Bestselling Christian author Philip Yancey has publicly confessed to an eight-year extramarital affair and announced his retirement from writing, speaking, and public ministry in order to focus on restoring his marriage.
In a statement shared with Christianity Today, where Yancey has served as editor at large for more than three decades, the 76-year-old author acknowledged that he "willfully engaged in a sinful affair with a married woman," describing his actions as a serious moral and spiritual failure.
"My conduct defied everything that I believe about marriage," Yancey wrote. "It was also totally inconsistent with my faith and my writings and caused deep pain for her husband and both of our families. I will not share further details out of respect for the other family."
Yancey is one of the most widely read Christian authors of the past several decades, with more than 15 million books sold worldwide. His most notable works include What's So Amazing About Grace?, The Jesus I Never Knew, and Soul Survivor.
In his statement, Yancey said he has confessed his actions "before God and my wife" and has committed to participating in professional counseling and an accountability program.
"I have failed morally and spiritually, and I grieve over the devastation I have caused," he wrote. "I realize that my actions will disillusion readers who have previously trusted in my writing. Worst of all, my sin has brought dishonor to God. I am filled with remorse and repentance, and I have nothing to stand on except God's mercy and grace."
As a result, Yancey said he is stepping away permanently from public Christian ministry.
"Having disqualified myself from Christian ministry, I am therefore retiring from writing, speaking, and social media," he wrote. "Instead, I need to spend my remaining years living up to the words I have already written."
Yancey has been married to his wife, Janet, for 55 years. In 2023, he publicly shared that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
"I pray for God's grace and forgiveness-as well as yours-and for healing in the lives of those I've wounded," he concluded.
