokenness can create unexpected connections with others whose pain may be hidden but equally real. Through his work with victims of violence and trauma, Lapsley demonstrates that shared suffering can forge bonds of trust and understanding.
This memoir offers profound insights into the possibility of transforming pain into a life-giving force. For readers seeking to understand how personal devastation can become a pathway to healing others, Lapsley's journey provides both inspiration and practical wisdom about finding purpose through adversity.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~7 hours)
📄 Length: 256 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Church of the Province of Southern Africa
- ✓ Explore Biography
- ✓ Explore Terrorism
- ✓ Explore Church history
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
- ✓ Explore Pain
- ✓ Explore Suffering
- ✓ Explore Christianity
