Don's life and childhood faith are shattered by the senseless death of his mother and sister in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. Anger, at times even rage, over this injustice, as well as gnawing faith doubts now consume Don. Seeking rational reassurances for these doubts, and to rebuild his shattered faith Don applies and is accepted to a prestigious liberal seminary in the North-East. This decision, in the wake of the accident and given his working-class Southern Baptist roots, seems misguided, and ill-fated. A series of dramatic, even violent, confrontations nearly resulting in Don's expulsion, appear to bear this out. Ironically, it is the earthly angels God places in Don's path, more than any rational insights, that precipitate a transformative faith experience for Don. Inspired by true life experiences and historical events Don's story may well restore your faith in God's power to intervene and work miracles in our everyday lives, even amidst Life's deepest, darkest spiritual valleys.
Peter B. Unger is a UCC pastor. He received his doctorate degree in psychology of religion from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. He has served churches in upstate New York and eastern Pennsylvania. He was a chaplain at the Syracuse Veterans Hospital. Pastor Unger is currently an adjunct college instructor in the areas of philosophy, ethics, and comparative religion. His passion, at the heart of his ministry, has been to share the saving grace of Jesus Christ through storytelling, singing, and songwriting.
“My friend, colleague, and confidant—Rev. Peter Unger—has done it again. Once I started to read I could not put it down; let yourself free into a story not afraid to offer truth. Unger does an incredible work taking the reader through a dark and often uncovered journey of suffering and injustices, especially in church. The shocking experiences of Don are not only emotionally moving but also keep the suspense of the entire book high. Reading one chapter, you seamlessly and inadvertently find yourself in the next chapter. It is simply thrilling and moving.”
—Michael Friedman, publisher, @skopemag
“I really enjoyed the book The Prisoner’s Cross. . . . it is very inspiring and so much of what a lot of families can relate to in today’s everyday living. I feel that this could be a great stepping-stone for people in their battle with faith and Christianity. Very well-written.”
—Michael Korpics, lay minister
“Wow! The Prisoner’s Cross delves deeply into Christ’s transforming nature through faith and perseverance. An eighty-year-old true story of the tragedy of POW camps and the resilient faith of the men who endured years of mistreatment saves Don Campbell, a seminary student, from the torture of his own doubts and misgivings. When everything is stripped away, Christ’s love is all we need to thrive!”
—Donald H. Seagreaves, retired educator, Powell, Wyoming
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