Costly Grace: An Evangelical Minister's Rediscovery of Faith, Hope, and Love

Schenck gained notoriety as part of the radical prolife movement Operation Rescue. As evangelical conservatism matured, Schenck moved into the mainstream of the Republican party. This memoir details his three transformations from a teenage Jewish convert to a prolife activist preacher to an evangelical pastor seeking authentic Christianity. The author is clear that he has not abandoned his faith, but that his beliefs have matured. He describes a stage in life when his "pastoral side…just wanted to care for souls, but my political ambitions were quickly gaining control over my way of seeing the world." His activism almost destroyed his family. Later in life, he researched neo-orthodox theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer and rediscovered a different perspective of grace. In addition, he recognized the dangerous stance of the evangelical church conflating Republican party values as biblical values. Bonhoeffer transformed the author's thinking and actions toward others. Schenck has not changed his beliefs or moral stances but now occupies a unique space as president of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute calling for grace to transcend partisan divides and seek biblical answers to complex issues.