The Lucky Seven Interview: Michael Coren Talks Religion and Inclusivity In His New Book

Michael Coren has been many things throughout his long and fascinating career: an award-winning television and radio host, a regular columnist for The Toronto Star, and a prolific author with sixteen published titles to his name. His most recent accomplishment, however, came last year when he completed his Master of Divinity degree and was ordained by the Anglican Church of Canada.

His newest book, Reclaiming Faith (Cormorant Books), is a collection of faith-based writing bringing together his previously-published articles and columns over the last five years. In it, Coren explores the gulf between the teachings of Christianity and the behaviours and attitudes of most modern Christians, asking why so many seem to misunderstand or otherwise ignore the lessons of tolerance, acceptance, and inclusivity taught in the Bible.

We're very happy to have Michael at Open Book today, where he discusses the book, the life changes he went through while writing its columns, and why hard work usually beats waiting around for inspiration.

Open Book:

Tell us about your new book and how it came to be. What made you passionate about the subject matter you're exploring?

Michael Coren:

It’s a compilation of the last five years of my columns and articles about the Christian faith from the Toronto Star, Macleans, The Globe and Mail, The Walrus, iPolitics, and other publications. Christianity has largely been represented in recent social discourse by a relatively small minority of conservatives, and Christians are often viewed as obsessed with single issues such as abortion or sexuality, as saying “no” rather than “yes.” As a result, the perception of the Christian faith in North America and much of Europe is frequently a negative one. I see it as my vocation to present Christianity in its genuine, vibrant, and liberating form.

OB:

Is there a question that is central to your book? And if so, is it the same question you were thinking about when you started writing or did it change during the writing process?

MC:

I suppose it’s why there is such a major disconnect between what the Gospels actually say, what Jesus genuinely taught, and what so many Christians argue and proclaim. The two approaches simply have nothing in common. That theme never changed, and indeed continues to this day.

OB:

What was your research process like for this book? Did you encounter anything unexpected while you were researching?

MC:

Not while writing the book as such, but during the period I was writing the columns that are in it. I was ordained in the Anglican Church recently, and that required a Masters of Divinity – which I pursued at Trinity College, University of Toronto. Those studies in theology, history, languages, philosophy, and so on, constantly surprised me, but in a positive sense. I grew deeper in my faith as I learned more.

OB:

What do you need in order to write – in terms of space, food, rituals, writing instruments?

MC:

I use a MacBook Air laptop, and I have no idea how I ever worked without one. I often write early in the morning, which I find to be the most fertile and productive time. And coffee – lots of it!

OB:

What do you do if you're feeling discouraged during the writing process? Do you have a method of coping with the difficult points in your projects?

MC:

Procrastination is a constant issue but if one is a writer, one is a writer. Inspiration matters of course, but so does hard work and dedication. I’ve tried to quantify and outline the process, but I always fail – it’s instinctive.

OB:

What defines a great work of non-fiction, in your opinion? Tell us about one or two books you consider to be truly great books.

MC:

Goodness, so many. I’ll tell you about two current non-fiction books that amaze me due to their brilliance. I should add that they’re both written by friends. Dominion by Tom Holland, and Thomas Cromwell by Diarmaid MacCulloch. They combine scholarship with gifted storytelling, empathy and understanding with intense research and knowledge.

OB:

What are you working on now?

MC:

No books right now, as I’m about to start work in a parish. But I write a column or two a week for the Canadian and British press and appear on radio. There will be another book, however, including a memoir – stay tuned.

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Michael Coren is an author, radio personality, columnist and speaker. He hosted a nightly television show for 17 years, for which he won numerous awards. He's a columnist for The Toronto Star, and a frequent contributor to the Globe and Mail, NOW Magazine, iPolitics, The Walrus, and MacLeans. He also appears each week on CBC Newsworld. He is the best-selling author of sixteen books, including biographies of G.K. Chesterton, H.G. Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. He has contributed to the Dictionary of National Biography and several other anthologies and is published in many countries and in more than a dozen languages. Michael has received several awards for his writing and broadcasting. In 2005 he won the Ed Murrow Award for Radio Broadcasting, in 2006 the RTNDA Radio Broadcasting Award, in 2007 the Communicator Award in Hollywood and in 2008 the Omni Award for his television show. In 2012 he was awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal for his services to media and in 2013 he was named North American Columnist of the Year at the Catholic Press Association awards. His most recent book is Epiphany: A Christian's Change of Heart & Mind Over Same Sex Marriage, about which Stephen Fry said, "It's an epiphany in itself. I urge anyone interested in the conjunction of faith and free-thought to read this wonderful, engrossing and fascinating book."